]Anthem

Objectives (targets for learning in this unit)

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

1. recognize the use of first-person narration and list the advantages and disadvantages of this
type of narrator.

2. follow time order in a novel that uses a diary or journal format and comment on the advantages
and disadvantages of this type of format.

3. identify three motifs found in the novel:

a. the use of darkness and light

b. the presence of ignorance and knowledge

c. the idea of transgression and damnation

4. trace the use of names as these names change in the novel:

a. Equality 7-2521
b. Liberty 5-3000

5. distinguish between the two philosophical points of view central to this novel, collectivism and objectivism,
and point to where and how both are presented

6. write an essaÿ which states the major theme of this novel and prove how this assertion is the main theme
by citing incidents and statements from the text.

7. write an essay discussing the style of this novel; compare and contrast it to the style of other novels with
which you are familiar.

8. state the significance of this novela title, show its relationship to the novel's theme, and prove this assertion
by citing specific points.

9. become familiar with certain terms that are specific to Anthem, which are in the vocabulary list

10. Define and point out uses of content literary terms

 Anthem
Review of Terms and Definitions
Generalization about Life - a statement that can apply to humanity at large; a seemingly
universal truth. Examples: "All men are created equal;" "beauty is truth, truth ig
beauty."

Narrator - the one who tells the story. If the narrator is a character in the book, the term is
first-person narration. (Example: Moby Dick is narrated by Ishmael, a crew
member). If the narrator is not a character, the te.rlli is third-person narration.
(Example: Sense. and Sensibility).

Plot- the pattern of events in a novel. Is it believable or credible given its setting? Is it
well-paced as opposed to slow developing?

Point of View the position or vantage point from which the events of a story seem to
come and are presented to the reader. The author determines the point of view.
The two most common are First-person and Third-person. Example: In The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reader receives all the information from
Huck's vantage point, which is an example. of a first-person point of view; the
only things that are known come through him.

Setting - when and where the short. story play, or novel takes place. Example: Macbeth
takes place in the eleventh century in Scotland, which greatly influences the st01Y and
adds the. elements of truthfulness to its violence.

Style - the way an author chooses and uses words, phrases, and sentences to tell the story.
[For example, ill an action/adventure story, the author may use simple words and short,
choppy sentences, because this style moves the story along quickly. But in a story about a
college professor, the same author may choose to use polysyllabic, unfa miliar words and
long, convoluted sentences.

Theme - the central or dominant idea behind the story; the most important aspect that
emerges from how the book treats its subject. Sometimes theme is easy to see but,
at other times, it may be more difficult. rhetoric is usually expressed indirectly as
an element the reader must figure out. It. is a universal statement about humanity,
rather than a simple statement dealing with plot or characters in the story. Themes
are generally hinted at through different devices: a phrase or quotation that
introduces the novel, a recurring element in the book, Or an observation made that
is reinforced through plot, dialogue, or characters. It must be emphasized that not
all works of literature have themes in them.
VOCABULARY SPECIFIC TO ANTHEM
Directions: define or identify each of the following items on a separate sheet of
paper.
Equality7-2521 -- the main character in the book anthem.
International 4-8818—best friends of Equality7-2521
Fraternity 2-5503 Solidarity 9-6347- he is a
fellow street sweeper in the city who is close to
Equality7-1521
Union. - a half brained boy who is also a classmate of Equality7-2521
Liberty 5-3000- she is the lover of Equality7-2125 and she is in a group of peasants planting seeds.
The Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word- when Equality7-2125 was little he saw a Transgressor
being burned to death for speaking the Unspeakable Word
The Saint of the Pyre-- Saint of the Pyre is trying to communicate the banned word "I."
Prometheus—Equality7-2125 new name when they escaped the city
Gaea—Liberty 5-3000 new name when they escape the city.
The Golden One—it is Liberty’s name given by Equality7-2125
The Unconquered—secret name Liberty 5-3000 gave to Equality7-2125
Palace of Mating—a place where men and women get to know each other once a year
Council of Eugenics—a group who decides who are supposed to sleep with each other.
Home of Infants—where men stay until they are 5 years old
Home of Students in one place where all the students stay.
Council of Vocations—a group of who decided where the men are going to work.
Life Mandate—the expression so subsitutted.
Home of Street Sweepers, Scholars, Leaders...—the houses of the assigned jobs
Home of Peasants the house where a group of women lived in.
Science of Things—people who made up the world and made it work
Transgression of Preference -- the sin of choice
Home of the Useless--- men who are 40+
Ancient Ones—the old ones
Palace of Corrective Detention City Cesspool— the
prison equality went to.
City Theater- a theather in the city where they go see people acting
World Council of Scholars Uncharted Forest— the city of
scholar decided to destroy the light and equality took the
light and ran to the forest the world council of scholars
don’t go to.
Dawn of the Great Rebirth-- was the Script Fire where all the scripts of the Evil Ones were
burned, and with them all the words of the Evil Ones
Great Script Fires— where he learned things from.
Unspeakable Word-- the unspeakable word is I
Ego-- after going to the forest equality was able to say yes and no to things he couldn’t say
in the city.
 We—they used to symbolize as themselves as WE and not called themselves are I
Because they were forbidden to indivisualize themselves.
Objectivism—own personal perceptions
Collectivism—believes the individuality should be subjected

