• A Literary Analysis• Prepared by Jane Doe• For Ms. McQueen• English 1B• February 11, 2003

• A Literary Analysis• Prepared by Jane Doe• For Ms. McQueen• English 1B• February 11, 2003

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

• The Author• The Plot• Important Passages• Where It All Takes Place• Conflicting Philosophies• Conclusion• Sources

• The Author• The Plot• Important Passages• Where It All Takes Place• Conflicting Philosophies• Conclusion• Sources

• Born as Alissa Rosenbaum in Russia in 1905

• Began to invent stories at the age of 8 and first tried to write a novel when she was 10

• Became extremely poor after her father’s chemist shop was nationalized during the Russian Revolution

• Born as Alissa Rosenbaum in Russia in 1905

• Began to invent stories at the age of 8 and first tried to write a novel when she was 10

• Became extremely poor after her father’s chemist shop was nationalized during the Russian Revolution

The AuthorThe Author

• Graduated with the highest honors from the University of Petrograd at the age of 19 with a major in history and a minor in philosophy

• Left the USSR at the age of 21, and after a brief stay with some Chicago relatives, settled in Hollywood

• Graduated with the highest honors from the University of Petrograd at the age of 19 with a major in history and a minor in philosophy

• Left the USSR at the age of 21, and after a brief stay with some Chicago relatives, settled in Hollywood

The AuthorThe Author

The AuthorThe Author

• Worked as an extra and met her husband, actor Frank O’Connor, on a set

• Wrote in her spare time, but eventually became very successful, and several of her novels were turned into films

• Worked as an extra and met her husband, actor Frank O’Connor, on a set

• Wrote in her spare time, but eventually became very successful, and several of her novels were turned into films

The PlotThe Plot

• In a very controlled, techno-phobic society in the future of a post nuclear war Earth, one man dares to think of himself and his desires.

• This is strictly forbidden. People live in communal housing with a hundred bleak cots to each room. When they are 15, they are told what their jobs will be, with whom and when they will mate in the Palace of Mating, and what they may do with any spare time.

• In a very controlled, techno-phobic society in the future of a post nuclear war Earth, one man dares to think of himself and his desires.

• This is strictly forbidden. People live in communal housing with a hundred bleak cots to each room. When they are 15, they are told what their jobs will be, with whom and when they will mate in the Palace of Mating, and what they may do with any spare time.

• What they may do includes propaganda plays and meetings and does not include friendships or undirected walks on the city streets because each of these indicates an inner self with personal desires.

• Any inner desires or uniqueness in thought or appearance is seriously frowned upon. In fact, the one crime punishable by death is utterance of the word “I.”

• What they may do includes propaganda plays and meetings and does not include friendships or undirected walks on the city streets because each of these indicates an inner self with personal desires.

• Any inner desires or uniqueness in thought or appearance is seriously frowned upon. In fact, the one crime punishable by death is utterance of the word “I.”

• But the story’s hero, Equality 7-2521, can not help himself. He is taller and smarter than his peers and because of this is forced to be a lowly street sweeper instead of the scholar he dreams of being.

• Then by chance he discovers an abandoned subway tunnel from the Unmentionable Times and is able to sneak away and put in a couple of hours of study and experimentation every evening.

• But the story’s hero, Equality 7-2521, can not help himself. He is taller and smarter than his peers and because of this is forced to be a lowly street sweeper instead of the scholar he dreams of being.

• Then by chance he discovers an abandoned subway tunnel from the Unmentionable Times and is able to sneak away and put in a couple of hours of study and experimentation every evening.

• At around the same time Equality 7-2521 also discovers Liberty 5-3000, who he falls in love with and calls the Golden One.

• To complicate matters further, Equality 7-2521’s experimentation leads to re-discovering electricity and creating a crude light bulb.

• Thinking that the good that will come from his invention will lead the World Council of Scholars to overlook all the laws he has broken, Equality 7-2521 takes his light bulb to them.

• At around the same time Equality 7-2521 also discovers Liberty 5-3000, who he falls in love with and calls the Golden One.

• To complicate matters further, Equality 7-2521’s experimentation leads to re-discovering electricity and creating a crude light bulb.

