Conflicts In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Throughout life, you are faced with everyday conflicts; getting cut from soccer tryouts, not receiving the grade you wanted on a biology test, arguing with your siblings, etc. Equality 7-2521 was faced with conflicts as well; however, to a more extreme level. Several external conflicts throughout Ayn Rand’s Anthem, shape Equality’s character. The controlling factors of Equality’s society, that lead to several conflicts, prevented him from sharing his intelligence, choosing and communicating with others and venturing outside the city walls. The first sign of disapproval toward Equality’s abnormal talent starts very young at the House of the Students. Equality lived and was taught at the House of the Students, from the age of five to fifthteen. He was always disliked by his teachers because of his ability to learn more information and in a shorter amount of …show more content…

In chapter one of Anthem, Equality explains, “This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them. The Teachers told us so, and they frowned when they looked upon us”. (21) After the House of the Students, Equality is assigned to work. The Council of Vocations choose his job for him. Being Equality, he has preferences and his preference is to be sent to the Home of the Scholars, the most intelligent and well-worth occupation. However, The Council knows of Equality’s natural skill. The Council is also well aware that Equality could add to their community if he is put in a Home that allows him to apply his talent. But they place him in the most undesirable, contemptuous House, the Home of the Street Sweepers. In their society, they believe that it is right to put the superiors down, to make everyone equal, which is why The Council placed Equality in the Street Sweeper Home. A third example of how discriminating their society is against the power of intelligence is The Council disproved the most

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