Ayn Rand's 'Equality 7-2521'

Sin: an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. Equality 7-2521 is a man who lives in a dystopian world ruled by the government. In this world, every person works solely for the society until they reach the age of 40; where they retire to the Home of the Useless. During their time of usefulness the people of the society work according to their assigned jobs. To work any other job besides the one they are assigned is a sin. Sins, according to the government, can range from smiling at the wrong time to speaking of the Unmentionable Times. In the beginning of the story Equality 7-2521 tells the readers that "It is a sin to write this." (17) By the end of the story his thought on this matter changes, for he learns that …show more content…
All of this new information leads him to question why the government has considered it to be evil. Being of a higher intelligence; Equality has lead a life of ridicule and silence. Learning to survive in a world that looks down upon anything but average. He yearns to expand his knowledge and gets the chance to do so when he and International 4-8818 discover a tunnel left from the Unmentionable Times. Equality uses this new-found discovery to his advantage by experimenting and studying to his whim. He finds great solace in these activities and starts questioning why he feels this way if his actions are suppose to be vices. This can be shown from the passage on page (37) "Never, not in the memory of the Ancient Ones' Ancients, never have men done that which we are doing. And yet there is no shame in us and no regret. We say to ourselves that we are a wretch and a traitor. But we feel no burden upon our spirit and no fear in our heart... and in our heart strange are the ways of evil! in our heart there is first peace we have known in twenty …show more content…
He is alone with only a candle for light. That is, until he crosses paths with a lightbulb. Making the breakthrough that will alter the course of his destiny definitely. Nevertheless, Equality takes it in stride and plans a day to introduce the rest of his brethren to this beacon of hope. The day when the World Council of Scholars is meeting. Alas, when the day of truth comes the council reacts oppositely to what Equality had imagined. Retaliating in harsh and objectifying tones towards his discovery; They tell of how other scholars have had brilliant ideas, but when their brothers had voted against them, they abandoned their work. They say that what is not achieved collectively cannot be good. The council concludes with how this invention can lead to the downfall of The Department of Candles and that it must be