preview

The Character Of Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Better Essays

“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,” (Page 10). Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, portrays an individual against a society that refuses to favor an individual’s value, also known as a collectivist or communist society. Equality 7-2521 is given the title street sweeper, but he recognizes that he is meant for more. Equality 7-2521 is an intelligent and ambitious innovator that dares to go against the society that has influenced him since birth. Equality 7-2521 dares to violate the rules of his broken society and in the midst, discovers the forbidden word. Equality 7-2521 discover the value of the individual outside of the collectivist idea of “we”. The discovery of a hidden world leads Equality 7-2521 to name himself Prometheus and his love, Liberty 5-3000, Gaea, after the epic Greek myths. Equality does this in an effort to …show more content…

Equality learns that although his society has taught him that to be alone is evil and to work for others is substantial, he must actually work for himself and take pride in what he aspires to be and to do in order to achieve happiness. Ayn Rand does not clearly use the word “egoism” in Anthem, but the actions Equality achieves expresses the idea of egoism. “…he broke their chains…he broke their chains…he broke their chains…” (Page 165). The use of the phrase “he broke their chains” symbolizes the respect Equality gives to his fellow brethren. Equality realizes that he must break away from the chains of the government in order to truly live. Toward the end of the novella we receive the “forbidden word” that had been hinted at throughout the entire book. “The sacred word: Ego,” (Page 171). Ego is the theme of the story because it breathes life into the alternative theme of

Get Access