Anthem by Ayn Rand
Read the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand (it’s a total of 105 pages). Complete the following
questions in your Reading Response Notebook. While reading, please switch the
first person plural pronouns (we, us, their, they) for their first person
singular counterparts (I, me, my, mine.) Please answer each in two or more complete, accurate sentences. Include supporting evidence (quotes and page numbers) to get maximum credit. The following will count as 6 HW
grades and averaged together as a Test grade!
CHAPTER 1
Define: altruism, anti-utopia, collectivism, dystopia,
1. (a.)
In a well-organized paragraph, describe the society in which Anthem is set. Some areas to consider
are the political structure, degree of technology, social relationships,
quality of life, and education.
(b.) Would you want to live in this
society? Explain why or why not.
2. Clearly,
Ayn Rand intended Equality to stand out from his “brothers.” Explain how she
accomplishes this by contrasting Equality’s physical qualities and character
traits with those of his fellow men.
3. Why
does the Council of Vocations assign Equality the job of street sweeper? Is it
due to error, incompetence of a more sinister motivation? Explain.
4. When
does this novel take place- in the past, the present, or the future? How do you
know?
5. Would
you want to be friends with someone like Equality? How do you know?
CHAPTER
2
1. Reread
the account of Liberty 5-3000 on page 38. What character traits are revealed in
this brief description?
2. Of
the whole range of feelings possible to man (joy, excitement, anger,
embarrassment, etc.), why is fear the prevalent emotion in this society?
3. (a.)
What word is Equality struggling to recapture on page 49?
(b.) In your opinion, why mentioning
this word the only crime punishable by death in this society? How does this
word contradict the ideals of this society? What could its rediscovery possibly
lead to?
CHAPTER
3
- What does
Equality discover in this chapter?
- How important
is this discovery? Describe four or five ways in which it would help
society, and make life easier or more enjoyable.
- Outline some of
the Council of Scholars’ beliefs, and Equality’s refutation of those beliefs.
CHAPTER 4
- What is ironic about the names in the story? Do they actually have what they are named after, for example Liberty and Equality?
- Discuss the
appropriateness of Equality’s new name, “Unconquered.” Does it fit him or
not? Please explain in one paragraph.
CHAPTER 5
- Equality understands that his invention will benefit mankind greatly; however, this was not his main motivation in conduction his experiments, and it is not the primary source of the great joy he experiences. Elaborate on why he feels such thrill over this invention. Can you relate to him? Have you ever created or done anything that you would do for free and where people’s acknowledgment or approval didn’t matter?
- In your opinion, why is Equality so interested in seeing his own image at this point in the novel? What emotion is he feeling?
CHAPTER 6
1. Why
is Equality in the Palace of Corrective Detention? What do they do to him there?
2. The
old locks and the lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention indicate
that prisoners never tried to escape. Why not?
CHAPTER 7
- Outline four of
the Council’s reasons for rejecting Equality’s invention.
- What are the
real reasons (2) behind the Council’s rejection and fear of Equality’s
gift?
- What does
Equality mean, when he says, at the beginning of the chapter "We are old
now but we were young this morning”(p. 68)? Remember we = I
Chapter 8
- What is
Equality experiencing for the first time in this chapter? What does he
feel, as a result?
- Explain why
Equality laughs when he remember that he is “the Damned”.
- What does the
Uncharted Forest symbolize? (Think of archetypes!)
CHAPTER 9
- In what ways
does Liberty contrast Equality with other men. Identify at least 3 ways.
- Equality begins
to look at what he was taught in the old society about solitude, good,
evil and joy. What are four (4) different ways he sees these things and
the world now?
CHAPTER 10
- Describe the
house and its contents in your own words.
- Explain why
they find it so strange and unique.
CHAPTER 11
- What great discovery does Equality
make in this chapter?
- What does Equality now realize is
the proper goal and purpose of his life?
- Re-read the scene with the Saint
of the Pyre (p.50). What was he trying to communicate to Equality?
- “Whatever road I take, the guiding
star is within me.” What does this quote have to do with Equality? How does
it relate to you?
CHAPTER 12
- Why do the main characters take
the names Prometheus and Gaea? Where have you read this before?
- Why weren’t they allowed to choose
their names in their old society?
- What does Prometheus plan to do in the future? Would you support him or not? Support your response.
CREATIVE WRITING ACTIVITIES. CHOOSE ONE TO COMPLETE. WRITE A DRAFT IN YOUR READING RESPONSE NOTEBOOK, THEN TYPE THE FINAL.
A. You are applying for a job to direct the movie for Anthem. Compose a two-page letter of 5
or more paragraphs, convincing the producers why you are right for the job. In
your letter, discuss:
·
your deep reading of the novel (think archetypes found in Genesis,
Gilgamesh, To Build A Fire)
·
which actors you would cast as Prometheus and Gaia and why. Think
physical and acting ability
·
where in the world you might want to shoot the movie and why is that
area ideal
·
an explanation of what the theme of the novel is and why it would be
relevant to audiences today
·
description of the music, the clothing and how you would shoot two major
scenes.
B. One of the challenges of being a teenager and an adolescent is the
peer pressure to participate in negative activities such as smoking, drinking,
bullying, fighting and others. Write a five paragraph letter to the school’s
newspaper explaining how the example of strong individuality and standing for
one’s beliefs found in Anthem can be motivation for those who don’t want to
follow a crowd in doing negative things. Make it clear how Equality/Prometheus
is a positive role model for those who want to be an individual.
C. Ayn Rand was an extremist philosopher who believed that the
individual is the most important element of a society and that the role of
government was to support the society. She even said “Individual
rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away
the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to
protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on
earth is the individual).”
Argue
against or with her idea that the individual is of utmost importance in a
society. Consider societies where the we work for the good of the whole or
where the we take advantage of smaller groups. Which side do you support: Ayn
Rand’s extreme individuality, the opposite of collectivism or some balance
between both? Use examples from the story to support both. Write it in a five
paragraph or more letter format to the author.