• Thinking that the good that will come from his invention will lead the World Council of Scholars to overlook all the laws he has broken, Equality 7-2521 takes his light bulb to them.

• However, the Council wants to destroy the invention and put Equality 7-2521 to death.

• So Equality 7-2521 flees into the Uncharted Forest and finds freedom and happiness instead of the ferocious beasts and other horrors he had been led to believe lurked there.

• However, the Council wants to destroy the invention and put Equality 7-2521 to death.

• So Equality 7-2521 flees into the Uncharted Forest and finds freedom and happiness instead of the ferocious beasts and other horrors he had been led to believe lurked there.

• Eventually, the Golden One follows him, and together they come across a wonderful house from the Unmentionable Times where they can live and learn and provide a safe haven for their kids and like-minded humans who want to rebuild the past instead of stifling in the future.

• Eventually, the Golden One follows him, and together they come across a wonderful house from the Unmentionable Times where they can live and learn and provide a safe haven for their kids and like-minded humans who want to rebuild the past instead of stifling in the future.

Important PassagesImportant Passages• One of the most important

issues in this novel is whether “we” (society) is more important than “I” (the individual). This issue is, however, not debatable to Anthem’s all powerful government. “If you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason to burden the earth with your bodies.” (22)

• One of the most important issues in this novel is whether “we” (society) is more important than “I” (the individual). This issue is, however, not debatable to Anthem’s all powerful government. “If you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason to burden the earth with your bodies.” (22)

• Nevertheless, even within the most repressive of regimes, there are human spirits that will strike out and try to be free. Equality 7-2521possesses this kind of spirit and fights to repress it, but can’t. “Questions give us no rest. We know not why our curse makes us seek we know not what, ever and ever. But we can not resist it.” (24)

• Nevertheless, even within the most repressive of regimes, there are human spirits that will strike out and try to be free. Equality 7-2521possesses this kind of spirit and fights to repress it, but can’t. “Questions give us no rest. We know not why our curse makes us seek we know not what, ever and ever. But we can not resist it.” (24)

• Finally, Equality 7-2521 gives up struggling against himself and makes a remarkable invention and feels pride and happiness for the first time in his life. He then decides he must create a haven for other men because he realizes, “The word ‘We’ must never be spoken, save by one’s choice . . . This word must never be placed first . . ., else it becomes a monster, the root of all the evils on earth.” (96)

• Finally, Equality 7-2521 gives up struggling against himself and makes a remarkable invention and feels pride and happiness for the first time in his life. He then decides he must create a haven for other men because he realizes, “The word ‘We’ must never be spoken, save by one’s choice . . . This word must never be placed first . . ., else it becomes a monster, the root of all the evils on earth.” (96)

Where It All Takes Place

Where It All Takes Place

Old Subway

Abandoned Forest Home

ANTHEM, USA

Home of the Leaders Home of the Scholars

Palace of Corrective Detention

City Square Eugenics Council

Candles Council

Home Council World Council

Home of the Clerks

Artists Home

Street Sweepers Home

Actors Home

City Theatre

Home of the Useless

City Moat

Students Home Infants Home

Cities of the Unmentionable Times

Home of the Peasants

Palace of Mating City Hall

State Council

Vocations Council

Conflicting PhilosophiesConflicting Philosophies

Self-oriented

Must always serve

self

Group-oriented

Must always serve

group

Individualism

Egoism

Collectivism

Altruism

ConclusionConclusion• Anthem celebrates our having

individual desires and goals and makes us realize their importance by dramatically showing us the horrors of a world where they are forbidden. Whether, in the end, we value individualism as highly as Ayn Rand does or not, this is an important novel to read and discuss.

• Anthem celebrates our having individual desires and goals and makes us realize their importance by dramatically showing us the horrors of a world where they are forbidden. Whether, in the end, we value individualism as highly as Ayn Rand does or not, this is an important novel to read and discuss.

SourcesSources

• Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 1995.

• http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Ayn_Rand/Anthem• http://www.aynrand.org/• http://www.ayn-rand.com/• http://www.atlassociety.org/

• Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 1995.

• http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Ayn_Rand/Anthem• http://www.aynrand.org/• http://www.ayn-rand.com/• http://www.atlassociety.org/