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Kaitlyn Molinari
Harrison
English 9
8 September 2015

Anthem Analysis
What do you think a society would be like if everyone was considered equal? How do
you do you think people would feel living in this type of society? Anthem is a novel written by
Ayn Rand in 1938. Anthem is based on the communist society that is built on two classes.
These classes are the working class, the ones who must work to survive, and the capitalist class,
the upper class people who live their lives off the common working people. In this novel,
Equality 7-2521, the main character, struggles with trying to accept his society and trying to be
equal to everyone else. He is gifted with curiosity which is people are taught is a sin. The society
is controlling over the citizens even though everyone must be considered equal. The people who
fought this society, were looked down upon and could even be punished to death. Everything
belongs to the society, no one is allowed to own anything, not even their own body.
Throughout the novel, Ayn Rand uses different types of motifs to explain different types
of ideas in the book. One type of motif she uses is plural pronouns. In Anthem, Equality 7-2521
and all other people in this society use plural pronouns in their everyday language. They have
never heard of the words I, he/she, etc... They live by one quote. We are one in all and all in
one. There is no men but the great WE, One, indivisible and forever. I think this quote, explains
how people in society are so dedicated to being equal and together that they dont even consider
themselves as one person. They dont ever use singular words to describe each other. Another

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motif that is used is how Ayn Rand describes the character's eyes. But International 4-8818 are
different. They are tall, strong youth and their eyes are like fireflies, for there is laughter in their
eyes (Rand 29). Every time a new character is introduced, their eyes will be described. I think
the author uses this motif to tell the reader the character's eyes tell a lot about who they are and
how they are truly feeling. Describing their eyes prove that actions arent as important as what
their eyes are saying. I think she based this motif off the quote, the eyes are the window to the
soul. Light is another motif used throughout Anthem. The more protective Equality 7-2521 gets
over his discovery of light/electricity the more light represents truth and enlightenment. equality
7-2521 says Let us flood our cities with light. Let us bring new light to men (Rand 71).
Throughout this novel, Equality 7-2521 goes through multiple transitions of his
characterization. At the beginning of Anthem, Equality 7-2521 is more concerned with what the
society he lives in expects of him and his actions. We would accept the our Life Mandate, and
we would work for our brothers, gladly and willingly, and we would erase our sin against them,
which they did not know, but we knew (Rand 27). Even though Equality 7-2521 knows he has
sinned in the eyes of the society, and he is different compared to his brothers, he still wants to be
a part of the society and will fight to keep his sins a secret so he can be accepted easily. As he
starts to feel more affection towards Liberty 5-3000, The Golden One, he starts to break the rules
take control over his individuality. Yet as we walked back to the Home of the Street Sweepers,
we felt that we wanted to sing, without reason. But it is not proper to sing without reason, save
for Social Meetings (Rand 45). Equality 7-2521 also starts to be more accepting over his sin of
curiosity when he starts to learn more about electricity/light. He starts to get protective when his
brothers at the Home of the Scholars want to destroy his discovery of light. Yet we can. We do.
We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws

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and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is to be learned! So long a road lies before
us, and what care if we must travel it alone (Rand 54).
The society also expects everyone to have the same level of emotion so even the citizens
moods can be equal. Council of the Home looks with suspicion upon us. It is not good to feel
too much joy nor to be glad that our body lives (Rand 46). However, there is irony in this
expectation. The leaders of the society expects everyone to have to same amount of happiness,
but no one is truly happy. We are singing because we are happy, we answered the one of the
Home Council who reprimanded us. Indeed you are happy. they answered. How else can
men be when they live for their brothers? Yet as we stand at night in the great hall, removing
out garments for sleep, we look upon our brothers and wonder. The heads of our brothers are
bowed. The eyes of our brothers are dull, and never do they look one another in the eyes....And a
word steals into our mind, as we look upon our brothers, and that word is fear (Rand 45). No
one in this society is truly happy even though thats what the council wants to be acceptable in
the citizens. I think no one is truly happy because they have no individuality. When Equality 72521 starts to develop his individuality, he starts to show hints of pure happiness. Without
individuality no one feels anything. They dont see a reason to keep going. There is no
motivation or goals.
In Anthem, the citizens are affected by the communist based society they
live in.
This is important because as the reader gets further into this novel they start realize how
controlling a society can be over the citizens and how it can affect them. They also realize what it
would be like if everyone was treated equally.