Anthem Essay Christian Louis Lange states, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” The Council of Scholars in the novel Anthem lives to believe technology is dangerous. Anthem is by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 is a different in his collectivist society. He overcomes and creates a new invention that no one has ever thought about before. He breaks away from the society and forms his own based on a new line of technology. Technology was looked down upon in the society because it was not used in a good way in the war before the times of the Great Rebirth. In Anthem technology is viewed poorly and as a destruction to society. In the book, “But we must never speak of the times before the Great Rebirth, else we are sentenced to three years in the Palace of Corrective Detention”(Rand 19). This shows the society will not not talk about the times before the Great Rebirth at all. It is important because it shows the war times must have scared the government greatly. This makes the government unwilling to changes and new ideas that relate to those times. Also, “ But terror struck the men of the Council. They lept to their feet, they ran from the table, and they stood pressed against the wall, huddled together, seeking the warmth of one another’s bodies to give them courage” (Rand 70). This now shows how the Council reacted to Equality’s invention due to their experiences. This is important because the fear of technology advancement frightens them very much due to the war. Technology frightens the Council because of the fearful times before the Great Rebirth. The Council of Scholars is clearly frightened by the advancement of technology. Ayn Rand says “‘ You shall be burned at the stake,’ said Democracy 4-6998” (Rand 72). This shows that the Council of Scholars will do anything to a citizen if they try and go against the laws. This is important because the Council wouldn’t go to that extreme unless they were horrified by the outcome. Also, “‘No, they shall be lashed,’ said Unamity 7-3304, ‘ till there is nothing left under the lashes’”(Rand 72). This is another prime example of the Council willing to hurt a criminal in front of the whole society. The Council of Scholars believes it is right to kill Equality for his actions. Little do they know, Equality will go against these orders again. Lastly, the Council will do anything in its power to destroy what they think might be an advancement in technology. When Equality shows them his glass box, they respond, “‘This thing,’ they said, ‘ must be destroyed’”(Rand 74). This shows that the Council of Scholars will not even think about technology entering their new society. The times before the Great Rebirth must have been very scary because the Council will not allow technology at all, even if it makes way of life easier. Lastly, “‘Take our brother Equality 7-2521 to the Palace of Corrective Detention. Lash them until they tell’” (Rand 64). This shows that when the Council found out about Equality’s hole, they tried to stop him from going back. This is important because the Council must have been afraid of what Equality was doing in the hole. The Council of Scholars believes technology will bring the society back to war time, therefore they destroy anything that shows an attempt. Technology is looked at fearfully in the society because of what it caused during the Great Rebirth. This is shown through Equality’s box needing to be destroyed, the way they reacted to the box, and what the Council will do to stop the advancement. In today’s society, technology is becoming something people rely on in our daily lives. This could lead to a large problem soon.

Work Cited
Rand, Ayn. Anthem .