Anthem STUDY GUIDE

Student Copy. All references come from the Signet edition of Anthem, published 1961.

Directions: Answer each question to the best of your ability using evidence from the text when
possible. Write in complete sentences—is English after all.

CHAPTER ONE

1. If you found this first chapter difficult. to follow, what might be a possible reason?
Who is the narrator? What is the point of view?

It was difficult in the first chapter because the narrator called himself as “we”. Equality7-2125 is
the narrator. The point of the view was he is strong, handsome and set things out to make it his
own.

2. What. is the motto engraved in marble over the portals of the Palace of the World
Council? What prayer is recited every night? What does it tell you about this
futuristic world?

The motto engraved is “We are one in all and all in one. There are only the great WE, One,
indivisible and forever” and they recite "we are nothing mankind is all. By the grace of our
brothers are we allowed our lives..." every night. This tells us how they don’t individualize
themselves and has not freedom.

3. In order to understand the world Equality 7-2521 lives in: What is the Home
of Infants? What transgression does he commit here?
The home of infants is a house where kids live there till they are 5 years old. Equality fought with
his brothers.

4. What is the Home of Students? What transgressions does he commit here?

A home where all the students live till age 5 to 15. He was too smart.

5. What is the Council of Vocations? What is the Transgression of Preference

They assign jobs to people in the city. The transgression of preference is to hope something
specific for yourself.

6. What do all of these homes have in common? What purpose does this serve?
They all have assigned work and they all have to listen to the state.

7. What is the Science of Things? What do you understand the Great Rebirth
to be?

Science of things tell how things are worked and made. I understand it as the change of society.

8.What is the Home of the Useless? an Old One? an Ancient One?

Where the old people live. Where all the 40 plus men live and they do not have any jobs to do. And
ancient ones are people who are 45 years old.
 9.Why is it difficult to see this as a novel of the "future"? Since it is a futuristic novel,
what do you assume has happened to the world as we know it today?

He describe a society unlike anything in the world. And describes the world as equal.

10, What is a Life Mandate? What happens to Equality 7-2521 when he appears before the

Council of Vocations to receive his Life Mandate?

Life of mandate is the work they are assigned to have. Equality was given a job as a street
sweeper as a punishment for being different than the other brothers.

11. How do you explain the way in which he receives his assignment?

Equality goes to the Council, the council reads out his assignments and equality agrees to the
assignment in a manner and does the work.

12. What is his life like for the next four years?

Working as a street sweeper because they are assigned to be a street sweeper until they are 4o
years old.

13. What does his future hold for him?

The same thing until he is 40 years old.

14. Who are Union 5-3992 and International 4-8618?

They are equality’s fellow street sweeper brothers.

15. What is the Uncharted Forest? The Unmentionable Times?

A forest where no one goes in the city and thinks it’s dangerous. The unmentionable times It is the
past but in actuality is the time we currently live in

16. What does Equality find?

He find a tunnel.
 17. Why does International say, "May the Council have mercy upon both of our
hearts"? (Pg.34)
He is afraid that the council will find about his secret tunnel.

18. For the next two years, what does Equality do in relationship to his
discovery?

He sneaks out of the theater to learn things and steals things from the home of street sweepers and
makes things.

19. Just by going there, what great transgression does he commit?

Being alone and sneaking out.

20. How does International help him?

He does not tell anyone about the tunnel equality finds.

21. What other transgressions does Equality commit?

He was not doing things he was assigned to do.

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CHAPTERS TWO-FOUR

l. Who lives in the Home of Peasants?

Liberty lives in the home of peasants and other women who work there.

