Anthem
The Latin word Ego literally means “Man’s Self,” and it was the original title for the short, and powerful, science fiction novel Anthem. The author, Ayn Rand, believed very strongly in individualism and that one day all men could lose their rights, values, and independence. This is the plot of Anthem. It is a story of a future Dark Age in which all technology has been destroyed by those in power, and all men have been brainwashed into a single collective mind. The men do not know of the word “I,” and therefore refer to themselves as “We.” They are assigned their jobs and are not allowed to do anything that would raise themselves above their brother men. However, one man, Equality 7-2521, simply cannot grasp this concept. His entire life he has been punished for being different. Being too tall, or asking too many questions, were just some of the insults his superiors tossed at him. Yet he often disobeyed in his never ending lust for knowledge and self betterment. In the novel, he stumbles upon an old subway station from the “Unmentionable Times,” and this eventually leads to his discovery of electricity. When he resolves to bring his gift of electricity before the World Council of Scholars, he is cast
Throughout Anthem, Prometheus’s love for light is evident. In the novel, light is a powerful symbol that stands for justice and truth. Late in the story, Prometheus claims, “The only things which taught us joy were the power we created in our wires, and the Golden One” (Rand 86). The wires he mentions are i didn't write this referring to his light bulb, his gift to the world he lives in. This is very symbolic as later he changes his name from Equality 7-2521, to Prometheus; the Greek Titan and bringer of light. He tries to bring this light into the dingy, dark city. As for Prometheus calling his forbidden lover Liberty 5-3000, the “Golden One”, this is but another sign of light in the novel. Gold is a naturally bright and beautiful substance that reflects light off of every surface. The quote literally shows that he only cares for his loved one, and his search for light. On a broader perspective, this shows Ayn Rand’s individualist beliefs damn of how men cannot, and will not, find the light, or happiness, in a collectivist environment. In her eyes, light shines through the gray haze of collectivism and brings out human dignity and creativity. So while Prometheus’s gift of light does not help most people in the city, it does help him to comprehend how unique he really is. The World Council of Scholars makes up one of the chief antagonists in the story. It stands for the epitome of collective control and, therefore, evil. One of the members of the council, Similarity 5-0306, states, “[M]en have no cause to exist save in toiling for other men” (74). This quote demonstrates one of the most important ideas of collectivism; that all men must not work for their own profit, but for the benefit of all the men in their community. This is w
Some topics in this essay:
Council Scholars,
Ayn Rand,
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Anthem Prometheus’s,
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,
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rand believed,
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ayn rand believed,
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Approximate Word count = 1197
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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