More handpicked essays just for you.
Anthem by ayn rand literary analysis essay
Anthem by ayn rand literary analysis essay
7 ways ayn rand life is reflected in the book anthem
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Anthem by ayn rand literary analysis essay
Anthem, Ayn Rand Dystopian novel Written in 1937 but published in 1938 The protagonist would be equality 7-2521 because he had to fight through whatever the government has set for him,like he found a tunnel and did stuff is wasn't supposed to as a street sweeper The antagonist would be the world scholars because they are the only one holding the protagonist progress to becoming who he truly his The story give a focus on one man life, in the nearest future in which they have made everything and everybody equal, equality 7-2521 strive to be a different person.equality 7-2521 finds an underground tunnel in where he find somewhere to be creative,and not restricted by the government, equality find a girl he truly really likes liberty 5-3000.they …show more content…
Equality 7-2521 records his thoughts and actions in a straightforward manner, with no trace of irony. And i also notice he was speaking very truthfully about himself. Equality 7-2521 struggles for self-identification in a society that has rejected individualism in favor of collectivism.equality 7-2521 which i notice,he never gave up. Another thing i notice is that the names where familiar prometheus and gaea, so when i googled it promethus from greek mythology is a …show more content…
From this, he is learning on how to put on a light bulb. In the fifth chapter many days after his first conversation with golden, equality meets her again but this time she was already waiting for him, equality started calling her “dearest one”. There is a cooler field where they could just lie
Equality 7-2521 is rebellious. If a person is rebellious, he shows a desire to resist authority. This authority is most commonly a government that runs its territory in a way which the rebellious person does not support. Rebellious people argue for changing or replacing this authority because they often view it as corrupt or ineffective. Due to their desire for change, these people are often the most dangerous to governments that wish to retain power and control. Equality 7-2521 shows this desire to defy authority in Anthem. The society that he lives in forbids writing unless it is first approved by the Council of Vocations. However, he has done exactly
A society where people lack individualism and the government has suppressive control, ultimately restrains its citizens. Those who rebel from oppressive authority and redefine themselves are those who remain unconquered. To be unconquered is to be uncontrollable, undefined, and in no form abide by social normality. In the poem, “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, and the novella Anthem, by Ayn Rand both protagonist, Invictus and Equality portray determination and vigor.
As Equality stops to devour the supper he caught, he notices a, “great satisfaction to be found in the food by which we obtain by our own hand” (Rand 80). For once, Equality puts the hunting skill he possesses to use, and the pleasure that comes with consuming an adequate meal made completely by him is far beyond that of meals prepared by others. And by residing in the Uncharted Forest, Equality experiences joy because he essentially is free and can pursue tasks he desires, like hunting, at any time. Furthermore, as Equality proceeds through his day he, “walks on til the sun had set” (Rand 80). Equality now does not have to conform his life to regulations, such as having a curfew, set by the World Council of Scholars. He has the power to choose where he wants to settle and the time at which he must be home, a decision that would not be left up to him back in the city. Ultimately, Equality for the first time broke the chains of uniformity that bound him since birth, and because of this he scoffs at the idiocy of the Scholars to realize that true happiness is achieved through liberty, not
Equality is different from the other men in his world, and because of this he has lived most of his life concealing his emotions, being outcasted and punished by the leaders and teachers of his society, and stripping himself of his talents and uniqueness, therefore he has every right to criticize the leaders who kept the real Equality trapped inside for so very long. Equality expresses his love for science and aspiration to be a Scholar throughout the book and talks of how he wished to be sent to the Home of Scholars so badly his hands trembled under the blankets at night and he had to bite his arm just to stop the pain of wanting something so much (Rand 24). To want something so badly and have to conceal it everyday with no one to share it with is a very difficult thing for someone to have to do. Equality also struggled with concealing his friendship,“International 4-8818 and we are friends.
