Author: Ayn Rand
Published: First Published in 1938 by Cassell
Format: Kindle, 112 pages
Genre: Dystopian Novella
First Sentence: It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper on others are to see.
Blurb: In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.
Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him--a passion which he has been taught to call sinful. In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd--to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice.
Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great "we" reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word--"I." (Amazon)
My Opinion: A short and powerful dystopian novella that explores the idea of individualism (“I”) versus collectivism (“we”) and ends with ego. The story follows a man (Equality 7-2521) who lives in a society where everyone is equal and has no identity or choice, even when it comes to occupations. He rebels against this system after discovering what was left behind, and in doing so, discovers his own self and the word “I”.
For me, the novella was engaging and terrifying. Others claim it has flaws and biases, and some of the events are unrealistic, but isn’t that prevalent in all dystopic novels?
Blurb: In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.
Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him--a passion which he has been taught to call sinful. In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd--to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice.
Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great "we" reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word--"I." (Amazon)
My Opinion: A short and powerful dystopian novella that explores the idea of individualism (“I”) versus collectivism (“we”) and ends with ego. The story follows a man (Equality 7-2521) who lives in a society where everyone is equal and has no identity or choice, even when it comes to occupations. He rebels against this system after discovering what was left behind, and in doing so, discovers his own self and the word “I”.
For me, the novella was engaging and terrifying. Others claim it has flaws and biases, and some of the events are unrealistic, but isn’t that prevalent in all dystopic novels?
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