Dystopian novels are used to convey themes and ideas that revolve around societal control. 1984, The Handmaiden’s Tale, and The Maze Runner; these are all examples of dystopian societies, which clearly, and expressedly convey the idea of extreme government controls, and its effects. Anthem, attempts to convey the idea of government control but falls short in the actual execution. Anthem lacks the ability to properly convey the theme, because its main points are repeated excessively, the societal control in the novel is taken to an extreme, and no reasonable explanation is given for these extremes, which makes the entire book less believable and unrealistic. Anthem for such a short novel, is ridiculously repetitive. Exaggerated use of the …show more content…
This point is made multiple times throughout the novel. The individual is perceived as evil. The word I is unknown. Everyone works in groups, without communication. Everyone has a number, not a name. As Arthur Koestler stated, “This point is made ad nauseam in Ayn Rand's execrably written but mercifully brief dystopian fiction, Anthem” (208). In reference to the idea of collectivism, Koestler points out both the problem and its severity. Repetition in a long novel, over three hundred pages, or so, is less of a problem. In those cases, some repetition can be useful. However, when the story is only around one hundred pages, a theme repeated ad nauseam is not helpful, rather a downright hindrance. The repetition of a theme which is overstated and unrealistic in it’s portrayal of a functioning society, sends a very unbelievable message, and makes the reader very unlikely to feel the need for strong development of individualism or objectivism because the extreme scenario doesn’t seem …show more content…
Even in chattel slavery, where people are considered objects and degraded constantly, they retained the ability of basic thought. Though they had few choices, they could still make some, their humanity was never completely taken from them, it is impossible to remove the human instinct from the human. Maybe, had the society been more advanced or technological, it would be more conceivable. But, in its depicted state, the level of obedience and weak will is simply not possible. All of these factors, make the reader less likely to empathize with the characters or their problems because it simply isn’t imaginable to anyone living in this day and age. Also, the idea that Equality and Liberty just happened to stumble on a house in the woods containing individualist ideas is insane. Supposedly the world had been so destroyed that huge losses of knowledge occurred. No one remembered the word I. Then, suddenly a house appears with all of this information? The world Rand created, this seems impossible. In this house they discover, “The sacred word: EGO” (Rand 105). Not only is it unlikely that they should find the house at all, but that they are able to grasp understanding of concepts they have never heard of. How does a man who referred to himself with the word we, and a man lacking in basic education understand a concept that baffles people today? The
In the novella Anthem, by Ayn Rand, expressing individuality is a sin. Ayn Rand creates the main character, Equality 7-2521, to show that a Rational society cannot keep someone from being who they are and having moral judgements without becoming an Irrational Society itself. This is further explained in her short essay, “How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society?”. Equality 7-2521 would second Ayn Rand’s advice on moral judgement being a big responsibility and a determining factor of moral character. He would also agree that there is government brainwashing, due to his personal experience in life. Equality is different from the other men in his world, and because of this he has lived most of his life concealing his emotions,
Ayn Rand, in Anthem, illustrates a futuristic, socialist society. In the novel, Rand destroys any sense of individuality and describes the social setbacks endured after living ‘only for the brotherhood’. The individual person fails to exist and is but a ‘we’ and recognized by a word and a series of numbers rather than a name. Additionally, she describes the horrors encountered within this different system of life: from reproduction methods to punishments. Through the life of Equality 7-2521, Rand demonstrates a person’s journey from obedience to exile in this socialist society. Throughout the entire novel, Rand criticizes Marxist theory as she demonstrates socialism’s failure to suppress revolution, thwart material dialectic, and its detriment to humanity.
In Anthem there are so many rules and controls, yet there is one that truly rises above it all. And that word is “I”. There is no “I” only “We”, for the great “We” is what they follow. And they are one not individual, they are one. And poor Equality can’t seem to understand that the rules are rules, but in a way he’s making his own rules. And he is mistreated for his looks and appearance and dosen’t seem really one with his brothers. And he’s curious and most don’t even question life, and he notices the little things, “Yet as we stand at night in the great hall, removing our garments for sleep, we look upon our brothers and we wonder. The heads of our brothers are bowed. The eyes of our brothers are dull, and never do they look one another in the eyes. The shoulders of our brothers are hunched, and their muscles are drawn, as if their bodies were shrinking and wished to shrink out of sight. And a word steals into our mind, as we look upon our brothers, and that word is fear.”(Rand 46). He has a wanting to learn and build his knowledge, but the rules don’t permit his decisions.
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.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a politically satirical novel is set in a future society that is so highly collectivized that the word “I” has been banned. The world is governed by various councils who believe that man’s sole reason for existence is to enforce the Great Truth “that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together” (Rand, 20). Any indication of an individual’s independent spirit is swiftly and brutally put down, with the transgressors being punished with severe prison sentences or even death.
