...The word ego is often misinterpreted to have a negative connotation, but for Prometheus having ego is a sacred opportunity. In Anthem by Ayn Rand Prometheus discovers his individuality in a strictly collectivist society by becoming a creator to his own idea of society/culture/civilization that embraces the selfishness and ego found in people. To Prometheus, being an egoist is to positively pursue the ideas he believes are right for society, for himself and his happiness. The connotation of being an egoist is something different to every person whether they interpret it in a positive or negative way. Living for himself is one way Prometheus is an egoist. His selfish qualities of believing he is somewhat superior to others while being curious...
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...The book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, discusses the role of a collective society and how people act in that society. Rand compares her characters to mythical god and goddess. The author compares Equality to Prometheus and Liberty to Gaea. The comparison between Prometheus and Equality is far more complex and contains more things in common than Liberty and Gaea do. The similarities between these characters, allows Rand to create backgrounds for her characters. This novel begins with Equality pursuing his love for writing and his discovery of electricity. Rand compares him to Prometheus, the god who stole fire from Mount Olympus and took it to his people to give them light and also keep them warm. The two are doing these actions to help their...
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...The word ego is often misinterpreted to have a negative connotation but for Prometheus having ego is a sacred opportunity. In Anthem by Ayn Rand Prometheus discovers his individuality in a strictly collectivist society by becoming a creator to his own idea of society/culture/civilization that embraces the selfishness and ego found in people. To Prometheus, being an egoist is to positively pursue the ideas he believes are right for society, for himself and his happiness. Being an egoist is something different to every person whether they use it in a positive or negative way. Living for himself is one way Prometheus is an egoist as well as his selfish qualities of believing he is somewhat superior to others and being curious about his capabilities and pursuing the actions that make him happy, learning. All of Prometheus’s ego is derived from his passion to learn, even the situations when “Quote from the first time he meets the Golden one” Prometheus pursued this action to learn more about an intriguing girl. Prometheus always knew that he was different from his peers even if he couldn’t but a word to the...
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...Free Will in Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” Ayn Rand’s short novel, “Anthem,” depicts a collectivist society where any thoughts are only considered good if they are thought by everyone. Individuality is considered a sin. Children are taken from their parents and raised in a collective unit. One’s vocation is not decided by the individual, but rather appointed to them by a group. The main character, Equality 7-2521 (Prometheus), is a free thinker who longs to learn all he can in hopes of making a contribution to his town, and being promoted to one of the scholars. However, when he presents his discovery (electricity) to the “World Council of Scholars” the group is terrified because they have never seen anything like it before. Prometheus is scorned, rejected, and sentenced to be burned at the stake because of his choosing to think as an individual. Free will is something that many people take for granted these days, but in the world...
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...Society tends to enjoy belittling those who do not meet the set “norm.” Ayn Rand’s Anthem expresses the alienation of the individuals who fail to be homogenous to their coexisting society. Ayn Rand’s society provides characteristics such as punishing people by making them feel as if they are alienated, subjecting individuals to segregation or accepting them, as well as providing escape routes. Such humans who are alienated are considered to be “the other” in this society. Rather than promoting differentiation and diversity… Rand’s society strongly rejects it. The character in Anthem who is especially subjected to alienation and the title of “the other” is a man named Equality 7-2521 a.k.a. Prometheus. This character feels as if he is a target of alienation due to his height, intelligence, and ability of preference. Although Prometheus as said in the novel strives to be one with his “brothers,” he is unable to overcome his “sins” of inequality. Characteristics such as being six feet tall, smarter than the average Joe in his society,...
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...is a word that can be considered good or bad. In many ways, it can inspire a sense of individualism in a person. However, too much egoism can make someone into a narcissistic jerk. In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, the main protagonist Prometheus is not an egoist because even though he is thinking of his own wants and needs, he is also always thinking about how he is going to help the others in his society. In a way, it was bad that he thought of his own wants so much, because he ended up getting severely punished for it. However, if he hadn't gone through those struggles then his life wouldn’t be the same. Like in the speech the “The Soul of an Individualist,” from one of Rand’s other books The Fountainhead, Prometheus wanted to show what he made for the good of everyone, but ended up being shunned for being an individual. Even from the very beginning of the novel, Prometheus always seemed to pay attention to others, giving the reader little notes about who they were or what was...
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...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...
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...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...
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...At the end of Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, Equality 7-2521 breaks from the collective society and discovers the lost and unspeakable word, “I”. I believe that the newly named Prometheus will not resort back to his collective ways due to his determination to learn and the actions he has made in order to learn; however, I can not say the same about the generations that may come after him. To start, during one of his reflective moments, Equality 7-2521 says, “[I’m]glad to be living. If this is a vice, then we wish no virtue” (47). For all of his life he has been chastised and scolded for thoughts like this, yet he still chooses to embrace them and be different than his brothers. He has been taught, in almost a religious sense, that, “‘[t]here are...