One day, Equality is supposed to be in the theater, but he is not there. Consequently, Equality is imprisoned to the Palace of Corrective Detention. Oddly, the prison does not have many restrictions, so easily Equality escapes. After his departure, he goes directly to the Council of Scholars, which is where a group of people have a job to gain more intelligence. Intentionally, Equality goes here because he wants to reveal his new discovery of electricity to the scholars. In effect, they denounce him for carrying out a discovery because it is contradicting to the laws of their society. After this happens, Equality bolts to the Uncharted Forest, he begins to actualize that people should live as individuals instead of one group. Liberty follows Equality and, eventually, catches up to him. In the Uncharted Forest, they find a sublime house on top of a mountain. Once they examine the house, Equality and Liberty decide to live in it. Uninhibited, they develop a more profound relationship along with a newly-founded liberated life. As an individual, Equality wants to free the people of his society and eventually begin his own. Equality says, "We matter not, nor our transgression. It is only our brother men who matter. Give no thought to us, for we are nothing, but listen to our words, for we bring you a gift such as has never been brought to men. Listen to us, for we hold the future of mankind in our hands" (70; ch. 7). Equality's life dramatically changes as he extends his life as a
However, Equality is inventing for his own selfish wish, he wants to be included in The Council of Scholars. Equality shows this in chapter six when he states “Then, tonight, we knew we must escape. For tomorrow the World Council of Scholars is supposed to meet in our city.” (6.66). Equality was placed into the Palace of Corrective Detention, for he would not share where he was with the Councils of Home. He showed his main purpose of inventing by wanting to go to the World Council of Scholars meeting. He wished to share his invention in hopes to be placed in the Council of Scholars. Another example of how Equality displays his true motive to creating electricity is when he first discovers the power that electricity holds, and how it can not only benefit his society but how it could possibly get him into the Home of the Scholars “ We shall go to this Council and we shall lay before them, as our gift, the glass box with the power of the sky. We shall confess everything to them. They will see, understand and forgive. For our gift is greater than our transgression. They will explain it to the Council of Vocations, and we shall be assigned to the Home of the Scholars. This has never been done before, but neither has a gift such as ours ever been offered to men.”(5.61) here Equality literally declares what he believes will truly happen if he shares his invention, he will
When Equality begins his relationship with the Golden One in the beginning of the novel, he thinks of her as the most beautiful and perfect person for him. When Equality first meets the Golden One he only thinks about all her good qualities and it’s all about her, also what feelings he gets when looking at her, as
“For I know what happiness is possible to me on Earth. And my happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it” (Rand 95). In this part of the novella, Equality, the narrator, is aware that he can find his own happiness and he should show it once it is found. Throughout the novella, Anthem written by Ayn Rand, Equality is trying to find himself in a society full of equals. As he discovers the tunnel, Equality creates a light bulb in which he wants to flaunt upon the people of his society. Subsequently, when it is rejected by the Council, he hides in the forest from those who see him as a betrayer. Equality tries to find himself in a collectivist society that he knows he does not belong in, in which he evolves. The author believes in objectivism,
The Society of Anthem is a striking instance of a dystopian society in which daily life is dominated by fear. The society is headed by a group of elders, who attempt to destroy the concept of individuality and promote the idea of collectivism. The society controls all aspects of life including roles and profession, emotions, mating and the freedom of choice. Equality 7-2521 undergoes a transformation that is contrary to the principles of Anthem’s society. In Anthem by Ayn Rand, Prometheus (formerly Equality 7-2521) should not feel guilty when he writes “why the best in me had been my sins and transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my sins.” because what he learned about himself over the course of the story.
By the end of the novella Equality comes upon a house from the Unmentionable Times for him and the Golden One to live in. Equality is in love with the Golden One who followed him to the forest after he was gone from the city. Later Equality 7-2521 gives the Golden One a new name: Gaea. They live in harmony together and finally discover the meaning of the Unspeakable Word “I” instead of which they always used the word “We” to refer to themselves like all the other collectivists did. After finding everything Equality searched for, he is a happy individual living in a perfect place with the woman he loves.
To begin with, the knowledge of new information from science can spur rebellion among the citizens, insinuated by the tight control shown in the novella. The Council begins to berate Equality for daring to be different from the rest of society. After Equality presents his light discovery Collective
Equality had more than one primary motivation on his mind. I think the world would be a better place if everyone were motivated in the same way. Equality had more than the light on his mind. Equality started looking at Liberty 5-3000 and called her the ‘Golden One” “You are Beautiful, Liberty 5-3000” ( Chapter 2, Paragraph 17) I think Equality is allowed to feel this way. He should have the right to like a person more than he likes another person. He cared about Liberty and was glad she was only seventeen, so she didn’t have to go to the Palace of Mating. “How old are you?” we asked “Seventeen” they whispered “And we sighed, as if a burden had been taken from us, for we had been thinking without reason of the Palace of Mating.” ( Chapter 2, paragraph
The beginning of the story opens with Equality being chastised because he is too tall and too smart. He noticed that “to be free, a man must be free of his brothers” (Rand 101). This quote shows that when society controls him, and he relies on everyone else, a lack of progress is inevitable. Even the higher powers control their city with aggressive strength; the Council of Vocations assigns Equality to be a street sweeper even though he wants to be a scholar. Out of curiosity, he finds a tunnel while on duty. He begins to write about himself, even though “it is a sin to think words no others are to see” (Rand 1). Having no obligation to others allows one to work towards their own goals, Equality is able to pass his previous instinct where “all men are one” (Rand 20). With the revelation of himself as being a separate indiv...
that refuses to recognize the individual’s worth, a communist society. The fundamental and often universal idea shown throughout the novel is the danger of collectivism and the struggle to find individuality. Liberty 5-3000 depicts the light of freedom at the end of the tunnel of collectivism. She is shown as a lovestruck, rebellious, intelligent, curious and breathtaking woman who takes part in helping Equality violate the rules of the strangling society. Liberty is like the beautiful untouched rose in between dull daisies who is just waiting to be admired. So when she finally gets discovered by Equality magic stirs in the air and Liberty proves her name.
Determine all of the story's conflicts. Determine the major conflict and state this in terms of protagonist versus antagonist.