Anthem is a story of man’s struggle to be free and to fight the masses of conformity. It tells of human nature and the want to gain all the knowledge that one could possibly attain. Man loses his safe haven and his security when he lets this lust for knowledge overpower him and lets it be seen by others. He becomes vulnerable Like Johann Faust, Prometheus sells his life for wisdom. Unlike Faust, however, Prometheus is expelled from his society but gains his freedom of individuality and his freedom of knowledge and the ability to understand. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea sin against society to become singular and understanding much like Adam and Eve’s sin against God when they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge to gain wisdom; as a result, they can be compared to each other by there desire for learning and by their damnation.
An anthem is a sacred composition set to words from the Bible. This may have significance with the title that Ayn Rand has given the book by paralleling the story of Prometheus and Gaea to that of Adam and Eve. In the bible, Adam and Eve were given everything that they needed by God with the one exception of not to eat from a specific tree. They were told by the devil that this tree was the tree of knowledge and to eat of it would give them knowledge equal to God’s. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea are told that they have everything that they will ever need or desire by the council. They are forbidden to gain knowledge that is not permitted by the council but only to do as they are told. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the pursuit of knowledge and ate of the tree in order to gain equality to God. When they did this God found out and so condemned them and punished them for all eternity. God banished them from paradise in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were no longer given anything as they were in the garden but instead were forced to suffer and survive on their own. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea go against the will of the council and Prometheus yearns to gain knowledge that he realizes is being hidden from him. Prometheus hides his studies at first but then wants to share them with the council for the betterment of society but is instead condemned.
Anthem has an ancient mythical feel to it. A biblical and mythical feel to it. At times the book could even read as scripture. The first word of Anthem is “Sin” many other words in Anthem read as biblical, Transgression, Evil ones, Unspeakable word, Unmentionable times, these words all capture a religious feel . Many totalitarian states adopt some of the workings of an organized religion. Along with that there is the lack of positive religious words, Divine, Holy, sacred. The use of positive religious words does not start until Equality 7-2521 flees the nation and discovers the word I.
The book Anthem is a book that can be perceived many various ways. To me, Anthem is about an outstandingly smart young man, named Equality 7-2521
He is positive that with his quick brain he can uncover the Unmentionable Times and live the way they should have all along. His thoughts are identical to Ayn Rand advice in her short essay “How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society?” since he is the one to lead a rational life in Anthem. In a house that belongs to the Unmentionable Times holds Prometheus, a new name that Equality has given himself, meaning a god who took the light of the gods and brought it to men and taught men to also be gods. Within those walls, he plans to be like Prometheus that the books state: Taking the light to men and teach them how to live a rational
"You shall do what the Council of Vocations prescribes for you...for the Council knows better than you."
In both 1984 and Anthem we have two major plotlines that mirror each other: a man and a
Ayn Rand wrote Anthem as a critique of Communism, yet along with that she demonstrated her own belief system of individual ideals. Objectivism was aptly shown throughout the entire novella with the thoughts and actions of the main characters, Equality and Liberty in contrast with the universal thought of the city and society. Rand clearly showed her philosophy well in this story.
In Anthem, the narrator, Prometheus, lives in a community in which all of the children born that year live in the same house until they turn fifteen. Then they are assigned a job and live with the people that share that occupation. This keeps the people from having an emotional attachment to someone like they would have with a family. Totalitarian rulers often control the thoughts and beliefs of people as well. The citizens of the community are forbidden to question or explore things that are unknown to other citizens.
The Act of Union in 1800 was a significant factor to the nature of Irish nationalism in 1800. Prior to the Act, the society of the united Irishmen, a republican society who wanted parliamentary reform and Catholic Emancipation, fought, under the leadership of Robert Emmet, with physical force for their complete independence. Because of their military strand they differed from their predecessors the ‘Protestant Patriots’, this is because the society was heavily influenced by revolutionary events in France and New America in the late 18th century. The rebellion, although unsuccessful, with its leader imprisoned, had major consequential effects; which was the passing of the Act of Union in 1800. The Act set the tone for the rest of Irish history; once emancipation failed to materialize directly after the union, the Catholic issue began to dominate both Irish and English politics.
