Street Sweeper In Anthem

A sin can be interpreted differently by many people, however to most of us it is an offense against religious laws. In Anthem there are many sins. At first, Equality follows the rules just like everyone else. As the story progresses he becomes a street sweeper and finds electricity. He eventually realizes that he is the only one who knows this power, and from this point on he has a different moral assessment of the council and of himself. During the first chapters of Anthem, Equality is portrayed a respectful citizen. He respects the council immensely even after being selected to become a street sweeper over his first choice of wanting to become a member in the Council of Scholars: “All of the new great modern inventions come from the Home of Scholars” (Rand 26). Equality wants nothing more than the Council of Vocations to select him to become a Scholar. When they call “Equality 7­2521” and say, “Street sweeper” ”We would accept our Life Mandate, and work for our brothers, gladly and willingly” (Rand 26), this represents his loyalty to the council, and how appreciative he of them for this selection.

Equality takes candles, flint, knives, and paper to this place where he has also taken glass vials, powders, and acids. He spends three hours a night in the tunnel studying, melting medals, and mixing acids. “Two years have passed since we found this place. And in these two years we have learned more than we had learned in the ten years of the home of the students” (Rand 36). Equality is becoming more self-reliant each day, as he knows more than his brothers and the council. With fear still in his head he says, “The nature of our punishment, if it be discovered, is not for the human heart to ponder” (Rand 37). This shows how much fear the council has put inside their heads. Despite the fear, Equality is still disobeying their laws. His morals are molding him into his own