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 …show more content…
A thing that gave him such bliss should be preserved and passed down to the generations after him, “...the day will come when… my home will become the capital of a world where each man will be free to exist for his own sake. For the coming of that day shall I fight… for the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor” (48). Equality was doing no wrong in being motivated by his own self-interest when he was conducting experiments. He had only seen joy in living for his own sake. During his time, society was in need of individualism. People were living depressing, dull, and fruitless lives; they were unable to pursue their dreams and interests. However, if the society in Anthem was developing to have people that lived for themselves and themselves only, a selfish society lacking compassion, then Equality would only be further promoting that lifestyle when unity would be the remedy to that hypothetical