Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Equality 7-2521 is introduced to us as the main character and narrator of Ayn Rand’s beautify written novel, Anthem. He is a twenty-one year old street sweeper for the council of vocations, who displays an extraordinary amount of intellect and pride. His ambition in life is to join the council of scholars as a scientist, but the scholars fear he has evil seeping through his bones. To break his spirit they assign him to work as a street sweeper and discourage his mental intellect. He has always been a man a little too curious of his surrounding and discovers a secret tunnel on his way to the theater with International 4-8818. Eventually Equality 7-2521 will begin to passionately develop many experiments in his hidden sanctuary at night.

The book Anthem is taking place in a collectivist society. Evidences that proves this existence includes laws within the society, similar clothings, same opportunities, and “group before individual” thinking style. Its people have routine rules depending on their age. There are leaders and then, there are its followers. Its followers are wired to believe that it is a sin to think about yourself before anyone. They are to replace the word “I” to “we”. Their futures are not in their control but the leaders. In a way, it’s the same as being imprisoned in a labyrinth. Equality 7-2521 is the main protagonist and he is 21 years old. He is different from his brothers because he thinks in an individual way. He did not report the secret tunnel he found.

He walked courageously to the Council of Vocations. His hands tightly gripped a case that’s smaller than a kid’s shoebox. He came to present his invention, but it was going to be like teaching a baby about algebra. Equality 7-2521, later named Prometheus, is the main character in Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem. It sets in the future but the people are living in the past. This dystopian novel is about mankind set in the future timeline going through another Dark Age. It revolves around Equality 7-2521’s actions and thoughts. It also speaks of the society Equality 7-2521 lives in and its rules and regulations, but why do they have those laws? What is their purpose and does Equality 7-2521 apply those rules to his version of his society?

In the book Anthem, there are many sins, as well as transgressions. There is a transgression of preference, of being alone, of thinking alone, of writing, and even of disobedience. In this essay, I will talk about why I feel this society is corrupt as well as how I believe Equality 7-2521 has come to the same conclusion and why he doesn't care about his transgressions. I will also talk about how I think Equality 7-2521 realizes the importance of the written word. And lastly, I will talk about how I feel that Equality 7-2521 has come to his current state of enlightenment. An epiphany, if you will.

“Anthem” is an engrossing novel by Ayn Rand focusing on the character Equality 7-2521’s descent into rebellion against the new socialistic government that has taken all previous scientific advancement out of life, only to leave the ideology of collectivism. His quest to discover, learn, and invent is problematic to those that oversee the progress of the civilization, and from roughly around the age of five, he is punished for his nature. Soon enough, the twenty-one year old is on a journey to learn, not only about nature’s mysteries, but also about what sets him apart from his dead-eyed peers. Equality 7-2521 has many distinctive characteristics that others in the restricted city do not, some of which are relatable, and others that are indeed

Throughout the book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 changes his perspective on how he views the leaders of society. As he starts to realize that there is more meaning to his life than he previously thought, he changes his view which leads him to start thinking of himself as an individual instead of just another member of his society. He no longer accepts the way his government is telling him to live his life as a proper way to live. Equality 7-2521, is correct in denouncing his leaders of their morality as he finally starts to realize that the leaders are hindering him and the rest of the society from expanding their knowledge in development of technology and advancements in the medical field.

Equality7-2521 uncaps an amazing (but illegal) discovery in the book,Anthem, by Ayn Rand. His discovery? Electricity. His discovery was done illegally and is considered illegal due to the many strict laws set in Equality7-2521’s society to keep anyone from being unique. When he rediscovered, or invented, electricity or what he calls “the powers of the sky” his immediate thought was how this could benefit man, but after that his mind instantly raced to how he would be let into the Council of Scholars and how him and his invention are so valuable that he would instantly be forgiven for the crimes he has committed. Equality7-2521 thinks that he is the only one in the world to access this power and thinks that he is the first to invent it giving

Ayn Rand wrote a short novel called Anthem. Anthem is similar to the known movie The

There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever.” (Rand 19) The first part says, “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE,...” This states that every human is one, and that there is no individual.

“It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone.” (pg. 1)

Equality 7-2521 evolution as his own man creates the tone of Anthem as a twisted dystopian world, as it also foreshadows his inner turmoil regarding the considerable merits of being in a group and being a sole individual. As the reader continues to understand the character a bit more, it's clear that Equality 7-2521 will be a probable defiant who will be working his way to defying the rulers of his world and who will undeniably reach the point of radicalization, but will have to deal with the guilt society has pushed him to because of all the years of manipulation. While reading this novel, it is very easy to feel sympathy for the character since his "sin" of individual creativity is absurdly non serious offense and also the possible consequences are ominously grave. It is quite a change towards the end of the novel, when Equality 7-2521 rejects to all of these ideas. At first, he begins to feel cynical concerning

In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 has changed how he views the leaders of his society, and now is very critical of the leaders, referring to them in moral terms. He lives in a very collectivism society, where his leaders control the aspects of the citizen’s lives. The citizens are characterized by a number rather than a name. All the brothers of this society are not allowed to speak to or look at any one of his brothers or women. They follow a repeated schedule day by day, following the totalitarian rules given.

How would you feel if a council put one in a working system based on who you are and how you

Equality falls in love at first sight with a girl he names The Golden One. He knows that it is a transgression to even speak with someone of another trade, but still when she walks to him he cannot help himself. He tells her “you are beautiful...” (42). He also knows that it is forbidden to ever want to mate with anyone, yet he wants to mate with her. He can tell that The Golden One loves him as well when she says “Your eyes are not like the eyes of any among men.” (44). This secret desire between Equality and The Golden One is a source of great inner conflict for Equality.

In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, nature is portrayed as a safe haven, and it is something that Equality can experience without thinking twice. Nature is an escape, a place to be you, a place to be unique. Everything in the society is sheltered and unknown, Equality describes nature in a different way than he described anything else in the book. There is a sense of relief, and it is like Equality lets his guard down and is free to be himself for a short amount of time as he describes nature. Equality describes the sky with great detail. He explains the three different colors of the sky at three different times of the day. “The sky is green and cold in our windows to the east” (Rand 27). He pays great attention to detail and the vivid colors and the way the sky looks at various times. Equality feels a sense of relief throughout the book through nature. Individuality is