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...ANTHEM QUESTIONS Chapter I – Response 1 In a well-organized paragraph, describe the society in which Anthem is set. Some areas to consider are the political structure, degree of technology, social relationships, quality of life, and education. ALSO comment on the following: ➢ Would you want to live in this society? Explain why or why not. ➢ How would your teachers react if you had Equality’s “curse”? ➢ Why do Equality’s teachers disapprove of his quick mind? Chapter II – Response 2 . Re-read the account of Liberty 5-3000 on or around page 38. Which character traits are revealed in this brief description? . Find several examples of the ways in which this society tries to obliterate each individual’s mind (and self!) by quashing personal choices, desires, and values. . Of the whole range of feelings possible to man (joy, excitement, anger, embarrassment, etc.) why is fear the prevalent emotion in this society? Explain the following terms-- WHAT do each of these terms symbolize? If you think about it, they are easy to label. The Great Truth, the Unmentionable Times, the Uncharted Forest, the Evil Ones, the Great Rebirth Chapter III – Response 3 Clearly, up to this point and beyond, Ayn Rand intended Equality to stand out from his “brothers.” Explain how she accomplishes this by contrasting Equality’s physical qualities and character traits to those of his fellow men. . What...
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...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...
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...A collectivist society where individuality is punishable by death and men are viewed as “all in one and one in all… indivisible and forever”; herein lies the world of Anthem, an atypical yet discomforting dystopian world. Like most dystopias, the government is oppressive and tyrannical, hiding behind a false veil of fairness and equality. Different is the retrogressive development of technology, which can be described as primitive at best. The stark contrast between this portrayal and portrayals in other dystopias highlights the impact individualism has on the progression of technology in society. Ayn Rand’s Anthem implies that invention inherently encourages the development of the individual and technology thrives when independent thought...
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...I think. I will.”, as the title of chapter 11, because Equality 7-2521 has finally discovered the word I. First and foremost, it isn’t until one reads Anthem that they may truly discover the importance of a word as simple as I. Equality 7-2521 has found a house from the old civilization with books and normal things found in a house. He decides to build is life with Liberty 5-3000 there and also decides to read all the books found there. It is in one of those books that he discovers the beauty of individualism. He is then able to properly tell Liberty 5-3000 that he loves her and it means something to them because she tried to tell him that before and it didn’t quite feel right. It’s understandable how it doesn’t feel due to the fact that, we mean everybody and it isn’t quite genuine because everybody may love her but it is he who loves her by himself. Finally, Equality 7-2521 chooses to call himself Prometheus, similar to the being who stole light from the gods and gave it to mortals, and calls Liberty 5-3000, Gaea, mother Earth and mother of the Titans. Just the idea of picking a name for one’s self is a giant step at cementing someone’s selfhood. By unearthing the word, I, Prometheus was able to see the world for he chose to see it as and it became a gateway for possibilities seeing as he could now consider his thoughts his...
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...usually separates the main character from the rest of the characters in a story and makes him seem like a hero. No real person is a hero they just have hero like attributes that make them seem that way. Courage is one of those, because again it drives people to do things they normally wouldn’t. Courage is having no fear, and courage is having the desire to do something despite the obstacles that may come before. Most of all, courage is the most important attribute because it gives a character confidence. If a character does not have confidence he/she definitely cannot accomplish the things that he/she wants to accomplish. Main characters in important novels such as Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451, Equality/Prometheus in Anthem, and Rosalind in As You Like It, all of these characters possess one similar trait and that is courage. Without courage none of these amazing stories would be possible. The first character that shows courage is Guy Montag in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Fahrenheit 451 is a story about a fireman in the future who instead of putting out fires for a job he starts them, he ignites books into flames because the people of the future despise books. As a citizen in this society you cannot possess books, with no exceptions. For Mr. Montag that rule is double and he comes to realize that he doesn’t agree with it. Mr. Montag shows courage by disregarding this rule and realizing that even though the people see the books as a bad thing...
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...“We strive to be like our brother men, all men must be alike”(Rand 19). In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, the society lacks individualism. However in Equality’s case he constantly feels that “we were born with a curse. it has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden”(18). Equality only feels that he is cursed because of the standards in the society. The true reason for the “sin” Equality committed was due to the pressure of collectivism from the society he lived in. Although the actions he committed were seen as a sin in his society, Equality has a correct moral assessment of these sins because of his self-individuality and egoism in his own pursuit of happiness. Equality has always stuck out among his brothers when it came to his wits. In...
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