2. Who is Liberty 5-3000? Why is Equality attracted to her?

Libery 5- 3000 is a girl who is very pretty and blonde. Equality liked her because she
looked pretty and confident.

3. What forms of expression do their feelings for each other take? Why are they so
hesitant and cautious?

They looks at each other and smile most of the time. Because they do not want to get
caught by other people.

4. What are the Council of Eugenics and the City Palace of Mating?

Council of Eugenics assign who should sleep with who and City Palace of Mating is a place
where women and men sleep together for a night.
CHAPTERS

5. Read page 41 to page 43 and explain interest in Liberty.

Equality talks about how he looks at Liberty5-3000 when he is not supposed to. He named her
The Golden One and it is a sin to look at other women, like Liberty. And when he thinks about
her it makes him feel good about the world.

6. What names do they exchange? Why is this significant?

Equality named her The Golden One because she is not like the others. And Liberty named him
The Unconquered because she thinks he is rebellious.

7. As he sits in his tunnel, what does Equality recognize as the WORD that
describes the feeling •that is always among his brothers

It is not allowed to be happy or show any emotions. But it doesn’t matter to Equality.

8. Even though he is committing serious transgressions, for which he can be severely

punished, why does he feel no fear in the tunnel?
Because He doesn’t care if he lives or dies.

9. What is the feeling of the Council toward happiness? Why might his behavior
still arouse suspicion?
Because he was showing emotions by singing when he is not supposed to. The council
believes that happiness should be together.
CHAPTERS

10. What would seem to suggest there are others who are also deeply troubled by the world in
which they are forced to live?

Fraternity 2-5503 cries suddenly without reason and his body shakes with sobs he can't explain.
Solidarity 9-6347 screams help in his sleep, but the Doctors cannot cure him.

What further details do you find concerning the Uncharted Forest? the Dawn of
the Great Rebirth? the Great Script Fires?

They burned everything to rebuild how they wanted. Men never enter the Uncharted Forest
because there is no power to explore it or path. Anyone who goes into the Forest never
returns, perishing from hunger or beasts (legend). The Dawn of the Great Rebirth was when
the Script Fire burned all of the Evil Ones and their scripts.

12. What is the only crime punishable by death in this world?

Saying the unspeakable word (I).

13. What is the effect on Equality when, as a child, he views the execution of The Transgressor
of the Unspeakable Word (the Saint of the Pyre)?
he felt a friendship and thinks they are good. It had also haunted him for his entire life.

14. What is the discovery of nature that Equality makes?

Equality makes light out of electricity.

 CHAPTERS

15. With this discovery, to what does he dedicate himself?

To move from the past and stop using candles; He wants to figure out what relationship electricity has to
light bulbs.

16. In what way does the meeting between Equality and Liberty in Chapter Four seal the
bond between them?

When equality called liberty “our dearest one” because men never say these to women. They
both knew they were fearless.

FIVE-SEVEN

In Chapter Five, what does he wish for now that he had not thought about before?
Why?

He thought about showing the light to the Council. Because he thought he had a chance to become
a scholar and earn credits for his work.

2 What is the thing he has created in the tunnel?

CHAPTERS

He created light in the tunnel.

3. What does he think of as the good that can come from this discovery?

They will have light in the dark and they won’t be needing to use candles anymore.

4. How is he going to make his gift known?

By showing it to the Council of Scholars.

5. Why does he think he will not be punished for his transgressions?

Because it is a discovery no men has ever made and that they will use his gift.

6. Why does he NOW care what happens to him? How is this linked to one theme of
the novel?

He is proud of the discovery he has made. This is linked to the theme of original creation being a
component of individuality because through creating something new, Equality sets himself apart
from everyone else.
CHAPTERS

7. What happens this night, that results in his being caught?

He lost track of time.

8. Why is he taken to the Palace of Corrective Detention?

Because he did not tell the council where he have been.

9. What is he subjected to there? What do you think his captors are trying to
accomplish?

He was lashed and the captor were trying to make him tell where he have been doing or
what he did.

10. Why is it easy for him to escape from his confinement?

There were no one outside the old doors because no one ever got out of the place he was locked
into.

ll. What is the ONE thing that he hopes for after his discovery is made known to the World
Council of Scholars?

He want to become one of the Scholars.

CHAPTERS

12. Why would the World Council of Scholars have been shocked by Equality's appearance
under any circumstances?

Because his clothes were torn and he had blood all over him.

13. What is their reaction when he shows them his discovery?

They were not happy. They were scared of the light.

