Anthem
In reading Anthem, you have been exposed to a world very different from your own. Choose one aspect of Equality's world and comment on it. For your post this week, include the following information:
- Type out a quote from the book that addresses the part of the world in Anthem you wish to comment on.
- Explain how this world impacts the characters and their lives.
- Contrast this world with the world you live in.
- Give your thoughts on why the government in the book would create this type of society, and what they hope to accomplish.
44 comments:
In Anthem, by Ayn Rand, the characters lives are much different than ours. For example, the novel reads, "Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names upon it" (p. 18). That is very different than our world in the way that they have no say in what their name is, whereas in our world, we have a say in what our name is. This impacts the characters in a very big way by taking away a right that every individual should have. It is an example of a Dystopian society because a group controls the lives of individuals. In my world, parents choose the name of their child, and have different names than others (by choice). Also, the characters do not have a say in what's right and what's wrong, they just obey. In the United States, and in my life, I can say whether or not I like something. A government, like the one in Anthem, would want to create this type of government to make peace so everyone that has the same name could form together, but instead it creates chaos and rebels like Equality 7-2521. Sometimes in life there needs to be a compromise and meet in the middle to obtain the goal they each party wants.
In Anthem, by Ayn Rand, the Council controlled every part of the citizens lives. For example, Rand wrote,“But we must never speak of the times before the Great Rebirth, else we are sentenced to three years in the Palace of Corrective Detention” (pg. 19). In this quote, you can see the way the Council controls basic movements that we would consider absurd not to have. This novel gave many examples of how the Council controlled every citizens natural rights. In our society the government puts limits to what we can say. Such as, an individual cannot yell fire in a public place when there is no fire, an individual cannot infuse immediate danger when there is no danger. In this novel, the government is metaphorical black or white, there is no grey area. A person is either doing the right thing or the wrong thing. And because of this it led to incredibly strict rules and guidelines for people to follow. In our society, our government is metaphorical grey. A person can do a bad thing, but it could have been for a good reason. We have legal rights, like "innocent until proven guilty" or we have the first amendment of the Bill of Rights to support us. This government would create this type of society to eliminate the thoughts and behaviors of selfishness. They did this because in our current society many people believe that what ruins our society most is that people are too selfish. But Rand writes a novel based on the theory if the behaviors were switched our world would still not be what we wanted.
I chose a quote that shows how the world our character lives in discourages individuality. The quote is "But it is a sin to give men names which distinguish them from other men" (Rand P. 10). The world in Anthem is a society where people are not allowed to express themselves. They are not even allowed to use the word "I". This quote shows how the characters are not allowed to make others different by giving them names. This is different from our world because in todays society you rarely find someone with the same name as you. also in America, we value individuality very extremely. The government in Anthem is trying to eliminate individuality to prevent a revolution. They are teaching the people to be dependent on the government. They are afraid of people thinking for themselves.
In Anthem by Ayn Rand the individuals lives are very different from our own. For example in the book the author says: “ They called the students’ names, and when the students stepped before them, one after another, the council said: “Carpenter” or “Doctor” or “Cook” or “Leader.” Then each student raised their right arm and said: “The will of our brothers be done.” (pg.25). This is different from our lives because the characters were being given what their job would be for the rest of their lives. While we get to choose what we want to do. The world impacts the characters because they can become something they don’t want to be. I believe that the government created a society like this to try and make things easier for them. Telling people what they can and can’t do is a much easier system. The government hopes to accomplish things that they want to see.
The book Anthem shows us a society completely different from our own. The society in which they see every men as equal. There is no individualism in this society and the author shows us this when they say "What is your name?" "Equality 7-2521 we answered" (page 43). In this society nobody has a name they are all known as numbers. They are given a job that they work for the rest of their lives, and there is no getting a different job. They must always follow the council's rules they can never do what they want. They also are no allowed to use the word "I". They are not allowed to think of themselves they have to think of everyone as equal so when they can not even think for themselves. When they are talking about anything they refer to it plurally using the word "we". The society strips people of their individualism and tried to make every man believe that they are all the same.
