Identity Portrayed Through Setting in Anthem Essay Example

Ayn Rand’s Anthem illustrates many examples of symbolism that reflect Equality’s character development throughout the book. Some symbolism is shown through the names given to Equality, others shown through different details in the book as well. But one captivating way Rand chose to symbolize character development is through the developing setting and surroundings around Equality. The contrast between the settings of the City and the Forest is a prime example of character development symbolized through the setting. 

Equality’s identity at the beginning of the story is expressed through the lifelessness and colorlessness of the City. The City is described multiple times as being white and tremendously plain. Everything in the City is extremely organized as well, for example, it is inferred that everyone in the City wears white togas as said numerous times, like when talking about the Council of Vocations, “They sat before us and they did not move. And we saw no breath to stir the folds of their white togas.” (Rand 6). Evidently, the white togas symbolize how when in the City people are not allowed to express themselves through clothing or color, and must remain the same as everyone else; to have no personal identity. In addition, Equality describes the sleeping halls as “white and clean and bare of all things save one hundred beds” (Rand 7), usually a person's bedroom is one of the key factors of discovering a person’s identity. Furthermore, identity can be expressed in the way a person decorates their room, how they don’t decorate their room and many other ways too. However, Rand makes it seem as if there is little to no expression of anyone’s identity in the City’s sleeping halls. These crucial pieces of evidence from the text are ideal proof leading to the fact that in the City, Equality is practically considered to have no true self-identity, along with everyone else who lives in the City. However, when Equality moves to the Forest, this seems to change quite a bit. 

After running away to the Forest, Equality’s identity is now shown through exuberance and abundance of vitality in this new setting. The change of tone in the Forest compared to the City is almost surreal. Undoubtedly it is almost immediately shown the difference between the two settings when the second Equality arrives at the Forest. For instance, when walking through the Forest, Equality describes his surroundings, “The leaves had edges of silver that trembled and rippled like a river of green and fire flowing high above us” (Rand 28). The visual received from the details described in that sentence alone extremely differs from the way the City is described in the entire book. Even the slightest mention of color makes this setting seem much more alive than the City ever has been. In addition, another example is when they arrived at the house in the Forest, they found new clothes, “We found garments, and the Golden One gasped at the sight of them. For they were not white tunics, nor white togas; they were of all colors, no two of them alike” (Rand 34). These new clothes represent how Equality is starting to find his identity and express himself, and with all these new resources the Forest has given him, he is now able to explore what his own identity is. After moving to the Forest, Equality’s identity and state of living changed tremendously, from how he viewed the world like everyone else did  to how he now views the world how he wants to. 

To conclude, it is shown that Equality’s identity changes from before when he lived in the City to after when he lived in the Forest. Both settings are a projection of his identity at the time he’s in those settings, and they do an exceptional job of portraying it. Furthermore, The movement from setting to setting shows the character development within Equality, and the contrast between the settings of the City and the Forest are also prime examples of character development symbolized through the setting.