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How Ayn Rand's Anthem Relates to the Eras of American Literature

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How Ayn Rand's Anthem Relates to the Eras of American Literature How Ayn Rand’s Anthem relates to the eras of American Literature In Anthem, Ayn Rand attempts to present her vision of the ideal man, the Objectivist Hero. Equality 7-2521 must make a mental or philosophical journey from the conformity of the State to the ideals of Objectivism in order to become a Rand hero. The following chart illustrates Equality’s progression: Puritanism Emphasizes conformity and subjugation to a larger entity (God or a theocratic government). The philosophy of the city is called collectivism, vs. the Romantic philosophy which emphasizes individualism. p. 17 crime is “sin” Emphasizes the immoral nature of crimes, which in the Anthem world is non-conformity p. 21 “This is a great sin to be born with a head Don’t think; just obey. Don’t be different. which is too quick.” p. 21 “We exist by through and for our brothers Puritanism held God to be the power greater than the self who are the State.” which was to be revered above the self. To the Puritans, man’s purpose for existence was to glorify/serve God. To the city in Anthem, a man’s purpose for existence is to serve the State. p. 76 “…we have heard of the corruption to be Although he as fled the city, Equality still buys into its found in solitude. We have torn ourselves from philosophy. He calls his brother men “the truth.” The the truth which is our brother men, and there is collective is the city’s god. His use of religious terms such no road back, and no redemption.” as sin and redemption emphasize how important adherence to the city’s ideals is. p. 77 “We are one of the Damned.” Equality accepts his condemned status as just. Enlightenment Emphasizes reason and its use to make life better, and knowledge for its own sake; emphasizes that any of natures mysteries can be revealed through logic and scientific observation p. 18 “We were born with a curse. It has always Equality’s curse is the presence of desire, especially a driven us to thoughts which are forbidden. It desire to know. A totalitarian state, such as the theocracy has always given us wishes which men may not established by the Puritans, is threatened by those who wish.” question the status quo. p. 23-4 “We think that there are mysteries in the Equality has the Enlightenment desire to understand his sky and under the water and in the plants which universe through scientific inquiry. grow…and if we went to the Home of the Scholars, we could learn from these…” p.76 “We have not built this box for the good Emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge for its own sake. of our brothers. We built it for its own sake. It While the Enlightenment WAS concerned about improving is above all our brothers to us, and its truth above their truth.” SOCIETY through the use of logic, Equality is concerned only about the use of his logic for its own sake. Later he will develop conscious desires/plans that he will fulfill through the use of his logic. Accepts the movement to Enlightenment, but still hasn’t rejected Puritanism. p. 76 “…the glass box in our arms is like a It is REASON that keeps Equality going, that gives him living heart that gives us strength.” hope. Ayn Rand’s Objectivism blends aspects of the Enlightenment and Romanticism. Objectivism accepts the use of logic, but not for the betterment of society, and it accepts the Romantic reverence for the individual, but not the mystical/spiritual aspect of nature, preferring to plumb the mysteries of the universe through logic. Objectivism revels in the frontier spirit, the pull-yourself-up-by-your-own- bootstraps attitude that defined America for so long. Modernism Emphasizes the futility of action in a random, purposeless universe. Fear and despair are the hallmarks of this era/philosophy Rand presents Modern ideas out of sequence because, as a Romantic Realist, she cannot allow her hero to be exposed to the individualism of Romanticism, her truth, and then fall into despair. p. 68 “We shall sleep on this moss for many nights, Equality feels despair because he has attempted to till the beasts of the forest come to tear our body. conform, and he has engaged in guilt-inducing non- We have no bed now, save the moss, and no future, conformist actions, and STILL he cannot reconcile save the beasts.” himself to his brothers. No matter what he does, he can’t seem to make an impact on his world. p. 76 “We are doomed. We know…but we do not Equality’s moment of despair. If not for the light, the care. We care for nothing on earth. We are tired. symbol of reason, he would literally lie there and die. …the glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us strength.” Attempts to accept Modernism, but still holds tenously to p.76 truthssss Romanticism Emphasizes the importance of the individual, self- reliance, the mystical/spiritual aspect of Creation, and the nurturing aspect of nature p. 75 “our legs had carried our wisdom, and our This is where Equality enters the Romantic philosophy. He legs had brought us to the Uncharted Forest” uses instinct and flees society for the solace of nature. He doesn’t KNOW this, but his body/instinct leads him. p.78 -79 At the beginning of Chapter 8, Equality experiences the “sublime,” a moment of bliss and perfection achieved, according to the Romantics, by communion with nature. The only emotion he’d felt in the city was fear. p. 80 “And we thought that we could trust this This line is quite Emersonian in that Equality is beginning being who looked upon us from the stream, and to trust himself. (Self-Reliance) Notice that he still hasn’t that we had nothing to fear with this being.” internalized this trust; he trust’s “this being who looked upon us from the stream.” Seeing his own reflection is so unreal that he can’t immediately associate what he sees with what’s in his head. p. 82 “We wish to be damned with you, rather Liberty accepts self-reliance. than blessed with all our brothers.” p. 83 “Fear nothing of the forest. There is no Equality accepts self-reliance and REJECTS Puritanism/the danger in solitude. Let us forget their good and collective (Let us forget their good and our evil). He no longer our evil, let us forget all things save that we are fears solitude (Romantic). together and that there is joy as a bond between us.” p. 85 “If this is the great evil of being alone, Emersonian idea: “A great man must not be hindered by the then what is good and what is evil?” name of good but must question if it be good.” p. 86 “We are learning to doubt.” Equality is learning to question the philosophy of the city and to develop his own ideas. Objectivism Stresses individuality, self-reliance, logic. p. 94 “I am. I think. I will.” Mirrors Rene Decartes (a French philosopher) idea “I think; therefore, I am.” This idea suggests that thought/logic is the essence of being. p. 95 “My happiness is not the means to an end. Equality is not alive to serve God, the State, or anything It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own else but his own happiness. purpose.” p. 97 “I am done with this creed of Equality is now the fully formed Objectivist hero: self- corruption…I am done with the monster of reliant, rejecting the city’s oppressive creed, and refusing to “We,”…And now I see the face of god, and I subject himself or others to anyone’s wishes. raise this god over the earth. This god, this one word: “I.” .
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