Anthem Final Essay

Kyle Petras

4/10/16

Gubanich

Western Lit.

Anthem Final Essay

      In Ayn Rand’s Dystopian Novel, Anthem, the protagonist, Equality 7-2521, lives in a world where he is different. He is not like his brethren. Not only is he taller than all the others, but also he is smarter and more curious. His curiosity leads to him wanting to discover things. His discoveries are monumentally new to him, but in the reader’s eye, it is just an everyday object. Even though we see the things Equability find on an everyday basis, these new findings make it ever more impactful and exciting for the reader.

      In the beginning of the book, Equality 7-2521 is on his way to the theater for the daily performance. He strays from the crowd and discovers “an old iron grill over a black whole” as “the earth fell in before us”(rand 17). Equality then goes down into the hole where he finds a tunnel. This discovery is immense for Equality. No one has ever seen anything like this before, but when reading it, we already know that it is just a subway. Equality’s description of the earth falling in and the old grate makes the hole feel like an endless pit, where no one had been for many years. This makes it special for the reader.

      Further on in the novel, Equality has made regular visits down to the subway. His first discovery has led to another, which is his finding of electricity, “a new power of nature”(Rand 35). Electricity is used everyday in our lives. As I write this, I am using electricity. Equality puts into perspective this power, this unknown, and how is would be very odd not having electricity in our society. There would be no Instagram or phones in general. What kind of a society would that be?

      While searching the subway track, Equality finds things hanging from the ceiling like orbs. These things are completely foreign to him and has no idea what he is looking at. He describes it as “wires that led to little globes of glass”(Rand 36). His unknowing discovery is light. More specifically, light bulbs. In Anthem, people live off of candlelight. Never has anyone seen bulbs that produce light. This finding is one of the lesser important but still key in the story. It makes the reader feel how life would be without light and gives perspective to how Equality felt in that moment.

      Continuing the topic of light, Equality begins to experiment with wiring. He soon discovers that light is produced when the wire is heated. Equality is stunned and amazed. Light has never been created this way before. He says that “tonight, we finished building a strange thing”(Rand 41). This “strange thing” is his version of light, his own creation. His creation leads him to wanting to show others this newfound thing. This, I think people can relate to in the sense that people do discover things and want to show others to impress them. That is what this quote makes the reader feel.

      Debatably the most astounding discover in the whole story is finding Equality’s reflection. While in the woods, Equality goes to find water. He stumbles upon a stream and when he looks down, he sees his reflection. Equality says “for upon the blue of the sky below us, we saw our own face for the first time”(Rand 58). This discovery is huge. Equality not only sees himself but also finds himself in this moment. We all have mirror and cameras to see ourselves. What would we do if we could never see our own face? It gives the reader that glimpse of what Equality was feeling at that moment.

      The discoveries that Equality finds throughout the book are very effective to the reader. It truly shows them what it’s like finding these things what we have and use every day of our lives. It emphasizes how lucky we really are.