In Equality’s world, the government gives each person a label and takes away their individuality. Equality says, “Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names on it” (Pg. 18). The world that Equality lives in takes away everyone’s individuality, and soon all people live in a world of unknown. Society tells them they cannot have their own ideas, for it is “all of us” who work together. The people in society may not be smarter than the Scholars of the society, and take away any emotion a person naturally has. In the world we live in, this could compare to the world Equality lives in. The government wants us to follow certain guidelines, and overall be good people. The government views their people as just labels, all the same. However, we are free to make our own choices and the government does not interfere unless something is complained about. The government in the book Anthem would create a society like this because there is no conflict. They hope to accomplish a peaceful world, with all people who are the same. If people cannot have their own individual ideas, there can be no conflict with others.
“The word "We" is as lime poured over men, which sets and hardens to stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it. It is the word by which the depraved steal the virtue of the good, by which the weak steal the might of the strong, by which the fools steal the wisdom of the sages.
What is my joy if all hands, even the unclean, can reach into it? What is my wisdom, if even the fools can dictate to me? What is my freedom, if all creatures, even the botched and impotent, are my masters? What is my life, if I am but to bow, to agree and to obey?" pg. 97
This quote is one of my favorite examples of the mindset of the people who live in that world. Since everyone in the society is "equal" everyone, good and bad alike has a direct impact on even just one person. It also offers very little motivation to the people of that world, which can cause just a mass of people walking through life with no purpose at all which effects the productivity and quality of life of everyone since all are the same. This view is extremely different than that of our world, here the view is basically everyone is their own person, and you determine your own success. If you fail, that is your fault and very rarely will there be someone to help you back up and coddle you back into success. The ideal of the "eat of be eaten" life we have can cause many ranges of qualities of life, from very poor to extremely rich. Which could be a draw back, but it is still a little better than every life sucks and no way out like the type in the book. This society is one the government would make to exercise complete control over the population, and they hope to accomplish a nation of mindless drones who do the bidding and hard work for them.
"And if you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason for you to burden the earth with your bodies." (Pg. 20). This quote impacts the characters lives as it shows what they live by, for each other, not for themselves. It shows this by saying if your brothers don't need you, then you are unneeded basically. This is shown throughout the book based on how everyone lives in a group, they do not have actual names, they are just labeled in groups and numbers. This is different from the time we live in because now people are happy and glad if one shows their individualism, it is looked upon with high esteem. If one shows their individualism new things will be created, it allows people to strive and be better than others ever have been. A government could create this society to try and push complete equality, They could do this by letting people all have the same ideas, taking away anything that could make them slightly different and making them follow the governments idea of equality.
Throughout the book Anthem, the society that these characters live in is very different from the one we live in today. In that society everyone is to be treated the same. The author says "Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names upon it" (p.18). It is different how the author says "our" instead of "my" when talking about one person. This shows the reader that in this society, the use of "I" is forbidden because then it starts to show individualism. Everyone in this society is to be on the same level as on another and Equality 7-2521 is one of the people who is different in this society. In our world today everyone is allowed to express themselves and we are not consider as numbers. In Equality's world whenever they talk about someone they always put it in the context of "we" instead of "I". Their society takes away the idea of individualism and they try and make people think that they are all the same.
"We have learned things which are not in the scripts. We have solved secrets of which the Scholars have no knowledge. We have come to see how great is the unexplored, and many lifetimes will not bring us to the end of our quest. But we wish no end to our quest" (Rand 36). The people are being held back technologically by the scholars, and many of them do not even know of the advances that were from the old world, and what they would be willing to accomplish. Equality and the other people of the new world are forced to live in a time where electricity is banned and unknown to most, and medicine is sent back to medieval times. We live in a world dominated by technological advances and is run on electricity. People are encouraged to make new discoveries and further our knowledge of the world around us. A government like the one in the story would be able to get the most gain, relative to almost everyone else, by having the population work for them.
In this world the people are made as equal as possible. They have no individuality, not even a true name. The words "I" and "me" are not even used by the people because everything revolves around "we." The people are never allowed to be alone or do things that are different from the others. "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" (Rand 17). This shows that the world he lives in does not value individuality like our world today. Today many people try to be unique or different and they have every right to. I believe the government in the book made this world where everyone was "equal" in order to control everything. If they have full control over the people and they do not think for themselves, then there will be no problems.
