Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

A life engulfed with fear, drudgery, and forced obedience, has compelled the people in this dystopian society to accept a miserable way of life and give in to the dictatorial, collectivist regime, yet all it took was one twinkling star amongst a dark, desolate midnight sky, Equality 7-2521, to escape the clutching grasps of this regime and finally discover the long-lost yet such a priceless word to humanity, I. Ayn Rand, the prolific writer of Anthem, portrays her repudiation for the ideals of collectivism, a dictatorial setup where the general population is ignorant, hence allowing the ruling body to manipulate the people. In this particular novel, the collective tries to desperately dim Equality’s brilliance, twinkling like a glowing star. It demolishes all traces of individualistic …show more content…
Here, Equality experiences true freedom from another’s will, where one chooses who is friend and foe. The forest and its perimeters remain a symbol of an objectivist society where one’s own happiness is the sole morale motivation for him. Furthermore, the forgotten word I serves as the ultimate trademark of individualistic expression. It allows Equality to be free from another, to excel above and be superior against his fellow brothers. It nourishes a thriving environment where individual talent is not crushed by the cruel grasps of the collective. It also allows effective communication and humanizes a message by adding a personal touch to it. Lastly, the clever and manipulative use of ‘names’ allow the leaders of the collective to have an edge over the rest. Names are mere labels for reference, with no deeper and hidden meaning to it. It does not effectively express singularly unique qualities attributed towards that individual. It even permits the dictatorial regime to give names that somehow associate with the ideals of collectivism such as Alliance, Equality, Fraternity,