In the end of "Anthem", Prometheus comes to the realization that his society's teachings and ideas were not helpful in advancement to the society. Ideas like individuality, that the society tried to squash out of its people, is beneficial to the society as a whole because men are meant to think for themselves. In the book Prometheus made the light bulb back when he was in the society, but once he showed it to the World Council, they but him in jail. After this incidence he realized that no matter what brilliant things he invents, it will never be something that particular society can use. At first he is confused, but realizing that he was acting like an individual made him see that maybe society is the evil one and he is the good one. All of this made him realize that maybe he is not meant for this, and he is thrown out into the uncharted territory. He learns that men are meant to think for themselves, and that if they do society will become more advanced and they will be able to move forward instead of staying at the same spot forever. This is how he realizes his "sins" were actually good and that men are supposed to think for themselves.
Ayn Rand made it very difficult for the reader to understand the purpose of the title. In fact there are many different reasons she could have possibly chosen this title. Some say she chose it instead of her other title Ego for publication reasons basically believing the title Anthem was more intriguing. Others believe there is a deeper meaning to it than that. The dictionary definition of anthem is a song or poem of celebration usually in relationship with religion. Interestingly enough the entire
In the novel, Anthem, written by Ayn Rand takes place when mankind has entered another dark age. A man named Equality 7-2521 lives in a society where he struggles to live equal within the brotherhood. In the world he lives in people are told they exist only for the sake of serving society, and have no other purpose. Therefore, each individual is assigned a vocation as a permanent life career which determines who they socialize and live with. However, Equality being very different from his brothers, believes in individualism and rejects the collectivism society around him. The concept of individualism vs collectivism is portrayed in the story because individuality is unknown to the people where no one is unique or excellent in any way. The people
Rand’s novella, Anthem depicts a dystopian society where an individual struggles against the society’s core beliefs. The individual named Prometheus stated “The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them.” Meaning knowledge is for the men who search for it; if the individual doesn’t search for (secrets of the earth) knowledge, he won’t appreciate the great beauty of it. Knowledge is not automatically expressed in the world; it is like the pieces of a puzzle, where an individual decides whether or not to put the pieces together. Only those who figure out the puzzle, find their answers. Rand depicts a society, where the main character’s thirst for knowledge push him to painfully break free of his chains of confinement by society and to finally reach his highest level of understanding reality.
Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a very unique novel. It encircles individualism and makes the reader think of how people can conform to society and do as they are told without knowing the consequences and results of their decisions. Also, it teaches the importance of self expression and the freedom that comes along with being your own person and having the power to choose what path to take in life. Figurative language is used often in this book and in a variety of quotes that have great importance to the theme, plot, and conflict of the novel.
Throughout the nineteenth century Ireland experienced much change in many aspects of society. Politically, constitutionally and socially. The onset of the Great Famine in the middle of the century would define much of the Irish catholic thought towards British rule in Ireland. The Act of Union in 1801 became a catalyst for the political reform which would consume political thought in Ireland over the next 120 years. Throughout this essay I will critically assess the political movements and reforms in Ireland from the political movement and leadership of Daniel O Connell in the early years of the 1800s until the fall of Parnell at the conclusion of the century.
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus has the quality of integrity that he always tries his best to do everything he thinks it’s just. In the book, Atticus defends Tom Robinson that is against the whole society. Since he says, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” Even though Atticus is against the whole society and may not win the case, he still try his best to support the things he thinks they are just and right. People may disagree with Atticus’s actions, but it surely makes sense that Atticus is devoted to fight for inequality between blacks and whites. There is no doubt that it makes sense for Atticus to take a stand to defend Tom Robinson.