Barbara Branden

In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 is a young man who struggles to find ways to show his true self because he lives in a society based on conformity. Ayn Rand uses the symbols of the light bulb, the Uncharted Forest, and his new name to demonstrate the conflict of individuality versus conformity in order to demonstrate the importance of individuality and self-discovery. Thus, through the use of these symbols, Ayn Rand is able to integrate the theme of individuality versus conformity throughout the entire novella. Ayn Rand uses the symbol of the light bulb to portray the significance of individuality in a conformed society with the conflict between the two opposing societies. Equality 7-2521 has his own ideas and endeavors that he wishes to fulfill but always resorts back to the morality and conformity of his society. In his current society, no one can have their own ideas. No one can individually function as one. Everyone has to function collectively as a whole. Equality 7-2521 decides to bring his invention of the light bulb in front of the Council of Scholars because he thinks it can benefit the life of his fellow brothers, he says, “We, Equality 7-2521, have discovered a new power of nature. And we have discovered it alone, and we are alone to know it” (Rand 52). This demonstrates that Equality 7-2521 has learned something alone and he is the only person who knows how to build this invention. That goes against all aspects of his civilization and the Council…

enslaved by his birth, by his kin, by his race. But he broke their chains” (Rand 101). This ongoing plight has carried humanity to where it is today: the pinnacle of our development and progress. Equality has chosen to walk a path of independence and personal growth. For society as a whole, following in Equality’s sizable footsteps would require humanity to be guided by a strong set of moral principles. Though art, culture, and science would undeniably flourish in a world of independent…

Well, we could blame the coaches or the parents. Or we could place direct blame on the self-esteem movement of the 1980s. Nathaniel Branden, a psychotherapist and author, has written countless books on the power of self-esteem. Branden had a great impact on the self-esteem movement, which is slowly making our country soft. His view on self-esteem suggested that it is the single, most important facet of a person (Mohler). This self-esteem movement commenced the whole participation trophy craze.…

“If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality”-Roopleen. This quote relates to both Ben Carson and Taylor Greene from The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver during their journey on accomplishing their goals. Gifted hands by Ben Carson is an aspiring story of how he started from Detroit and made his way to be an astounding pediatric neurosurgeon at John Hopkins by the age of thirty-three and never seemed…

Amy Nguyen ENGL 1002 Paper #1 As humans, we grow up in a community of family and friends. They provide the learned values and direction that allows us to become functioning members of society who are able to help others and ourselves. It is the basis of society. Community presents itself as an interwoven network of various part and sub-parts, and every small action can create a ripple effect that may go unnoticed by those immediately surrounding it, but more clearly seen as the waves spread. In…

Orleanna’s House of Guilt In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel The Poisonwood Bible, Nathan Price, the father to four daughters and husband to Orleanna Price, brings his family on a missionary trip to the Congo. Their daily routines of residing in the Congo require hard work for survival, whereas in Georgia, life necessities like water and food are easily given. Although the Price family has left their home in Georgia, it is Orleanna who believes that as long as she is able to care for her family, she…

The Construction and Meaning of “Home” in Nadine Gordimer’s Tale of Postcolonial Africa, “The Ultimate Safari” Nadine Gordimer’s “The Ultimate Safari” takes the reader on a journey as the main character, a little girl, flees from Mozambique with her brothers and grandparents. Throughout the short story, the girl describes her trek out of Mozambique and through Kruger Park into South Africa, and details the hunger, loss, and overall feeling of deprivation that came with the unavoidable…

Throughout history, many cultures have seen women’s primary role as the reproducer and caregiver. What happens when a woman doesn’t fit this mold of dutiful wife and mother? Barbara Kingsolver analyzes this circumstance in her novel Animal Dreams through her childless and unwed protagonist in the fictional town of Grace. Kingsolver’s works tend to critique the accepted and expected roles of women in society and evaluates the previously endorsed notion that women’s worth lies in their fertility…

Bush family was their family traditions. This exhibit gave detailed background information over the household that George Bush was brought up in. In this exhibit I learned that George has four other siblings, attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, attended Yale University and joined the navy. I also learned that he married the love of his life, Barbara Pierce. The museum did an excellent job of giving detailed description of the early childhood of George, and providing pictures,…

A Turtle and Some Beans Anais Nin, a renowned author, once wrote, “And the day came when the risk to remain a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” (“Quotes About Growth”). In the story, The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver, the courage to bloom is one of the many themes. Taylor, a young woman travelling westward, is unwillingly given a child. Taylor and the child, Turtle, eventually settle in Arizona. They live with a woman named Lou Ann, and Taylor works at an auto…