find out his fate, he was hoping to be named a scholar. This wish was a sin in the society. That is why, when Equality 7-2521 learns of his fate, he says he is happy:

We felt the cords of our neck grow tight as our head rose higher to look upon the faces of the Council, and we were happy. We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it.

The society has trained him to be happy about whatever fate he receives. He must portray a sense of happiness outwardly, but he also is a little happy on the inside because of his conditioning. If the society allowed its citizens to be involved in the selection of their vocations, it would fail miserably.

Throughout his life, Equality 7-2521 has caused trouble by being smarter than the others.  He secretly longs to become part of the Council of Scholars.  The rulers of his society fear that his intellect will lead to things that will bring about technological advances that they are unprepared to deal with, so he is assigned a menial job in the hopes that he will dutifully accept his fate and live a life that does not threaten the society the leaders have worked so hard to maintain.

The Council of Vocations is a group of men who decide where each person will work when they come of age (18 years old). Each person must go to that job until s/he is about forty years old, at which time they enter the Home of the Useless. A person's vocation is a way in which the society can use his or her talents effectively and for the benefit of everyone; however, it is also a way of controlling people. Equality is assigned the roll of a street sweeper because it is a job where he would be less inclined to use his brain to create rifts in the system. At school, Equality was never satisfied with the limited education that he was given by the instructors. Equality's brain sought out more information through inquiry. This type of behavior is not encouraged in Equality's society because if one person seeks to learn more, then she or he may want credit for what she or he discovers. Also, if new information or technology is discovered by one person, then he or she might want to change the society, which is what the elders and councils of the society do not want. This is a society that lives in darkness and fear in order to control people from becoming individuals. Individuality is abhorred in Equality's community; therefore, had Equality received any other job that would have piqued his interested in learning more, the councils would have found themselves losing control of him. If they lose control of one person, the whole community would be in jeopardy of changing or evolving--again, an idea that the councils did not want to have happen.

The Council has intentional and what could be called "sinister" motives in assigning Equality 7-2521 to be a street sweeper. He is very intelligent and seeks out knowledge on his own, stealing candles and manuscripts to do so. He wants with every fiber of his being to be sent to Home of the Scholars.

However, the Council of Vocations says to him,

"There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers."

His taller body symbolizes other ways in which Equality 7-2521 is superior to the people around him.

The Council members want to level him, to make him like everyone else, because that is the highest value in their society. Their clear intent to bring him down and punish him is shown when they look at him with eyes as "cold as buttons."

However, while making him a street sweeper is not due to error or incompetence, the Council may not see itself as sinister: it is living by the values of its culture in trying to make sure Equality 7-2521 does not excel in any way. However, the Council members do know what they are doing.

Equality wasn't chosen for the Home of the Scholars as he would have liked not because he wasn't smart enough; in fact, he was perfect for the Home of the Scholars, but it was his "curse" (22) that held him back. His biggest problem was his personality conflict with having a preference to do what he wanted rather than follow the rules and do what his authority figures asked of him. Equality even says, "We preferred some work and some lessons to the others. We did not listen well to the history of all the Councils elected . . ." (22-23). Basically, he didn't want to follow the rules.  There was no way that they would permit such a person in one of the highest councils of the society. They wanted people in the higher vocations to follow the rules of the society so that people like Equality wouldn't upset the balance of their lives. Equality couldn't be trusted as far as following rules.

In Anthem by Ayn Rand, there can be no concept of self and names do not exist, only numbers coupled with socialist concepts such as equality and liberty. Equality 7-2521, the protagonist, already disadvantaged because of his height as it distinguishes him from his "brothers" (which is not allowed and which is described as "the evil in your bones") has, like everyone, to live with the concept of "the great WE." No one is allowed to make decisions and every citizen's occupation is determined by the Council of Vocations. The collective "good" is allowed but there can be nothing that sets one apart from another, such as being alone, having an opinion, individual thought or even dreaming. There is one main purpose to their existence and that is to serve Collective 0-0009. 

This is part of the problem for Equality 7-2521 because he (although he may only refer to himself in the plural, as "we") does not wish, and so is unable, to stifle the individual thought which occupies his mind and for which he will be punished. As a child, he gets into trouble with his teachers not only for his height, but even for his thoughts, and any attempts to pretend to be like others are viewed with suspicion and often earn him a lashing. At fifteen he is unable to hide his desire to be assigned to the Home of the Scholars. This is an act of defiance as he is not permitted to make such a choice and to atone for his sins, his "Transgression of Preference," he gladly accepts his assigned "life Mandate" as a street sweeper. This, however, will not be enough to prevent Equality 7-2521 from his "curse," his "wish to know," and this will lead him to commit a crime considered far more heinous than any of his previous thoughts as Equality and International 4 -8818 prepare to implement a plan and to be "evil with you than good with all our brothers."

Equality 7-2521, a plural personality as individualism is extinct, is assigned the position of Street Sweeper as a result of having caused too much conflict from lack of complaisance. Equality has committed what is called the "Transgression of Preference."

As the narrator explains, he asked questions and was interested in the science of things. But, because the society now is much like in the Dark Ages, believing, for instance, that the world is flat and they have just learned how to make candles and glass, men are not supposed to wish anything for themselves. And he has wished to be sent to the Home of the Scholars. Therefore, when the Council of Mandates meets, he is punished. The Council announces Equality will have the job of Street Sweeper.

But, Equality narrates that "we" knew they had been guilty and now they have a way to atone for their transgression. Further, "we will work for our brothers and erase our sin against them." Ironically, however, there has been a discovery made by Equality which will make them guilty of a greater transgression.