Ayn Rand. writer of the fresh Anthem. had the philosophical position of both a Romantic and a Realist. She states. “I am Romantic in the sense that I present work forces as they ought to be. I am a Realist in the sense that I place them here and now and on this Earth. ” This quotation mark implies that she portrays adult male in an idealistic sense. but she places her characters in a realistic universe. Emigrating from the her place state of Russia into America. Rand was ab initio exposed to a slightly technologically backwards society that discouraged the promotion of the person. After settling in America. Rand found herself in a well more hearty environment where a capitalist society existed in which technological and single promotion was encouraged. This background led to Ayn Rand’s sentiment of engineering in Anthem ; through the comparing of the desperation of a technologically backward society and the felicity of an person who steps Forth from the conformance of that society. Rand makes the point that engineering is a positive promotion.
In the first half of the novel. the totalitarian society in which the chief character. Equality 7-2521. lives is depicted as really deadening and humdrum. devoid from the amenitiess and luxuries of a technologically advanced society. Rand. a protagonist of capitalist economy. portrays this doctrine by picturing Equality as disgruntled and bored with the repeat of his life. Every dark he sleeps in a kiping hall “white and clean and bare of all things save one hundred beds. ” ( 28 ) Some of the people who live around him. besides nothingness of these luxuries. are stricken with mental unwellnesss. For illustration. Fraternity 2-5503 spontaneously calls for no ground. and Solidarity 9-6347 calls out in his slumber.
Equality discovers a concealed tunnel to which he escapes each dark ; he steals assorted stuffs and manuscripts and performs experiments to increase his cognition. It is Equality’s human nature to desire to larn more ; he attains more satisfaction in his clip spent in the tunnel than at any other clip in his life. Through the usage of nonliteral linguistic communication in the quotation mark. “We wish nil. salvage to be entirely and to larn. and to experience as if with each twenty-four hours our sight were turning sharper than the hawk’s and clearer than stone crystal. ” ( 36 ) . Rand depicts Equality’s felicity in his single technological promotions by comparing his feelings to objects that are exceeding and beautiful. The comparing to a hawk suggests the thought of lucidity. which is a positive component ; the comparing to crystal implies peace and cloud nine. which relates to Equality’s felicity.
Further along in the novel. Rand describes an history in which Equality watches a adult male being burned to decease because he had learned and spoken the “Unspeakable Word. ” Rand depicts the adult male as saintly. composure. and happy. which gives strength to her position that she believes cognition and promotion is a positive aim. In Chapter Three. Equality is delighted when he discovers electricity. Equality provinces. “The Council of Scholars has said that we all know the things which exist and therefore the things which are non known by all do non be. But we think the Council of Scholars is unsighted. ” ( 52 ) Through this transition. Rand institutes her philosophical rule of metaphysics in Equality’s character. The Council of Scholars believes that adult male can make world. whereas Equality has the belief that all things are what they are. and the undertaking of adult males consciousness is to perceive world. non to make or contrive it. Equality believes that the secrets of nature are non for all to see. but merely for those who seek them. When Equality presents his innovation to the Council of Scholars. the Council is enraged and rejects his thought because “what non thought by all work forces can non be true. ” ( 73 ) Therefore. the council’s position towards world and what is true finally leads to the fact that the totalitarian society does non progress technologically ; finally. this leads to the desperation of the society.
After the Council threatens to destruct Equality’s innovation. Equality flees to the Uncharted Forest. Once once more he encounters his love. Liberty 5-3000. and the two travel through the forest until they reach a house built in the Unmentionable Timess. Here they experience great joy as the two witness the many luxuries of the technologically advanced society of the past. As Equality looks upon the leftovers of past centuries. it stirs no fright within his bosom. but merely soundless fear and commiseration. He admires the society of the past and all of the technological promotions they made. Equality shows his program for the hereafter in the quotation mark. “Through the old ages in front. I shall reconstruct the accomplishments of the yesteryear. and open the manner to transport them farther. the accomplishments which are unfastened to me. but closed everlastingly to my brothers. for their heads are shackled to the weakest and dullest 1s among them. ” ( 100 ) This displays Rand’s position that. in a society where everyone must be equal. the persons with superior intelligence can non step away and do technological parts to society.
Therefore. Rand finally makes the point that it is human nature to travel frontward. and. no affair how hard a society tries to smother this thought in the kingdom of engineering. there will ever be a free mind who steps frontward with promotions in the universe of engineering. In a totalitarian universe. people live in desperation because engineering does non progress. Conditionss stay the same and society is null of amenitiess and luxuries. Rand believes that the universe requires a individualistic capitalist society so that free minds can progress and. in bend. raise the criterions of society as a whole. Rand stresses the point that in world people are different ; but. in the totalitarian society of Anthem. world is perceived in a deformed manner wherein the people assume they can be in a society where everyone is equal. In decision. Ayn Rand has a positive position on engineering and sees it as the merchandise of a society in which persons can thrive.