In the world described in the book, everyone is equal to one another. There is no individuality. This idea is shown in the quote "And now there is nothing here to save our one body, and it is strange to see only two legs stretched on the ground, and on the wall before us the shadow of our one head" (Rand 17). In this society, they are all one and the quote is showing imagery to the audience by comparing the entire society/world, to one whole shadow, as if saying they are all the same and one person. This society affects the people by making them one in the same. They are called by numbers basically, they can't have distinct jobs, unique names, or even do normal day to day activities. In our world today, everyone is different and unique, specifically in the US. We have the freedom to be unique and have the individuality that everyone hopes and longs for. The government in the book most likely wanted everyone to be equal in hopes to stop wars and fights. So people would have no reason to fight over nonsense, because they would have the same values and thoughts.
"The word which can never die on tis earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning of glory. The sacred word: Ego." (105) In this time, there is no such thing as ego. This world is different from mine because I speak with the mindset of having my own mind and life, in this made up universe, people d not have individuality. The society affects everyone by making them think they are many, and not just one person. This world puts strict order in their lives, not letting them to do the things that people in this day and age get to do. They cannot have names, only numbers. They have no individuality at all. this quote shows how the character has learned through out the story that he as a whole is just one person and not many, and that is very important to him. Our government does not take away our rights as humans, unlike in the book, the government puts strict rules on them to make them feel less of themselves and to make them feel like they have less power. It strips them of their individualities and of their rights as humans.
In the book "Anthem" by Ayn Rand the world described by the author, their society lacks individuality. Instead they focus, on the group of people and refuse to see anyone as a individual person. This theme is identified in this quote, " We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen." (Rand 21) This quote shows how Equality along with his fellow 'brothers' must live amongst each other. The people only refer to themselves as 'we' desensitizing themselves to their individuality, this makes Equality feel less important. They aren't allowed to be different, Equality is criticized because they are taller then their brothers. Equality states that he is cursed because he stands out, he is smarter and he created disunity because he fought with the other boys. Since the society focuses on the group, no one person can be superior in thinking or abilities than the rest, it is seen as a sin. Equality tries to act as the slower minded Union 5-3992, but the Teachers knew he was pretending. When Equality brought forth his invention of light the the Council of Scholars, they were enraged that a individual could create such an invention by himself In contrast to our society, we value the individual to some aspect. We give awards to those who are smarter, to those that can create devices and tools like Steve Jobs and the iPhone. We commend those who rely on themselves to accomplish their goals and those who go against the norm. But against the different between Anthem and our society we like to say that we are for change, we aren't. We criticize those who differ from us, in thought, clothing, race, and religious beliefs. We lack equality among people, and refuse unification with countries who do not have the same government as we do.
My thoughts about why the government took such drastic measures, maybe man was getting to personalized. Maybe people were beginning to only worry about themselves and ignoring the struggling of others. Maybe they had gone over board with their technology, they had come to rely on it to much. Maybe because of the wars, fighting because they held different beliefs and values, and they sought to unify them by taking away individuality.
The book Anthem explains a world that is very different from ours. A quote that addresses this difference is "We are one in all and all in one.There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever"(Rand 8). This quote talks about how their whole society and everyone involved is described as one. They use "we" and no "I" to show how everyone has no individuality. This concept is something they live by everyday and will forever. Equality 7-2521 is very affected by the we because he is very different from everyone else since he is taller and more intelligent than the others of his society. He wants to learn and discover new ideas but his not allowed because everyone has to be the same. Everyone has no say and if you against the rules you will be killed. Their daily jobs are the same and the government chooses their life. Our world is way different than this society because we are able to be our own person and have our own opinions. We do not have to be like the person standing next to us. We can be who we want to be and pursue our dreams and goals. We get that opportunity to choose our life and make our own decisions. The government does put restrictions on our world but not to the extreme of the Anthem world. The government created this society so their was no chaos and no one judged each other. There would be no fights between people because everyone has the same beliefs and thoughts.
