Anthem - Ayn Rand Book Review

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Review Summary

This book depicts a collectivist society, where every part of every person's life is regulated. This society shuns individuality, and the mottos include: "We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever." and "We are nothing. Mankind is all...We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State." Everyone in this society refers to his or herself as "we" because the word used to refer to an individual person, Unspeakable Word, has been lost to this world. This word is one that the main character struggles to discover through the book.
The main character's name is Equality 7-2521, a "name" that he later replaces with "Prometheus", a name of his own choosing. Prometheus is different from the other men in his society. He is uncommonly intelligent, tall, and curious; his teachers tell him that it is bad to be different from the others, and so he must be evil. When he turns 15, Prometheus is assigned his life Mandate: Street Sweeper. However, one day he discovers a tunnel that is from the Unmentionable Times (the "technologically-advanced" past), and he spends hours there each day. One day he rediscovers electric light. He knows his invention is important and powerful, and wishes to bring it to the Council of Scholars. It is rejected because it was invented by a single person, especially one not assigned to be a Scholar, and must be destroyed along with its creator. He flees to the Uncharted Forest, and is later joined by his loved one, whom he calls "the Golden One." When he is there, he feels free from the restrictions of his society at last, and by now has realized how his society is made of fools. With the help of his lover, he discovers many important things that his society has banished from the thoughts of men.
Jenn, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of Anthem

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - controls your mind - strict rationing of freedoms/goods
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Who's a slave/repressed? - humans are slaves of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - accused criminal
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Main Adversary
Identity: - society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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