CHAPTERS

14. What are some of the reasons they reject his invention completely?

He got out of the house without anyone knowing, he was by himself, he broke the law, and he
was fearless.

15. Why does he take his discovery md escape from everyone to the Uncharted Forest?

Because, he knows no one is going to come to the Uncharted Forest and the scholars were going to
destroy his invention.

16. What is he sure will happen to him as a result of Solitude and the Beasts of the Forest?
He knew he was going to die.

l7. What is the only thing that lifts his spirit?

The glass box is the thing that lifts his spirit.

18. What is his feeling about the Golden One?

That he wouldn’t be able to see her anymore.

EIGHT—TEN

1. What is Equality feeling when he awakens the next day in the Uncharted Forest? Hov8!
is this related to the title?
CHAPTERS

2. He wants to leap to his feet because he has had to do that every day of his life, but when he
realizes this he lies back down. This is related to the title because now he is able to decide what he does
and how he does it; he is able to create his own anthem.

3. What is his reaction to seeing himself for the first time?

He is good looking.

4. Why is he hindered in thinking out his feelings and coming to any real understanding
about himself?

Because he was never able to call him as “I”.

5. What is the reason the Golden One follows him through the Uncharted Forest?

Because she loves him.

5. How do they adapt to life in the forest and manage to survive in the wilderness that
should have killed them?

They find a house in the forest. And they used sticks and stones and other wild fruit to help them survive.
 CHAPTERS

6. How does the happiness they find contradict everything they have been taught?

They have been taught that the only happiness has come from being part of the group and having no
individuality, but they are only happy when they are away from the group and with each other.

7. How do you explain her reaction after saying... “We love you"?

She wants to say it back with a ‘i’ but doesn’t know how to.

8. Equality says that one of his plans is to build a house in which they are to live.
Instead, what do they find to take the place Of this?
A house.

9. How would you describe the kind of house they find? How does this give some hint as to
the setting of the novel?

A two storied, normal family house. Where there are windows ad this suggest that people lived in the
Unmentionable Times. I'm guessing the West because of the mountains, if this is the US.

10. What are some of the things in the house that puzzle them at first because they are
different from the city they left behind?

Rooms, lights, colorful garments and small bedrooms.

CHAPTERS

l l. What is the thought that plagues Equality as he looks out on his new world?

The world seems to be asking him for a sign , but he doesn't know what word or command he should
give.
ELEVEN-TWELVE 1. An anthem is a song or hymn of praise or gladness; what is the ONE
word of Equality’s anthem? How is this tied in with the Unspeakable Word?

“I” was the probably the unspeakable word because it embodies indivisuality.

2. Summarize Equality's new philosophy and understanding about himself in

relationship to the rest of mankind,
CHAPTERS

He realized that he doesn’t have to listen or work for anyone and that he will not be punished by
anyone anymore for doing things he wants to.

3. Why does he now understand why he never felt any guilt for his actions and thoughts
before?

Because he realized he was never doing anything wrong .

4. What is the significance of the Golden One saying, “I love you"?

She can say it whenever wherever.

5. What is the significance of the names Equality chooses for them?

Liberty’s name was Gaea. Gaea was the mother of gods. Equality’s name was Prometheus, he
bought the light to gods. THEY ARE GOING TO BE MOTHER OR FATHER OF THE NEW
SOCIETY.

6. What does he now see as his future?

The Saint of the Pyre chose him as to change society.

 CHAPTERS

7. What specific plans does he have in regard to the house and the others left behind in the city
of the old world?

He will live in the house, grow his own food, and learn from the books. He will rebuild the achievements of the
past. When he has read all the books he will go back into the City and bring back all of those whose spirits
have not been broken, like International 4-8818, Fraternity 2-5503, and Solidarity 9-6347.

8.What does he see as the things that have enslaved humanity throughout the ages?

Gods, birth, race etc.

9.What does he still find difficult to understand?

How people called themselves as “we”.

10. How might this have been interpreted as a warning in 1936, 1945, or even today? Is this
warning valid?

In Europe, communism was strong because the people were weak over the war. This made it easy for
people such as Hitler and Stalin to come to power and take people's rights away.

ll. What is the significance of the word inscribed above the portal of this house in which he has
chosen to live? Discuss.
CHAPTERS

A persons ego. Ego means self-esteem. It is important because In his society no one ego and they
think they are only meant to work. So equality wants to start a new society where people
think of themselves first.