The Importance of Individuality in Ayn Rand's Anthem Essay Example

📌Category: Anthem, Books
📌Words: 1150
📌Pages: 5
📌Published: 18 April 2022

We never really think when we say “I” it just happens so naturally, now imagine living in a society where referring to yourself as “We” is strictly mandatory. In the novel, the author shows the importance of individuality rather than collectivism. The society in this novel is strictly controlled by their government. No one can refer to themselves as an individual, instead they have to introduce themselves as “we”. However, there are two characters in the novel that are different from everyone else. These are, Equality and Liberty. Equality is eager to learn more than he is supposed to, this leads him to a secret tunnel where he creates an amazing invention that he shows to the men of the council. However, the showing of this invention didn’t have the outcome he desired. Instead, he had to run away from the conformist society and begin an individual life. Later, he finds out Liberty has followed him and they both begin their new lives together and start a completely new society where individualism is accepted. In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, the author illustrates the importance of individuality due to the oppression experienced by Equality and Liberty and how this leads to revolution.

To explain, the rules set by this society along with the rejection of Equality’s brilliant light bulb invention, inspire Equality to start a revolution. Initially, Equality’s light bulb invention brings him confidence that he can change society for the better. When Equality finds the hidden tunnel he begins to spend a lot of his time there. During the time he spends there, he works on a project. More specifically, to bring a light bulb to society. Once he builds this light bulb, he brings it to the House of Scholars where he hopes they will be amazed by his invention and accept him as a new member. However, when equality turns it on, the men of the council were struck with terror. Equality begins to see the serious and fearful faces of the men of the Council of Scholars when he shows them the light bulb, he tries to convince them by saying he wants to “Flood [their] cities with light. [...] bring a new light to men!” (Rand 71). Due to the fact that Equality works on his invention alone and not collectively, the men of the council do not approve of this. He presents his invention to the Council hoping that they will approve of it and show him pride as an individual. He thinks that the invention will change their perspective of who he is and think of him as a man with more knowledge. However, that does not end up being the outcome. Thus, that is why he escapes and begins his own society with his own regulations. In addition, in this society, there are many rules that are set in order to keep everyone equal in many aspects. Equality's curiosity and continuous questions lead teachers to forbid those questions. Even so, this doesn’t detain Equality. As the book went on, Equality's curiosity grew immensely. In the novel’s first chapter, Equality mentions that learning in the House of Students is too easy for him, but this is a ‘sin’ because his knowledge is different from the knowledge of those around him. For people are not allowed to be smarter than anyone. However, Equality loves to learn and consistently wishes to learn more than what he is taught. Equality knows that he can’t have more knowledge than his peers, but he “Wished to know about all the things which make the earth around us. [Equality] asked so many questions that the Teachers forbade it” (Rand 23). Because Equality wants to learn more about the reason for his surroundings, and this is forbidden by society, his teachers had to put an end to the situation. They did this by prohibiting any more ‘unnecessary' questions. However, as the novel continued, Equality’s curiosity grew immensely, which is why the novel ended in revolution and Equality saying the word “I”. After all, the unfair laws that he is continuously surrounded with and the rejection of Equality’s light bulb led him to escape and begin his own society through revolution.

Liberty and Equality realize that they are very akin to one another, they think very alike. Both characters share stoicism, this unites them and leads to actions forbidden by authorities.  To begin, during the beginning of the novel, when Equality meets Liberty he immediately feels attracted to her.  Equality’s unique characteristics also captivate Liberty, they are both attracted to one another. This is prohibited but they don’t seem to care. The government in this novel has many strict rules to keep everyone equal. One of these rules if forbidding people from noticing the opposite sex. Despite society forbidding men from noticing other women, both Liberty and Equality feel a connection so Liberty says, “‘You are not one of our brothers, Equality 7-2521, for we do not wish you to be’” and Equality responds, “‘nor are you one of our sisters’” (Rand 43). When they meet, neither Equality nor Liberty wish to be sisters/brothers because that doesn’t feel right for them. What Liberty said proves that they think of the other character as an individual. Or else, they would not notice each other as the opposite sex, which is forbidden by authorities. Liberty takes a big risk and follows Equality into the forest which shows her attraction towards him. Her loyalty and constantly growing connection to Equality begins when she claims she will always be with him despite the circumstances and difficult situations. When Equality escapes into the Uncharted Forest, he encounters himself with Liberty, who follows him there knowing the possible consequences.  Despite the conservative society they both live in, Liberty is willing to “Follow [Equality] wherever [he] goes. If danger threatens [him], [she] shall face it also. If it be death, [she] shall die with [him].” (Rand 82). Due to the fact that they both live in a conformist society, they are both able to discontinue their society’s rules for each other by Liberty contributing  to Equality's broken collectivism. Liberty is disposed to give everything up for Equality’s well being even if that leads to death.  Given these points, Equality’s and Liberty’s appeal to each other cause them to look at the other as an individual rather than as a whole, which leads to revolution once they escape together into the Uncharted Forest. 

The oppression that Equality and Liberty experience throughout the novel leads them to start a revolution by escaping their overly controlling society and establishing a completely new individualism accepting society. The men of the council reject Equality’s lightbulb because they think he has more knowledge than them. Nobody is allowed to have more knowledge than others, their philosophy is to keep everyone equal. Yet, Equality is not equal to those around him. When Equality and Liberty meet, they both realize their uniqueness and this attracts them, which is why Liberty follows Equality into the forbidden forest where they begin their revolution. The constant oppression that both characters experience led them to rebel against their society. This shows how wanting to have too much control over someone can lead to outrageous activities. In modern society, people don’t like to feel like they are being controlled, which is why many riots and other scandalous events have occurred. There is no such thing as a perfect society and there never will be.

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