...Ayn Rand’s Anthem portrays a collectivist-minded and totalitarian society (also referred to as a dystopian society) where freedom is limited. The dystopian society strongly believes in the idea that everybody is equal and that everybody should only care about the each other and not about themselves. The society had created different councils, each with its own job, and people were not allowed to choose their job, but it was chosen for them. The society believed in one quote that summarized all their beliefs. Ayn Rand talks about this in the following quote: “Everything done by many is good. Everything done by one man is evil (Rand, 77).” The main character of Anthem, Equality 7-2521, was born differently, according to his society, because he had different features than the others. Accepting his difference, he started to separate himself from the society. He did this becuase his 7-2521's real passion was science and just wanted to understand the world, but sadly, in Equality 7-2521's society, he was forbidden from asking questions. Though he was supposed to be a street sweeper. he did not...
Words: 879 - Pages: 4
...As I read through the novel, ‘’Anthem’’ by Ayn Rand the word ‘’I’’ was not used by the main character, Equality 7-2021, until he found out its meaning. In fact, every character in the book could only refer themselves as a group. So basically, the collectivism society prohibited the use of “I.” The world that Equality lives is a dystopian society because the individual rights of its people have been taken away. Equality’s society feels they are doing the right thing; however, by taking away individual rights, they have created an unhappy, uneducated society. The foundation of Equality’s Society in which he resides is centered around the collective “we" thus indicating the the society maintains stability and a way of life that is free of...
Words: 373 - Pages: 2
...A dystopia is an anti-paradise usually with a totalitarian government controlling it. A dystopian novel is often a futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state. Ayn Rand was a Russian-born American novelist who wrote Anthem during World War 2. Ayn Rand’s Anthem is an example of a dystopian novel based on the society worshipping the council, independent thought, free speech and the ability to retain any knowledge they wanted is restricted and the Unmentionable times being banished and forgotten. The first reason showing that Anthem is a dystopian novel is that the society worships the Council of Scholars. The Council makes the rules and disciplines the people who do not follow the rules. One of the Council’s...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
...The novel Anthem is a dystopian fiction novella written by Ayn Rand, a Russian-born American novelist in 1937. The main purpose of this novel was to show discrimination of individuality. Rand used characters with ironic names such as the main one, Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000. Equality 7-2521 has become very critical of the leaders of his society by the end of the novel, denouncing them in moral terms while in the process in becoming an individual. Moral values are important to most people in the world. They are the motive power in their actions. Equality 7-2521 was not right to become so critical to the leaders of his society. Everyone’s moral values motivate people to do more than they think they can, and having Equality 7-2521 be critical and denounce them was not a helpful thing to do for the other people’s thoughts. Men have to make choices; no moral neutrality is possible when there is no escape from moral values. Therefore, Equality 7-2521 was not right for denouncing the leaders of his society in their moral terms....
Words: 583 - Pages: 3
...In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, mankind destroys all traces of their materialistic and individualistic past to form a utopia. This so-called utopia is actually more of a dystopian society. Dystopias are defined as an imagined place that is usually totalitarianistic and environmentally degraded. Anthem’s society is one of these societies, due to the tyrannical leadership, lack of technological advancements, the indoctrination of people, beginning at birth, and the loss of individualism. The tyrannical leadership is shown through the ruthless enforcement of unreasonable laws. People were “burned alive in the square of the City” (Rand 49), and theft was punishable by “ten years in the Palace of Corrective Detention” (Rand 18). Technology was also severely...
Words: 264 - Pages: 2
...Equality’s discovery of electricity was an incredible feat considering the complexity of society Ayn Rand depicted for Anthem. Rand’s portrayal of society contrasts with the quintessential dystopian society portrayed in many novels such as The Giver and Fahrenheit 451. The civilization in Anthem exists some time in the future, however, the intricacy of technology had declined to the point where citizens were using candles and torches as methods of illuminating their surroundings. The cause of this decline traced to the development of an intolerance towards individualism. Equality never fit in his community because of his strong nonconformist personality. He had preferences and objects of joy, a sin he called “the great Transgression of Preference” (6). He had a bias for science during his schooling and had a tendency to commit transgressions, which foreshadow his experiments in the tunnel. His...
Words: 984 - Pages: 4
...Ayn Rand, a Russian-American novelist and philosopher, is known for her belief in ethical egoism which is showcased in her dystopian novels, including the fictional novel Anthem. She expressed her political views within her many novels and developed her philosophy of “objectivism” which proposed ethical egoism. Her strong belief in her philosophy demonstrated how morality should only be based on one’s self-interest, even if it may benefit or harms others. One of her dystopian novels, Anthem presents her version of an awful society while featuring her political views. Many other works have used her novel as a resource as a connection as well as some locations around the world. Some societies have been experiencing similarities to the actions...
Words: 1223 - Pages: 5
...Ayn Rand's Anthem depicts a completely collectivist society which is similar to the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry a futuristic society that had removed pain, fear, war, and hatred. Equality 7-2521 and Jonas are both in a society where they had no choice in what job was given to them. Equality was given the job of street sweeper due to his compliance to the council, while Jonas received the job of "The Receiver", which is the most trusted job in his society. It is one person suffering the knowledge of the past to make sure history will not repeat itself. Both characters were given their lives with no control over it. Past and present day societies treat their people in a similar way to Lois Lowry's Giver and Ayn Rand's Anthem's dystopian...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
... rights, and opportunities; this is what societies think is the most vital part to having a great society. The societies in Anthem and "Harrison Bergeron" thought the same way as well, but later realized that it only led to their demise. Both Ayn Rand's novella, Anthem, and Kurt Vonnegut's story, "Harrison Bergeron," focus on the theme of equality, and it is apparent that the theme reveals that being different is wrong, that people are naturally different but are forced to be equal, and that equality is a barrier from individuality, which both suggests that everyone is naturally different; therefore, making the reader know that they should embrace rather than fear their differences among others....