The dystopia depicted in Anthem could quite easily be considered Ayn Rand’s commentary on society. It puts into perspective the downfalls of societal trends and putting others above oneself. The novella itself is a satire of Collectivism, which can be seen in examples of Communism. Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism includes ideas of immutable facts, rationalist mentality, self-prioritization, and a capitalist society (ARI, n.d.). Her ideas are shown in a variety of aspects throughout the novella. Oppression felt due to the collective mentality is the most prominent of the ideas shown. Another aspect that is important to note is Equality 7-2521’s natural tendency to struggle against the restrictions set upon
Anthem is a novella written by Ayn Rand, in which Equality 7-2521, the protagonist, struggles for self-identification living in a collectivist society. Equality believes that individuality is an eminent aspect of one’s life because individuality defines and outlines who man is. He endures all the hardships in his life living with people who support collectivism, and who reject his ideas. For example, when Equality 7-2521 invents and exhibits the light bulb, the World Council rejects it and tells him that it is selfish to work on something alone instead of working with his brothers. The World Council threatens to destroy the light bulb but Equality does not let that happen and rebels, so he is forced into exile from his society. Equality realizes that he is different from others because he cares about his happiness unlike others who are convinced to believe that a group’s happiness counts more than an individual’s happiness.
In this novella, the characters have every aspect of their lives planned by the government in an attempt to make everyone indistinguishable. As a result, the characters have no sense of identity. For example, the characters have names such as Equality, Collective, and Union. Alone these names suggest a common core. Drastically, a complete loss of individuality can be noted by how the characters say "we" rather than "I", the forbidden word.
In conclusion, Anthem, a story based around a totalitarian world, Equality tells about his life in the type of society. He starts off
The ability to create life is an amazing thing but being forced to have children for strangers is not so amazing. Offred is a handmaid, handmaid's have children for government officials, such as Commander Waterford. Offred used to be married to Luke and together they had a daughter but then everything changed; Offred was separated from her family and assigned to a family as their handmaid. The society which Offred is forced to live in shaped her in many ways. In The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood uses cultural and geographical surroundings to shape Offred's psychological and moral traits as she tries to survive the society that she is forced to live, in hopes that she can rebel and make change.
1984, a book by George Orwell, offers an alternate reality for what the future could have been. The concept of a totalitarian society is but a far off, if not long dead, ideal. In the past totalitarianism was not just an ideal but an actual living, breathing menace to people of the late 1940s. Totalitarian governments would go to horrific lengths in order to sustain and increase their power. In the novels 1984, by George Orwell, and Anthem, by Ayn Rand, propaganda, class distinction, and naivety are explored in fictional societies. Orwell’s and Rand’s stories are based on dystopias and the individuals of those societies who dare to stand out. George Orwell uses Winston Smith, the timidly rebellious protagonist; The Party, the ruling government; and Big Brother, the face of The Party; and Ayn Rand utilizes Martyrdom, the sacrificing of oneself; Naming, a process using words and numbers as a means of identification; and Collectivism, everyone is the same and refers to themselves as we, to illustrate how dangerous a naïve working class, spin and propaganda, and an unacknowledged class distinction can be in a society.
Feminism as we know it began in the mid 1960's as the Women's Liberation Movement. Among its chief tenants is the idea of women's empowerment, the idea that women are capable of doing and should be allowed to do anything men can do. Feminists believe that neither sex is naturally superior. They stand behind the idea that women are inherently just as strong and intelligent as the so-called stronger sex. Many writers have taken up the cause of feminism in their work. One of the most well known writers to deal with feminist themes is Margaret Atwood. Her work is clearly influenced by the movement and many literary critics, as well as Atwood herself, have identified her as a feminist writer. However, one of Atwood's most successful books, The Handmaid's Tale, stands in stark contrast to the ideas of feminism. In fact, the female characters in the novel are portrayed in such a way that they directly conflict with the idea of women's empowerment.
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.
In dystopian fiction, forbidden relationships exist because it provides a sense of hope and liberation for the protagonist rebelling against the authoritarian figure in the dystopian society. The novel The Handmaid’s Tale conveys forbidden relationships through the protagonist, Offred, as she desires to maintain and form newer relationships with others particularly Moira her best friend, Nick, the Commander and Luke, her husband. Relationship such as friendship is considered forbidden because it gives Offred resilience to rebel against the regime. Equally the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell presents relationships such as Winston’s sexual connection with Julia, who is a party member, as forbidden because members of the party are
The Handmaid's Dystopia The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian tale about a world where unrealistic things take place. The events in the novel could never actually take place in our reality." This is what most people think and assume, but they"re wrong. Look at the world today and in the recent past, and there are not only many situations that have ALMOST become a Gilead, but places that have been and ARE Gileadean societies. We're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy! Even today, there are places in the world where there is a startling similarity to this fictitious dystopia.