The view on society in Anthem is a completely different view. Everyone is seen to be the same or equal. The world we live in everyone is set out to be different and to be their own person leaving behind the following of others. Reading this book, it seems there is no individuality. As rand said “Today we have discovered the word that could not be said. "I" (pg 98). This quote reads as if they could not say I to speak for themselves or to even be themselves. In our world everyone has their own opinions and different views on how they see things. With the quote saying "Today we have discovered.." this means that they could not speak for themselves or have their own individuality. Not even having the freedom to be called by your birth name and having to be called by different saying and or numbers to describe who you are should not be right. The society in the book is a society i would not like to live in along with many others as well considering we have many freedom opportunities in our world. The governments reasoning behind all of this most likely wanted these people to not have an idea of what freedom really was so they can control it. With their reasoning they also most likely believe without individuality and speaking up it would stop all the fighting and wars.
In Anthem by Ayn Rand their world is very different from our world. For Example the Author writes “For men are forbidden to take notice in women, and women are forbidden to take notice of men” (Rand, 38). This already shows how strict their government is on how men and women can’t even look at each other in any way. This world impacts the characters and their lives, because they don’t get to choose which job they want and they don't get to have a love. They get put into what program they are believed to be put in, and if they have any interest in anything else it doesn’t matter. This affects theirs lives because they are living a life they don’t want to live in and they can’t control it. In this world you can’t choose your own job, but in our world we can. We have so many different varieties of things that we can do, and we choose what we want to do. We aren’t put into a program that we don’t want to be in. They create this type of society because they don’t want other people being better than others, so they put them where they think they belong so there’s no fighting in the world. There’s no fighting on which man gets which girl or which job, or how much they get paid. They have a bond with their brothers and they cannot hate anyone.
In the book Ayn Rand the society is not aloud to chose the work they wish to pursue. "Dare not chose in your minds the work you would like to do when you leave the home of the students. You shall do that which the council of vacations shall prescribe for you" (Rand 22). This quote is implying that the people in the society are not aloud to be their own individual and be able to do the work that they wish. Their government is doing this to get the most use out of the people. Basically meaning that they think they know whats best for them. Luckily for us we as a society today are aloud to pick the jobs we want which helps us truly embrace who we are. This allows us to have freedom unlike the citizens in the book. (Look at me now Mrs. Perrin)
In the book Anthem, Equality's world is very different from the world we live in now. One aspect of his world is the use of words. The characters can never say I, him, her, etc. It shows selfishness, they have to use words that are about everyone all together. "International 4-8818 and we are friends" (Rand 30). This world impacts the characters by having a different emotion towards people. There is no animosity, just kindness and consideration. It teaches these young men and women to not be selfish, and to think about others before themselves. In the world I live in, people are selfish everywhere. The only types of people who put others before themselves is mothers and fathers of families, soldiers, and those who work in hospitals and police stations to help the public. But in my world, we use the words him, her, I, etc. The government in this story tried to obtain a social order and keep its people in line. Their initial goal is too keep selfishness out of everyone's lives and to take care of others first. All other people come first in their lives before anything else.
In todays society we are blessed with being able to have the freedom of will. We are able to attend school for education, choose our job, and be able to be who we are. In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, the society is built around not having the freedom to be who they are. They are placed in specific jobs that they are assigned to for the rest of their lives. The main character became a street sweeper, but he had the mind of the scholars. The main character was able to create electricity and his hopes were to impress the scholars when they came. The quote i found the most relatable to was when he showed the scholars his creation, "How dared you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the minds of your brothers?" (Rand 71). This quote is implying that just because he is a street sweeper that his creation will not matter to them and that they should not care about his invention as well. There government is controlled like that because they believe the outcomes will result in more success. They think that if everyone agrees on each thing it will cause less chaos and more structure and order for the society. In todays society we are blessed to express our selves. We are able to create things and share them, resulting in people accepting them as well. By the books society not allowing them to create their own inventions and keeping them from the society it is ruining the characters ability to become who they truly are. The character is becoming a robot to the government and being just like every other human being.
In the book "Anthem" the way society is interpreted is way different then the way we view the world today. "We strive to be like all our brother men, for all men must be alike". This quote represents what it means to live in the world of Equality. Everyone is forced to be the same. You must not interact with the opposite gender, you can never be alone, etc. You have no individuality and that is what ultimately gets Equality out of this prison world. In our world today we have the freedom to do what ever we want (Besides what's against the law). This allows us to be creative and expand the world of knowledge around us. In a world like Equality's.. it seems very boring and plain. You are being told what to do by a higher authority. It's almost like a dictatorship. A government would most likely create this type of society to control the people whom live within it. It would be way easier to track people and prevent things like crime and war. If you know where everyone is.. you will have no problems.
