...I have recently read a novel, “Anthem”, by Ayn Rand. Anthem is a tale of a future dystopia so saturated in collectivism that the word “I” has disappeared from their language. (AynRand.org) In this book you may notice how the characters refer to themselves as “we” instead of “I” or “myself’. Thats strange to us because when we talk about ourselves we don't think of referring to ourselves as more than one person. In Anthem, the people of this society are taught, “We strive to be like all our brother men, for all men must be alike.” (Rand 19) They should not worry about their appearance, they don’t have mirrors or know their own names. In Anthem the main character is Equality 7-2521. He is 21 years old, six feet tall, and as it says in the book...
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...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...
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...unattainable ideal: equality. The societies that embrace these totalitarian political forms, including that of Ayn Rand’s Anthem, intend to become the paragon of parity by having their citizens sacrifice their own happiness for that of their brethren. The leaders of Anthem’s supposedly egalitarian society justify this subtly sadistic method of rule with the ideals of equality, fraternity, and selflessness. The principles that blinded Equality 7-2521’s brethren to the grim reality they faced too often imbue members of modern society, especially as these standards are broadcasted by religious, social, and governmental groups. The...
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