How Equality Changes Throughout Anthem
How Equality changes Throughout Anthem
Ayn Rand originated a philosophical structure on how she views the world. In Rand’s Anthem displays Equality as becoming an individual, but that is not the only reason he breaks away from his civilization. Equality defies the teachings and stands up for what he believes in even if he is killed. Equality’s motivation for creating the light bulb makes him a sacrifice for the advancement of mankind. Rand uses Anthem as an allegory to her own life. Rand grew up in a Communist society, thus making her write about freedom, collectivism, and individualism. Through this she is saying the messenger can be killed but not the message. Equality realizes this when he thinks back to the few great men that tried to stop the change of collectivism. “Perhaps they cried out in protest and in warning. But men paid no heed to their warning. And they, these few, fought a hopeless battle, and they perished with their banners smeared by their own blood. And they chose to perish, for they knew. To them, I send my salute across the centuries, and my pity” (Rand,103). The change in collectivism set their society back hundreds of years.
Another type of sacrifice Equality displays is physical abuse. Equality refuses to give the whereabouts of his laboratory even though he gets thrashed with whips and beaten senseless, saying “The lash whistled like a singing wind. We tried to count the blows, but we lost count” (Rand,64). The knowledge that he hasn 't given away the light bulb is the only thing that keeps him alive. He even chooses to stay in the cell for days to finally get his moment which he thinks will benefit their entire race. When Equality finally presents his invention to the scholars he offers his body for the ideal to stay alive. “ Our brothers! You are right. Let the will of the Council be done upon our body. We do not care. But the light? What will you do with the light?”(Rand,72). Equality then goes out on a limb and breaks away from
Ayn Rand originated a philosophical structure on how she views the world. In Rand’s Anthem displays Equality as becoming an individual, but that is not the only reason he breaks away from his civilization. Equality defies the teachings and stands up for what he believes in even if he is killed. Equality’s motivation for creating the light bulb makes him a sacrifice for the advancement of mankind. Rand uses Anthem as an allegory to her own life. Rand grew up in a Communist society, thus making her write about freedom, collectivism, and individualism. Through this she is saying the messenger can be killed but not the message. Equality realizes this when he thinks back to the few great men that tried to stop the change of collectivism. “Perhaps they cried out in protest and in warning. But men paid no heed to their warning. And they, these few, fought a hopeless battle, and they perished with their banners smeared by their own blood. And they chose to perish, for they knew. To them, I send my salute across the centuries, and my pity” (Rand,103). The change in collectivism set their society back hundreds of years.
Another type of sacrifice Equality displays is physical abuse. Equality refuses to give the whereabouts of his laboratory even though he gets thrashed with whips and beaten senseless, saying “The lash whistled like a singing wind. We tried to count the blows, but we lost count” (Rand,64). The knowledge that he hasn 't given away the light bulb is the only thing that keeps him alive. He even chooses to stay in the cell for days to finally get his moment which he thinks will benefit their entire race. When Equality finally presents his invention to the scholars he offers his body for the ideal to stay alive. “ Our brothers! You are right. Let the will of the Council be done upon our body. We do not care. But the light? What will you do with the light?”(Rand,72). Equality then goes out on a limb and breaks away from
Cited: Rand, Ayn. Anthem. Centennial ed. New York City: Signet, 1961. Print.