Anthem: Equality and Daily Life

The title "Anthem" means a hymn of praise, beliefs, loyalty, pride, dedication and identity. The author Ayn Rand chose it because the book reflects her beliefs, which are ideas against totalitarianism and collectivism. The story is also about the triumph and pride of the individual's independent spirit, the triumph of those who reject the ethics of collectivism.

Equality is writing in a diary format. Equality is six feet tall and he's taller than his brothers. This is a burden because others view his abnormal height as "evil in his bones". Equality was born with a curse which has always driven him to thoughts which are forbidden and given him wishes which men may not wish. He's taller than his brothers and he's smarter than them, which makes him evil.

There are four stages in every person's life in the society. First they will be at the Home of Infants where they lived till they were five years old, together with all the children of the City who had been born in the same year. Their next destination is the Home of the Students where there are ten wards, for their ten years of learning till they reach their fifteenth year. When they are fifteen the Council of Vocations came to give their life Mandates which tell what their work is to be for the rest of their days. At the age of forty, they are sent to the Home of the Useless because now they are the Old Ones They do not work because the State takes care of them. When and if a miracle happens and some live to be forty-five and so they become the so-called Ancient Ones.

Equality knows that he has been guilty, but now he has a way to atone for it. He would accept his Life Mandate, and he would work for his brothers, gladly and willingly, and he would erase his sin against them. He is happy and proud of himself and of his victory over himself.

When the bell rings, he arises from his bed. He has half an hour to dress and eat his breakfast in the dining hall. Then he goes to work in the streets of the City with his brooms and rakes for five hours. He returns to Home and eats his midday meal for half an hour. Then he goes to work again for five hours. he come back to have his dinner for one hour and then goes to the Social Meeting. Then the bell rings and he walks to the City Theatre for three hours of Social Recreation. After that, he walks Home and goes to bed.

At the social meeting, they sing hymns, the Hymn of Brotherhood, the Hymn of Equality, and the Hymn of the Collective Spirit. Friends are forbidden because it's a transgression to love any among men better than the others, since they must love all men and all men are their friends. Equality's crime is to hide in the tunnel and think alone. He also writes without the permission from the Council of Vocations and steals candles and paper from the Home of Street Sweepers and chemicals and manuscripts from the Home of the Scholars. Equality feels no shame because he's proud to be himself and be an individual person, rather than a person in a group without an identity.