When looking at today’s world, each individual has their own preferences and style, creating a diverse society in which no two people are exactly alike. In the opinion based society of today, it is difficult to visualize a world where nobody has originality and their own identity. Ayn Rand, however, illustrates a world where the individuality that is favoured in today’s society does not exist. Her novel, Anthem, focuses on the collectivist society that Equality 7-2521 lives in, in which there is no individual “I” but only a collective “we”. In this universe where the group is given priority over individuals, it is a sin for one to think about being themselves or to think about going against the government’s every desire. Rand effectively portrays this dystopian society through the
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Ayn Rand, the author of Anthem, utilizes point of view and mystery through the development of Equality 7-2521’s internal conflict to illustrate the theme of the primacy of individuality in a society.
Rand utilizes a unique first person point of view in Anthem when establishing conflict in Equality 7-2521 to convey the importance of individual expression over collectivism on society. Instead of utilizing the word “I” in the perspective, Rand instead utilizes the word “we” when the narrator refers to himself. This creates confusion and installs conflict in Equality 7-2521, who has a sense of individuality, however cannot express it. In Anthem’s society, all signs of individuality are attempted to be stripped from all citizens by the government. However, Equality 7-2521 cannot lose their sense of individuality, as he comments “ we know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it. This is our wonder and our secret fear, that we know and do not resist” (Rand 18). Equality 7-2521 acknowledges that he is different and individually his own, however, while he still does not resist this fact, he still utilizes the term “we” to refer
Ayn Rand, the author of Anthem, utilizes point of view and mystery through the development of Equality 7-2521’s internal conflict to illustrate the theme of the primacy of individuality in a society.
Rand utilizes a unique first person point of view in Anthem when establishing conflict in Equality 7-2521 to convey the importance of individual expression over collectivism on society. Instead of utilizing the word “I” in the perspective, Rand instead utilizes the word “we” when the narrator refers to himself. This creates confusion and installs conflict in Equality 7-2521, who has a sense of individuality, however cannot express it. In Anthem’s society, all signs of individuality are attempted to be stripped from all citizens by the government. However, Equality 7-2521 cannot lose their sense of individuality, as he comments “ we know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it. This is our wonder and our secret fear, that we know and do not resist” (Rand 18). Equality 7-2521 acknowledges that he is different and individually his own, however, while he still does not resist this fact, he still utilizes the term “we” to refer