Meaning Of The Word Ego In Ayn Rand's Anthem
What is the meaning of the word “ego”? The literal meaning of ego is “the concern about one’s own interests”. It implies that one is more important than the collective, and that one is the proper beneficiary of one’s actions. Ayn Rand’s Anthem, tells the story of one man’s rebellion against a collective, totalitarian society. The story is set in the future dark age where the evils of collectivism and irrationality have destroyed the concept of achievement and individuality.
The story begins in the distant future where a young man, Equality 7-2521, is writing diary, in a tunnel. He describes his society, where the World Council governs every aspect of life from birth to death. Equality 7-2521 is assigned the job of a street sweeper. His
days are filled with routine and drudgery. However, he is a man capable of intellectual achievement and his individuality still lives. He discovers a tunnel from the Unmentionable times, where he rediscovers electricity. He presents his invention to the Council of Scholars. However, they are frightened of it and threaten to destroy it. Equality 7-2521 runs away to the Unchartered Forest, where he is joined by a young girl whom he had earlier fallen in love with. They discover a house from the Unmentionable Times where they discover the ideas that made possible the freedom and prosperity of the past.
At first, the protagonist of the novel, Equality 7-2521, regrets his differences and tries to be like all his brothers. He tries halfheartedly to eliminate all his personal preferences. When he discovers the tunnel, he likes to alone and experiment. His preference for International 4-8818 and Golden One makes it harder for him to deny his individuality. The discovery of the light bulb pushes him into complete rebellion against his society. At the end, Equality 7-2521 identifies himself as Prometheus, and understands the meaning of man’s ego.
Equality realizes the significance of his own existence only when he understands that the individual self is the most important thing in the universe. Throughout the novel, he struggles to spend time alone in the tunnel. In the forest, he thrives and understands the meaning of man’s ego. He develops vanity and pride unknown to his society and declares that his happiness is his only goal. He learns the word “I”. By breaking from the confines of the society he discovers his self and soul.
The Golden One, Equality 7-2521’s love, is full of pride and haughtiness. She rejects everyone except Equality 7-2521. She, too, suspects that there is more to the world than collective equality. She feels proud while looking at her body. She rejects the collective society and is extremely curious about the word “I”.
The collective society, on the other hand, drains all brothers of their capabilities and creativities. They are not capable of thinking and experimenting. They are turned into faceless and thoughtless blobs, fearful of the rejection by group. The world council depicts a collective government where no innovation or advancement can take place. Even a simple innovation such as a candle takes hundred years to gain approval. Moreover, a general consensus is impossible to achieve because the society views discord as a sin.
The novel Anthem depicts the meaning and glory of man’s ego. The story is about a man’s rebellion against a collective society. The primacy of the individual is more important the collective. A collective society subjugates the individual to a group in which the individual has no right to lead his own life, pursue his happiness or own property. For Ayn Rand the self like god. The ego is the source of the highest good on the earth.
The story begins in the distant future where a young man, Equality 7-2521, is writing diary, in a tunnel. He describes his society, where the World Council governs every aspect of life from birth to death. Equality 7-2521 is assigned the job of a street sweeper. His
days are filled with routine and drudgery. However, he is a man capable of intellectual achievement and his individuality still lives. He discovers a tunnel from the Unmentionable times, where he rediscovers electricity. He presents his invention to the Council of Scholars. However, they are frightened of it and threaten to destroy it. Equality 7-2521 runs away to the Unchartered Forest, where he is joined by a young girl whom he had earlier fallen in love with. They discover a house from the Unmentionable Times where they discover the ideas that made possible the freedom and prosperity of the past.
At first, the protagonist of the novel, Equality 7-2521, regrets his differences and tries to be like all his brothers. He tries halfheartedly to eliminate all his personal preferences. When he discovers the tunnel, he likes to alone and experiment. His preference for International 4-8818 and Golden One makes it harder for him to deny his individuality. The discovery of the light bulb pushes him into complete rebellion against his society. At the end, Equality 7-2521 identifies himself as Prometheus, and understands the meaning of man’s ego.
Equality realizes the significance of his own existence only when he understands that the individual self is the most important thing in the universe. Throughout the novel, he struggles to spend time alone in the tunnel. In the forest, he thrives and understands the meaning of man’s ego. He develops vanity and pride unknown to his society and declares that his happiness is his only goal. He learns the word “I”. By breaking from the confines of the society he discovers his self and soul.
The Golden One, Equality 7-2521’s love, is full of pride and haughtiness. She rejects everyone except Equality 7-2521. She, too, suspects that there is more to the world than collective equality. She feels proud while looking at her body. She rejects the collective society and is extremely curious about the word “I”.
The collective society, on the other hand, drains all brothers of their capabilities and creativities. They are not capable of thinking and experimenting. They are turned into faceless and thoughtless blobs, fearful of the rejection by group. The world council depicts a collective government where no innovation or advancement can take place. Even a simple innovation such as a candle takes hundred years to gain approval. Moreover, a general consensus is impossible to achieve because the society views discord as a sin.
The novel Anthem depicts the meaning and glory of man’s ego. The story is about a man’s rebellion against a collective society. The primacy of the individual is more important the collective. A collective society subjugates the individual to a group in which the individual has no right to lead his own life, pursue his happiness or own property. For Ayn Rand the self like god. The ego is the source of the highest good on the earth.