Anthem

Ayn Rand's Anthem utilizes extensive metaphor and symbolism to critique collectivism and celebrate individualism. The society in the novella, where personal names are replaced with numbers,...

The council rejects Equality's invention for four reasons: he defied the laws by stepping outside his assigned role as a street sweeper, the invention would undermine the candle industry, it...

Irony and contradictions in Anthem include the society's emphasis on collectivism while the protagonist, Equality 7-2521, discovers the importance of individualism. The society's rejection of...

In "Anthem," Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000 assume new names, Prometheus and Gaea, symbolizing their break from a collectivist society. Prometheus, named after the Greek Titan who brought fire to...

Names and name-changes in "Anthem" underscore the theme of individuality versus collectivism. Initially, characters have names like Equality and Liberty, representing social concepts in a dystopian...

Fear is prevalent in the society depicted in Ayn Rand's Anthem due to the oppressive rules and the collective nature that suppress individualism. Strict regulations, such as gender segregation and...

In Ayn Rand's Anthem, Equality 7-2521 is assigned the job of street sweeper by the Council of Vocations to suppress his intellectual potential and prevent disruption to the collectivist society....

In "Anthem," Ayn Rand uses simple and repetitive diction to reflect the collectivist society's impact on Equality's thought processes. The use of "we" instead of "I" demonstrates the enforced...

In Ayn Rand's Anthem, the Uncharted Forest symbolizes everything that Equality's community rejects: personal and individual freedom, discovery, information, individuality, self-government and ideas...

Anthem is set in the future, reflecting Ayn Rand's critique of 20th-century Soviet society. The dystopian world depicted lacks individuality, with people assigned numbers instead of names. Following...

Ayn Rand uses darkness and light in "Anthem" to symbolize ignorance and knowledge. Equality 7-2521 initially discovers light in a dark tunnel, representing his journey from ignorance to...

The Saint of the Pyre in Anthem was trying to communicate the banned word "I" to Equality. In a society where individuality is forbidden, the Saint conveys the concept of individuality, which the...

On page 49 of Ayn Rand's Anthem, Equality 7-2521 struggles to recapture the word "I." This word represents the concept of individuality, which is forbidden in his collectivist society. The society...

In Ayn Rand's Anthem, Equality contrasts his individualistic desires with the collectivist society he lives in. He prefers the pursuit of knowledge, freedom, and personal happiness over the enforced...

The worst transgression in Ayn Rand's Anthem is speaking the "Unspeakable Word," which is "I." This crime is punishable by death because it signifies individualism, which threatens the collectivist...

The resolution in Ayn Rand's Anthem occurs when the protagonist, Equality 7-2521, achieves personal freedom and self-realization. After escaping a collectivist society that restricts individualism,...

The novella foreshadows the dangers of collectivism, where individual freedoms are suppressed for societal conformity, leading to stagnation and lack of innovation. Ayn Rand warns against the loss of...