Words: 613 - Pages: 3
...Erich Fromm was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. In Fromm’s essay ”Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem,” he discusses and compares the impact of human obedience and disobedience to ones self and to human society. While discussing both obedience and disobedience, Fromm opens his essay with “For centuries, kings, priests, feudal lords, industrial bosses, and parents have insisted that obedience is a virtue and that disobedience is a vice.” Immediately after this statement, he gives strong points of views opposing the statement of disobedience being a vice. In the “Anthem,” Ayn Rand tells a story about a place in unspecified future period, where people no longer have their own individual rights, and collectivism is leading the entire society. It's a dystopian sci-fi novella set in the future when mankind has entered another dark age as a result of the evils of society. She introduces a boy named Equality 7-2521 who is disobedient to the Council of Vocations and experiences self-growth and freedom. Disobedience is an act of courage, necessary for the individual to fight against the unreasonable demands of authority. Fromm writes, “Human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be, terminated by an act of obedience,” supporting his statement that obedience might as well “cause the end of human history.” He uses religious and mythological figures to demonstrate...
Words: 893 - Pages: 4
...Compare and Contrast HB+A Aristotle once said “Equality consists in the same treatment of similar persons”(‘World of Quotes”) In Harrison Bergeron by kurt Vonnegut and Anthem by Ayn Rand there are two men who are forced by their government to try to be equal. Wearing heavy weights, and a huge nose to make him look ugly, while Equality 7-2521 is made to work in the home of Street Sweepers. Even though he is smart, he is also prohibited from using the word “I”. So they are both prevented from being individuals. Although Anthem and Harrison Bergeron are both a dystopian society their treatment of family and technology differs. If human thought is suppressed, then society is collapses on itself, “The heads of our brothers bowed, The eyes of are brothers are dull and never do they look one another in the eyes. The shoulders of our brothers are hunched and muscles are drawn, as if their bodies were shrinking and wished to shrink out of sight. And a word steals into our mind as we look upon our brothers, as the word is fear” (Rands 46) This quote illustrate that society is already collapsing on itself. The men are lifeless because the council will not allow them to think for themselves. The societies as well are not able to think for themselves for if they do, the council will punish them. Being...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...Anthem takes place in a unknown time in the past or future where technology nor science comes to the mind of the society. “A street sweeper walking in upon the world of scholars / It is against all the rules and laws”(69). Ayn Rand’s book Anthem takes place in a dystopian society that the council of vocations control. throughout the book there was not any change in technology over time other than equality discovering electricity. Also the candles that the entire society use took a long process of getting approved and confirmed. The council and scholars disagreed with Equality’s creating which could have been a revolutionary change in technology in Anthem. Technology in Anthem have not been moving forward and have not been improving in fact it might just be forgotten to the society. “We can give our brothers a new light, cleaner and brighter, than any they have ever known” (60). No one under the class of scholar have ever tried to make an invention. Even in the book the scholars aren't even making inventions for the society...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...Anthem Contest Essay Within the dystopian setting of Ayn Rand’s Anthem, the human spirit is enslaved and oppressed. Living under a totalitarian dictatorship, all people are obligated to live unselfishly. Beneath this collectivist regime, everyone lives a life of servitude and dependence on one another. There is no individuality, no identity, no sense of self, no word “I”. Taking its place is the word “WE”, emphasizing the collective body that encompasses all. In order for the State to maintain control over its subordinates, it has meticulously brainwashed all to believe that it is wrong to be different, to have a preference, to be superior, and to think or act independently from the collective. With these rules as the moral doctrine, each person is...
Words: 1083 - Pages: 5
...Anthem Writing contest I am. I think. I will, when these words are thought nothing out of the ordinary comes to mind. According to Ayn Rand’s book anthem, mine, my, and I are all taken for granted. Ayn Rand was born in 1905 and her book Anthem, published in 1938 kick started a all new genre of dystopian society books. In Anthem a future world has lost technology and all knowledge of individualism. They have abandoned the thought of themselves and now “worship” the word we. Equality 7-2151 breaks we’s invisible bond made by us and we then created a brand new utopian society, that thrives on individualism. The perfect society equality created at the end of the book will include little to no rules from his past home because, he ran away from these rules, equality knows the unspeakable word, and the leader of his land is himself. Equality 7-2125 grew up just like everybody else. At age five left for schooling then at age fifteen got a job as a streetsweeper, doing everything as a whole with no thought of themselves whatsoever. Then years later his world changed when he found a grate within the outskirts of the colony and ventured inside. In the tunnel he was in awe at the sophistication of everything the tunnel...
Words: 751 - Pages: 4
...Those lucky enough to be different should never change. In Ayn Rand’s book Anthem, society takes place in a very far away dystopian future. Technology has destroyed mankind, hidden from the knowledge of civilians who live for their brothers, and their brothers only. They must all be the same and follow whatever orders given to them. However, Equality 7-2521 comes along and discovers the importance of individuality. An individual is more important than society because individuality creates new discoveries, like how Equality 7-2521 discovered electricity and realized that people need to express their differences in order to be happy. Equality 7-2521 discovers something from the Unmentionable times called, electricity. In Anthem it says, “So much...
Words: 627 - Pages: 3
