Assignment #4

Ayn Rand
Andrea Castaneda
03/17/10


In the novel 'Anthem' by Ayn Rand from the dark ages of the future, it explains the way Equality 7-2521 describes his life in such detail of all the sins that he has caused and how he goes through life following the steps of his brothers. Equality is a man that has a better understanding of this world than the other males which he calls his brothers. He is different from the others because of his great knowledge and capacity to learn new things quickly. In the story he explains how it is important to be mediocre like the other brothers who are slower at learning and considered to have only half of their brain, if you are not like them, you are committing a sin. Equality 7-2521 went trough The Council of Vocations once he turned 15, they determine what your work will be for the rest of your days.
The anxiety of Equality 7-2521 was superior from the others. When the Council of Vocations named him Street Sweeper, Equality 7-2521 was excited to know that even though he was guilty of committing so many sins he knew that by being a Street Sweeper he could atone for it. He accepted his Life Mandate and the fact that he was going to be a Street Sweeper for the rest of his life and was proud of himself, for the reason that he was going to be able to correct his mistakes and follow the steps of his brothers. He thought that this was right that there was no other way to correct all the mistakes he has done and was afraid to commit more.
The Council of Vocations meant for Equality to be a Street Sweeper because of his wisdom. They knew that if they named him a carpenter, doctor, cook or a leader he was going to have the opportunity to continue studying and get ahead in their studies than the Council of Scholars. He would have learned so many new things that the Council of Scholars didn’t know even existed, for that reason Equality had to become a Street Sweeper. He wouldn’t have to continue study to become any other of the Life Mandates and he will follow the rules of his brothers. This action of the Council of Vocations was more of a sinister motivation because they wanted to break his pride and put him where he belongs.
Equality 7-2521 who names himself as Prometheus after he found the new life that his brothers hid from him, describes freedom of a man. He stated, “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers.” Prometheus describes that a man has to be independent and live for himself and not live for his brothers so a man can live in freedom. Prometheus also said, “It is my mind which thinks, and the judgment of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth.” He is explaining that he doesn’t need anyone else to know the truth and answers of this world; all he needs is his mind. This means that his trust for anybody has faded. In the story, Prometheus also states, “And we thought that we could trust this being who looked upon us from the stream, and that we had nothing to fear with this being.” While he was walking through the forest he saw for the first time his face. He doubted his beliefs toward himself and did not understand why he had trusted himself. He compares both face and body to the Council of Scholars and how he is different from them. Prometheus notices that his face and body is beautiful.
Prometheus didn’t know many things when being part of the Council, he only new one side of the world. For example he didn’t know the word ‘I’, so instead of saying I he used the plural form like we, they, us, them when he wanted to say me or him/her. His brothers didn’t want him to achieve a better capacity of knowledge that they don’t even understand. They always wanted him to be below them and to follow their rules that’s why they named him to be a Street Sweeper, for a Street Sweeper you need no education what so ever to do that job.
As a very wise man, Prometheus discovers why The Council of Vocation assigned him to be a Street Sweeper for the rest of his life. Now he realizes that his brothers didn’t want to help him but to break his spirit down. However he discovers this too late, and now he wants to help his friends and teach them the new world that Prometheus has found. However he decides to help only those who still have faith and perseverance in their lives he explains. Prometheus continues his journey with his wife the Golden One and his new born child, he has decided that he wants to teach his child the most as possible, and does not want his child to be mediocre and suffer like he did in the past of the dark ages. At the end of the novel Prometheus explains how Ego is the sacred word of this world and the only word that should never die in this world. It’s the word that means glory to a human being.