The book Anthem by Ayn Rand everyone is the society that they live in our equal, and there is no such thing as individuality. In todays society it is much different because we are able to choose what we want to do, such as attend school, and choose who we want to be. In the book the words "I" and "me" aren't even used instead they use the word "we", the people are never allowed to do anything by themselves. An example of this would come from the quote "Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names upon it" (p.18). He uses the word "our" even though he's talking about himself. They don't even have the freedom to be called by their own birth name which makes them have no individuality. The government does put restrictions on our world but not to the extreme like the Anthem world. The government puts strict rules on them to make them feel less of themselves and to make them feel as if they have less power. It strips them of their individualities and of their rights as humans.
“We shall not report our find to the city council. We shall not report it to any men.” (33) This quote is when equality mad a friend that was also a street sweeper and they both saw this tunnel that lead to a subway. It means that him and his new acquaintance found this and he said to tell it to the counsel. This was important because equality said to not say anything, and that is going against them. This put both of their lives in danger but he was to curious. This world changes how the characters lives are changed because they are so limited to what they can accomplish. Once someone becomes a street sweeper that is their job till 40. The world we live in is very different because someone can be anything they want to be. The author wants to convey that people should be more grateful of what they have and to not take anything for granted even the little things.
In the very first chapter, the speaker identifies the setting of the world that is being lived in. The part of the world I wish to comment on is on page 21, paragraph 2. “ We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed to live our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State, Amen.” This is an anthem that the Home of the Students expressed every night before bed. They raised their right arms and stood in the great sleeping hall. This quote contributes to the book because it defines what the rest of the novel will be about. This world impacts that characters and their lives because it strips them of their individuality. It really makes them believe that them, as an individual, means nothing. This is very different from the world I live in because every person in my society is different. No one is the exact same and has all the same beliefs. In my opinion, that would be boring. I believe that the government created this type of government in Anthem so that no one would feel disclosed and their would be no disruption in the government. If everyone looked the same and acted exactly how they were told to, they would not give the government any issues.
"We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever." This quote shows how brainwashed everyone in this society is. The government has them believing that everything they do should be for the good of society as a whole. In this society, the people are not allowed to use the word "I" because they are not supposed to think for themselves. This affects every decision they make because they must think of society before they think about themselves. This is very different from the world today. In today's society people can be very selfish and do not consider others. They do what benefits them and no one else. The government in this novel probably created this type of society because they wanted everyone to stop being so selfish and start doing what is good for everyone.
"'Dare not choose in your minds the work you would like to do when you leave the Home of the Students. You shall do that which the Council of Vocations shall prescribe for you. For the Council of Vocations knows in its great wisdom where you are needed by your brother men, better than you can know it in your unworthy little minds. And if you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason for you to burden the earth with your bodies.'" This quote pertains to how the groups in this society get their jobs. At the same time, it belittles them and shows that in this society in Anthem, the government controls every aspect of your life. They control your job, the way you view things and how you see yourself. This is the exact opposite of the world that I live in. I live in a world where I can choose my own career and can control how I view myself. I do not live as a part of a group, but as an individual who works by herself and functions in a group. The only reason the government would structure society like this is to have it better organized for statistical reasons or to not have specific individuals being honored for something that took many to contribute to. The government might do this so as to not put others above one another.
“I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This, my body and spirit, this is the end of the quest. I wished to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning. I wished to find a warrant for being. I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction." (pg. 94). This quote shows the end of a battle that Equality 7-2521 was fighting. This is the first passage in the novel where Equality uses the word he just discovered: "I". This is where his revolution commences. This passage alone shows how his world brainwashed and took away the citizen's individuality to the point they did not even know a word such as "I" existed. And if they did, they were sent to their death. Equality's world ripped the sense of individuality away from everyone and forced everyone to be like the people around them. There was no way to express themselves, encounter love, hate, or friendship, they were forced to be robots just so the government would shy away from a revolution. The government brain washed these people so they did not think anything was wrong, so these citizens would not stand up against their government and revolt and cause an uproar as they fought for what they EACH thought would be fair and humane, instead they forced everyone to be completely identical. That is until Equality acted out and stood up for what he himself thought was right. Equality climbed a mountain of hell to finally learn the word "I" and regain his individuality. In the end Equality rose up and grabbed ahold of the life he knew was fair and he knew he deserved.
