Kaleb, Mejia

P.6

English

4-21-21

The Anthem Essay

“Anthem” is a novella written by Ayn Rand, which is about a society that has very harsh rules

and regulations. When there is a society there is always at least one who is seen or shunned as a

outcast whether that be for a good reason or because they are different in some ways. In Anthem

there is a young boy known as Equality and he is the protagonist of this novel. Equality is a

curios boy who seems to be more mature than most people his age. He himself knows this and

knows he is different but is being different a good thing?

During “Anthem” Equality has ambitions he wants to complete. He wants to become a part of

the Home of Scholars because he wants to know the way the world works. Ever since he was

young Equality felt that he was cursed with curiosity. For that reason, he wants to be at the home

of scholars. When he was younger, he found hidden tunnels, he would write in there he knew it

went against the rules of his society, but it just made his curiosity about the world grow. Equality

seeks knowledge he wants to know more about everything, and it seems like he won't stop until

he gets his answers. Although he did not get into the home of scholars and became a street

sweeper. There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the
bodies of your brothers. His teachers would tell him this and his growing height represents how

he is growing in curiosity. Later, in “Anthem” he finds out about electricity, and he creates a

lightbulb, and it becomes his goal to show the world council this lightbulb. Unfortunately this

does not happen.

During “Anthem” Equality does not have many fears or concerns Hes not really worried about

much throughout the story. In the hidden tunnels he feels no fear. He feels as if he is learning

more about the world around him and that most scholars do not know everything about the

world. Through his knowledge he knows not be scared like others. Equality throughout

“Anthem” is concerned about a whole lot and isn't fearful as he is a scholar and like I’ve stated

he can't be fearful of the unknown.

Equality throughout the story grows a lot and his mentality changes a lot. The most dramatic

change is when he finds the hidden tunnels rather than tell his brothers he keeps it to himself.

When Equality meets the golden one, he no longer denies that he likes more people than others

and he wants to think about her all the time. The discovery of the lightbulb pushes him further

into going and even leaving the society. Once Equality realizes that he created the lightbulb for

his own sake he can finally server his connection to the society and that’s what makes him a

freeman. When the council threatens to destroy the lightbulb he thinks of his brothers, but he will

not let it be destroyed. Equality starts to enjoy everything now, getting his own food and killing

for it, sex, eating. He the discovers that he is the center of his own universe and Equality

becomes a “Man” after leaving and breaking away from the society that seemed to hold him
back. He discards his old name and changes it to Prometheus, and he sees himself as superior

then his peers and he thinks like Prometheus he is a hero who defies the conventions of times.

Throughout the novella “Anthem” Equality grows in his ambitions and maturity. “Anthem” is

the story of a boy who becomes a man by defying his society and learns to become his own man.

He is no longer shackled by his society. He breaks free and becomes his own man. He then finds

the enjoyment of life and finds a new light in it and he is finally happy by the end of “Anthem”.