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Essay / The Theme of Individualism in “Anthem” by Ayn Rand
Table of ContentsIntroductionDiscussionWorks CitedIntroductionAyn Rand's Anthem is an exceptional novel intended to glorify human potential as well as individual self-esteem. Its main theme is individualism and the central conflict, that is, the individual versus the collective. The story of the novel takes place in an unidentified location as humanity has entered another dark age, but as the author says, it is a fascist type dictatorship of the future where one person is held to no rights and its sole objective is to serve the State. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original EssayDiscussionEquality 7-2521 is the main character in this short story. Because of his genius, he aspires to become a scientist, but the state that controls him fears what his mind could accomplish and orders him to be a street sweeper. In the novel, the author tells us that "...the people of this world are pawns without rights and exist as wards of the government." They were born, raised, and educated in government institutions, work hard in government-assigned jobs, and live in massive households provided by the state. Furthermore, these people do not have a personal life since they are forbidden to have lovers or friends. Instead, they engage in government-controlled procreation, where the state determines who sleeps with whom and when. Furthermore, even the names given to them by the state indicate variations of collectivism, e.g. Equality 7-2521 and International 6-Li 2 7843, among others, suggest that many people share the same name. More importantly, the word “I” has been banned, even erased from the spoken language and thoughts of citizens. When they converse, they use the word “we” because they lack the vocabulary to express themselves. Equality 7-2521 has difficulty thinking, living and loving because its terms conflict with the general terms of government. This forms the heart of the novel as Rand defends the rights of individuals to lead their own lives and warns against today's society's relentless movement toward collectivism. Ayn Rand reports on the popularity of collective functions that have existed over the past several decades and continue to exist today. For example, in the mid-1930s, many American politicians and academics praised the Nazi and Communist systems as "majestic experiments." Before the war, the Nazi regime in Germany was considered noble by some American political leaders. They have given their unwavering support to the unwavering commitment that one exists only through service to society. During his term in office, President Roosevelt implemented a number of initiatives based primarily on the assumption that moral excellence resides exclusively in selfless service to others. Today, support for communism is still dominant, as Marxist ideology is widely accepted by many scholars, not only in America, but throughout the rest of the world. The use of language in the novel is also another feature depicting the process of collectivization at a far level. deeper than just politics. The society that Equality 7-2521 lives in has successfully brainwashed its members into believing that working for others is the only way to go and that they should live without any personal considerations. The state has also succeeded in radicalizing and changing the ways of thinking of its population. The collectivist masters have erased from the human mind all concepts,.