Anthem †Ayn Rand Essay

In the book Anthem, Equality 7-2521 (Equality) lived in a society where everyone was equal and treated with disrespect. The society had no tolerance for being different and having their own opinion and ideas. People couldn’t even pursue the career they dreamed of having. They were punished for disobeying any of these â€Å"rules†. Despite Equality’s strict society, his motivations in conducting his experiments are finding individuality, starting a new revolution, finding freedom, and trying to become a scholar. Equality’s inspiration, will, and determination lead him to spark a new revolution. After Equality found the black hole, he kept habitually going back to it, to discover new things and gain intelligence. He was finding more about himself and discovering that everyone was not the same and not everyone has the same talents in life. Even though it was against the government’s expectations about everyone being equal, Equality was happy to break the law, so he could learn more. Equality says, â€Å"And yet there is no shame in us and no regret. We say to ourselves that we are a wretch and a traitor. But we feel no burden upon our spirit and no burden upon our spirit and no fear in our heart.† (Rand 37) Equality was curious. He wanted to find out about the unknown. By showing his invention, he would spark a new revolution of light. He would inspire people to create and learn. True joy comes from what a man can do with inspiration, desire, will, to better people, and while doing that Equality learns that it will allow him to achieve more in society. Equality wanted to accomplish something by himself and prove that not everyone meets the expectations of their job. In other words that’s saying that just because you come from a poor family, doesn’t mean you’re going to be poor when you become an adult. Anyone can achieve what they set their mind to, and Equality made up his mind, he wanted to be different and he wasn’t going to give up. When Equality discovered his invention he wanted to prove the scholars wrong and to prove to them that not everything had been discovered. Equality says, â€Å"The Council of Scholars has said that we all know the things which exist and therefore the things which are not known by all do not exist. But we think that the Council of Scholars is blind. The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them. We know, for we have found a secret unknown to all our  brothers.† (Rand, 52) He just wanted to prove that he was smart enough to be a scholar. His invention proved that anyone can do great things and his brother’s look up to him. Equality only knows what he is capable of not â€Å"we†. Throughout the process of his invention, going to the Palace of Corrective Detention, going before the Council of Scholars, and running away, Equality has found his individuality. After he ran away, and found his new house, he came across the word â€Å"I† in the manuscripts, and he has started a new way of living. Equality says, â€Å"Then I called the Golden One, and I told her what I had read and what I learned. She looked at me and the first words she spoke were: â€Å"I love you.†Ã¢â‚¬ (Rand, 98) Equality is determined, strong, motivated, and won’t let anyone bring him down. â€Å"Then, tonight, we knew that we must escape. For tomorrow the World Council of Scholars is to meet in our city.† (Rand, 66), say’s Equality. Equality has realized how different he is than others. He is smarter than the Council and the Scholars. He knows now he can teach others about electricity. He can help people find individuality and help them find out how they’re unique. Joy comes from his heart because he has never done anything on his own and now he can achieve more expectations that just any street sweeper. Throughout the book, Equality goes against the government because he is searching for freedom. In the book, Equality talks about wanting to see himself but that is against the law, when he runs away, he finally seems himself. Equality wants to see his own image because, his entire life he has never seen it, and he has only seen the faces of his brothers. Equality sees his own face for the first time and says, â€Å"We sat still and we held our breath. For our face and our body were beautiful. Our face was not like the faces of our brothers, for we felt no pity when looking upon it. Our body was not like the bodies of our brothers, for our limbs were straight and thin and hard and strong. And we thought that we could trust this being who looked upon us from the stream, and that we had nothing to fear with this being.† (Rand, 80) Now that he is thinking for himself he wants to know more about himself. He never received the chance to find out what kind of person he was when he was young, so now that he is older he wants to know more about himself. He falls in love with Liberty the first time he sees her, and in their society they’re not supposed to take notice of the opposite gender.  Equality whispers, â€Å"For men are forbidden to take notice of women, and women are forbidden to take notice of men. But we think of one among women, they whose name is Liberty, and we think of no others.† (Rand, 38) When Equality and Liberty both run away they can finally be together, and start their family. Equality wanted Liberty, so he found a way, and got her. When Equality finally finds freedom, on the first day in the forest, he says, â€Å"We awake when a ray of sunlight fell across our face. We wanted to leap to our feet, as we have had to leap every morning of our life, but we remembered suddenly that no bell had rung and that there was no bell to ring anywhere. We lay on our back, we threw our arms out, and we looked up at the sky. The leaves had edges of silver that trembled and rippled like a river of green and fire flowing high above us.† (Rand, 78) Equality was free. In conclusion, Equality’s self-determination and perseverance allowed him to conduct his experiments without anyone telling him otherwise. Even though he had tough obstacles to climb over to have his invention, he didn’t let anything stop him. The Council of Scholars was his biggest challenge with his experiment and he overcame them. The biggest part of Equality conducting experiments was finding individuality within himself. He knew that people should not be treated the exact same and everyone had a mind of their own. Equality’s self-respect and determination paved the way to a life of his own.