...what is and is not allowed in the totalitarianistic society pictured in Anthem, by Ayn Rand, and proceeds regardless. While the outright and truthful account is being given at the beginning, the reader comes to understand that Equality is unsure of what the response will be to his purposeful fracture of the law. But something more subtle is apparent following the conclusion of the book: Equality’s underlying carelessness with the law. Though acknowledging his refusal to adhere to every law set forth by the Council, he still maintains his sense of apprehension. The arc Equality undergoes throughout the course of Anthem...
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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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...Ego 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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...A Sinful Society An act regarded as a serious or regrettable fault, offense, or omission defines a sin. Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem describes the journey of Equality 7-2521 who retaliates against his collective and communist government. The idea of individualism does not correlate in a communist society that Equality lives in. However, he harms nobody within his society. Freedom and individualism should not be considered sins. Equality commits a sin when he discovers new ideas, commits multiple transgressions of preferences, and writes his actions down in his journal. Equality creates his own ideas and inventions and begins to realize how to become an individual within himself. He works alone in a tunnel he discovers for three hours each day and working alone defines a sin in their society. Ironically, with the name of Equality, he does not believe that everybody should be equal to one another. He believes this when he ponders, “The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them” (Rand, 52). Equality gathers items from the streets and other houses and takes them down to the secret tunnel continuously. He continues to do so due to the lack of yearning from all of his brothers to explore and discover. International discovered the tunnel with Equality but he did not want to return due to the consequences that would occur if they were caught. After he escapes the community and the Uncharted Forest, he discovers a house with his soon to be wife...
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