Irony In Ayn Rand's Anthem

If laughter is defined as “to not be bothered by something,” why would someone who has been damned laugh (Merriam Webster)? It seems preposterous that damnation could be something so easily shaken off. However, Anthem, or rather the society that is shown in it, has a misconception of what damnation is. What is something that should exile a person to be damned if he or she lives to be his or her happiest person, and who would be bothered by being damned if that simply meant that one could more freely be as he or she wished to be? People feel obligated to abide by rules set up by others to keep themselves from damnation, but Equality is able to laugh in his situation because he finally realizes that what he has been told is damnation, in reality, …show more content…
It is the type of evil which forces the human spirit to be the same regardless of the potential it holds. To think that finally being the master of his own mind, body, and actions is wrong and evil is simply laughable. He no longer has to fear negative implications for using his mind or doing what he wants to do simply because it is something that is appealing to him. He laughs at the irony of the situation considering damnation usually pertains to an agonizing state of being; however, this is the happiest that he has ever been. In this, Rand makes her point how the idea of damnation should be switched. Today, people believe that they are more free than ever. People who think that are wrong. Everyday, people are told how they ought to look, think, behave, and improve. They see this as self help and think that because they are not being forced into doing as people say that they are still free to their own choice, but they are then seen as less of a person for being different and not following as others see fit. If someone is the wrong sexuality or religion, they are hated by large groups because of ridiculous thoughts of how a human ought to be. Even something as unchangeable as race or gender is looked down upon with agonizing frequency. Regardless of anyone’s beliefs, no one is obligated to think as another does. No one should be obligated to fit into someone else’s idea of the perfect person. Rand herself vouches for people seizing their individual rights. She does not want to make anyone a slave to her, nor does she want to be a slave to anyone else. Equality was able to escape his society in which he used to be a slave. Society may take this book and overlook the strong message by saying that today’s world is different. They may say the theme does not really apply, but once Equality is labeled as the damned, he is far more free than many people today. They