I chose the quote " 'What is not thought by all men cannot be true' said Collective 0-0009" (Rand, 73), this thought of the collective group was the best form of thinking had been driven into the skulls of the members of society. This was to get rid of individuality and individual thinking, unlike our society today where freedom of speech and individuality is encouraged. To think freely, invent, create and prosper is one of our greatest values. The government in the book most likely did this to their citizens because it would make them very easy to control and allow them to be very powerful. With the members of society working towards the group putting the leaders at the top creates a hierarchy that is untouchable, very powerful, and very demanding.
The book Anthem shows the loss of individuality, “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen." (Rand 21). This quote shows the reader that they are one unit, they are not a single and individualized person. They don’t have any personality and they aren’t even allowed to refer to themselves as a single person using “I” and “my.” Equality is different than his brothers because he is taller and more intelligent than the others. He stands out, which is a curse and the government doesn’t like that. They are not able to have the freedom to be their own person, they can not their own job and they also can not find their own love. In our world today, we have freedom to be our own individual. The government puts extreme restrictions on the Anthem world that gives their citizens no rights or any freedom to be their own individual.
“We have stolen manuscripts. This is a great offense. Manuscripts are precious, for our brothers in the Home of the Clerks spend one year to copy one single script in their clear handwriting. Manuscripts are rare and they are kept in the Home of the Scholars. So we sit under the earth and we read the stolen scripts. 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). This is about how Equality 7-2521 has stolen these manuscripts, which are just handwritten copies of a print work, typically done by the author. These manuscripts were done by the Scholars, though, and not by the original author, therefore making them less valuable. But there seems to be no print copies of these books, then. Which contrasts to today, where people are encouraged to buy books, and you can find them almost anywhere. This is probably done by the government so that only those deemed ‘smart enough’ by the Council of Vocations are able to read and learn from these manuscripts. As Equality 7-2521 says, he has learned more in two years from these scripts than he did in his ten years of schooling.
I chose the quote “For men are forbidden to take notice of women, and women are forbidden to take notice of men" (pg. 38), this quote shows how strict their world is. If they were caught talking to the "Golden One" they would be killed immediately for disobeying the laws. Their world is more strict than our world today they aren't allowed to talk to the women, and in our world we live together as a family for the rest of our lives. Also they aren't allowed to enter in some parts of their world like for example, the Uncharted Forrest. In the U.S. we are allowed to enter almost anywhere and we wont get in trouble for it or killed because of it. In Anthem they were assigned a job and they were to stick to it until they reached 40 years old, and then they were to be sent to the Home of the Useless, where the old one live.In the U.S. we can pick any job we want and use it to benefit us and our life, we don't have to stick to the job we are allowed to quit and either find another job or not work at all, but that is our decision to make. I think the government in Anthem wanted to create this type of society to control them and to have the power over them so they do want ever they tell them to do, and to let them know that they are stronger than them.
In the book "Anthem" by Ayn Rand, everyone lives in a society with extremely strict rules in place. In the first paragraph of the book Rand writes "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. We have broken the laws. The laws say that men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so. May we be forgiven!"(1). This impacts the citizens of the society by forcing them to stop thinking for themselves and purely relying on what the government. The citizens cannot form a path for their individual lives and instead have to follow only the way that is already paved out for them by the numerous laws mercilessly implicated in this society. (Because of the fact I do not have much knowledge concerning the rules and laws of the rest of the world, I will only compare the society in Anthem to that of the United States.) The society in "Anthem" is ruled by fear in the form of strict laws and the punishments that come from breaking said laws. People believe that they are happy, but in reality they are just being brainwashed by what their rulers tell them about being the great "we" and that everyone works for each other. There is no such thing as personal goals and no one strives for greatness. This government's only reason to create such a society would have to be an irrational fear of change or independence. This is very different from America. In the US laws are in place to ensure safety and they do not take away any freedoms from its citizens. And although it is difficult at times to decide whether safety or freedom is more important, Americans, in general, remain happy and strive to do great things with their live. Americans look forward to the future, where they can pursue their dreams which are actually allowed to be independent of the thoughts of others and the government.
The very first sentences of Anthem drastically contrast our current world, "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." This is hard on the ones like Equality because they are such independent thinkers that in a dystopia like theirs they go insane without these little outlets. He is less brainwashed than the others. Equality spends most of the book looking for outlets, places and times to let himself think naturally. In the current world, writing (expression of thought) is encouraged. People now are obsessed with books and movies and writing themselves and reading other works that there is no way now that the government would ever be able to take that human right away from anyone. But the dystopian government in Anthem was trying to make it so the governed people would have as little as possible differ from any other person. They wanted everything to be exactly the same and they wanted no competition. By allowing every individual to write their own individual thoughts down on paper, they are allowing different thoughts and opinions to exist, and have them exist on paper that no one else is to see. This creates an individual. The words written would be words that no other person would write- it would be their "fingerprint" unlike any one else's. This creates difference and competition. This creates ego.
A quote that stuck out to me at the beginning of the book is “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen." (Rand 21). This shows that the people in this world that Equality 7-2521 is living in do not have any kind of individuality or importance. The government does not want them to have this individuality by having strict rules such as not being able to use any words that could describe them and any other actions of individuality. This reminded me of our recent unit on the war and whats happening in the war today. In class we talked about how people in the war did not have any importance or individuality and were just another person fighting for their country. In Anthem Equality 7-2521 has a man vs society conflict with the government. Not having sense of individuality or a way to express yourself in this world of Anthem, would drive people crazy and prevent further change that should happen. I think that the government of this book wants to make everybody their robots by making everybody the same and try to take over that world. With this, I thought of the old movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" where the government tries to trap people when they fall asleep to become clones of themselves; emotionless and careless clones/robots so they can take over the current society they live in.
The aspect I am analyzing is uniformity.
"We are one in all and all in one./ There are no men but only the great WE,/ One, indivisible and forever."
This quote is a saying well known in the society Anthem is written in. This saying is supposed to remind the citizens they are not an individual, they are apart of a group and they work for the greater good of the group. Each member is supposed to recite the quote whenever they feel temped to be unalike their brothers.
This is different than the world I live in because it is almost a "sin" to be ordinary, or it is frowned upon. In class, you, Mrs. Perrin, described the ordinary way of life, getting a job and a spouse and children and then retiring and dying, and the students replied saying they did not want to live that life because it was too simple, too ordinary. Because the "Unknown Citizen" lives a boring life and no one wants to live a life like that. Funny thing is, everyone lives that life. Well almost. Probably 80 percent of everyone is going to live that life, plus or minus the kids. There are going to be the few that travel the world or become famous, or even help save world problems. The difference between our lives and the Anthem way of life is that we have the ability to go against the normality of society and become someone. The Anthem way of life prohibits even the smallest thought of being an individual and you could be punished severely for it.
The government would create this kind of society for order and efficiency purposes. Because if you have a group of individuals taught to work for the betterment of society, they're going to work hard. These people don't know what it's like to be their own person and what its like to think for themselves since they have grown up taught they don't have a purpose other than to serve their community and if they don't, they don't have a reason to take up space. The government has order because no one has the mindset to even think about rebelling, so the government has constant order. If everyone was the same there would be no diversity, so no rebellions. It's smart to make everyone the same for community person but the world values the individual too much to ever lose individuality.
‘Take our brother Equality 7-2521 to the Palace of Corrective Detention. Lash them until they tell.’”(pg 64) This world affects the character a lot because the character is always thinking of things and other ways around them basically finding solutions. The world is very negative their really is not much to look forward to or be positive about. Everything is hidden and citizens are constantly on surveillance at all times.In our world we are also under constant surveillance because of technology. Cell phones computers cameras they are all used against but also for us and our safety. They kept and made the government this way so their would be no revolution.
In Anthem by Ayn Rand men are forbidden to interact with women, unless it was in the Palace of Mating. "For men are forbidden to take notice of women, and women are forbidden to take notice of men" (Pg. 38). This stipulation takes out all aspects of romance out of society. It removes love and lust. It also removes friendships between men and women. The government tries to create a sense of one, but ironically the laws put in place creates only individuals. There is no interaction between men and women, or even men and men, thus alienating every individual from all other individuals. The world that I live in promotes relationships and marriage. It is strange if you come by an individual over 35 who isn't married. The government does this to remove growth of unwanted ideas. If men and women are not allowed to talk, there can be no exchange of ideas and thus no differing viewpoints. The government wants this because it is easier to control the people this way.
There are many aspects of Equality’s world that are different than our own, in fact there are probably more differences than similarities. However, the stand-out difference, and theme that runs through the entire book, is what little value they give to being an individual. Rand writes “And a strange thought comes to us: we wonder, for the first time in our life, what we look like. Men never see their own faces and never ask their brothers about it, for it is evil to have concern for their own faces or bodies.”(pg 61-62). The government goes so far as to never let them see themselves in order to preserve their minds from realizing that they are an individual and not just a moving part of society. They do not want them thinking that they are their own mechanical being, not just a cog working as a mere piece. This rule that they can never see themselves or ask others about their appearance is to avoid there being a disruption in their completely neutral world. A world without opinions and where everyone is equally as important (making Equality’s name so ironic later in the book), because in a world where there is equal importance there is no room for any type of disagreement. Disagreements have lead to the downfall of men, stubborn-headed men, in ways as big as war. The current attacks going on all over the world from terrorist groups is caused by disagreement about religion. When all men have the same religion, somewhat like the idea of the brotherhood in the book, there is no passion for a higher being so great that it drives them to destruction. In a way, a man can even hold himself to be a higher being if he is too fond of himself. This removal of identity from a person is to make others seem more important than themselves, because they barely know that they even exist without the reaction and confirmation from others that they are in fact existing.
In Anthem, many things are different from our world to theirs. In this book, the people do things not for themselves but for society as shown in the quote on page 26 "The will of our brothers be done". By not allowing the people to have individual jobs or personalities it affects them negatively. There are people like Prometheus and Gaea who realize that the society's way of choosing everything for everyone and not allowing individuality become upset with it and decide to rid themselves of it. Although in Ayn Rand's Anthem people are not allowed to have a job they like or friends, in our society this is something each human is allowed to do and encouraged to do. Each person is unique and able to live for themselves instead of others. The government of Anthem went against this society because it had apparently previously caused destruction. In order to ensure that nothing would go wrong ever again, they enacted their society of utopian quality which obviously ended up as a dystopia as people were not happy. By not allowing people to think for themselves and only for others, people can not reach their full potential and the people do not advance unless everyone does.
“We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever.” (P. 19) This quote speaks to the part of the world in anthem where there is no individual only society, the great we. This heavily impacts the lives of the characters in the book as they are forced to live breath and think as a group, and do not even understand the concept of being an individual. This starkly contrasts with the world we live in as the individual is stressed much more than the group. Particularly in America there is an emphasis on being yourself and doing what you want when you want. The individual is a much more important aspect in our society than in Anthem. The government in Anthem created this type of world because it is possible that before the great rebirth society fell because of selfish individuals. So in a way the new world order in anthem is an overcompensation for mistakes of the past. The government believes that as long as people work as a group and not as individuals society can become better and stronger together without being ruined by the motive of individuals. The council in anthem is really doing what they believe will benefit the people the most. In their minds as long as society functions as a single entity instead of a group of individuals all the people will theoretically be happy and equal in status.
“These are the things before me. And as I stand here at the door of glory, I look behind me for the last time. I look upon the history of men, which I have learned from the books, and I wonder. It was a long story, and the spirit which moved it was the spirit of man’s freedom. But what is freedom? Freedom from what? There is nothing to take a man’s freedom away from him, save other men. To be free, a man must be free of his brothers. That is freedom. This and nothing else.” He is explaining what freedom is and how it should be in a normal world. That is the kind of world i would comment on because i would want to live in that world. The world i live in now is how i like it. The world impacts the citizen because it gives them no say in their actions and are told to do everything. The book talks about this kind of world because they are conveying a message that if you choose the wrong leaders the society can go to garbage. The world i live in is much better than the dystopian society the book talks about.
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