Name: _________________________________
ANTHEM by AYN RAND
Study Guide
CHAPTER ONE
1. Who is the narrator? What is the point of view?
Equality 7-2521; 1st person POV
2. What is the motto engraved over the portals on the Palace of the World Council?
We are one in all and all in one. There are only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever.
a. What is the prayer they recite every night?
We are nothing mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives…(pg.
21)
b. What do these tell you about this futuristic world?
It shows the collective / group is the most important thing
3. What is the Home of Infants? What transgression does he commit here?
Where all men stay from birth until age 5; he fights with his brothers
4. What is the Home of Students? What transgression does he commit here?
Children ages 6 to 15 live here to study; his brain is too quick- learning is very easy for him;
it is evil to be superior to your brothers.
5. What is the Council of Vocations?
The Council who decides what your job will be for the rest of your
life.
a. What is the Transgression of Preference?
Sin of preferring one over another- liking one thing over
another
6. What do all these Homes have in common?
They are very strict and adhere to a schedule- each home has 100 men per house, they contain
only those who are required to live there, they are white, bare, and save of all things but 100 beds
a. What purpose does this serve?
maintains order- everyone has the same and there is nothing different
7. What is the Science of Things?
Subject in school that teaches the ways of the world- but they understand things that
are very backwards- flat world sun revolves around the earth
a. What do you understand the Great Rebirth to be?
When society changed to the way it is now- Revolution to change it
collectivist
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8. What is the Home of the Useless? An Old One? An Ancient One?
People of the age 40 go here and do nothing. An old one is 40. Ancient One 45.
9. Since this is a novel about the future, what do you think has become of the world
as we know it?
It has devolved- society has reverted backward before modern technology or any
technology
10. What is the Life Mandate?
Job that you will work until you are 40.
a. What happens to Equality 7-2521 when he appears before the Council of
Vocations to receive his Life Mandate?
He was assigned a Street Sweeper- He wanted to be a Scholar but he wasn’t
assigned that because he was too smart- but he was happy because it was a way to
atone for wanting to be a Scholar
11. How do you explain the way in which he received his assignment?
he was assigned Street Sweeper in order to keep all the smarter people
contained
12. What is his life like for the next four years?
The same thing everyday- Wakes up, eats go to work, comes home eats, goes back to work,
comes home eats again then go to hear the news, goes to Social Recreation when they view plays
about work
13. What does his future hold for him?
Same thing everyday until he was 40.
14. Who are Union 5-3992 and International 4-8818?
These are the two men Equality works with everyday sweeping the streets
15. What is the Uncharted Forest?
unexplored area that no one is allowed to go to
a. What are the Unmentionable Times?
It is the past but in actuality is the time we currently live in
16. What does Equality find?
subway tunnel
17. Why does International say, “May the Council have mercy upon both of our
hearts!” (34)?
He is afraid the council will find out their secret but he will not betray Equality
18. For the next two years, what does he do about about/with his discovery?
He sneaks out, studies , steals stuff from the other houses and sits in the tunnel for 3
hours learning
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19. Just by going there, what great transgression does he commit?
being alone
20. How does International help him?
He does not tell anyone about the tunnel and allows Equality to sneak back into the line
on the way back home
21. What other transgressions does Equality commit?
not going to Social Recreation, writing, being alone, stealing stuff, doing
work he was not assigned to do
CHAPTER TWO
1. Who lives in the Home of Peasants?
Women who work the fields
2. Who is Liberty 5-3000?
blonde hair girl that Equality notices
a. Why is Equality attracted to her?
physical appearance and she looks confident and fearless
3. What forms of expression do their feelings for each other take?
look at each other, smile, simple hand gestures
a. Why are they so hesitant and cautious?
against the rules for men to notice women and vice versa
4. What is the Council of Eugenics?
people who decide who will mate with whom
a. What is the City Palace of Mating?
where every spring men over 20 women over 18 go to mate
5. Read pages 41-43 and explain Equality’s interest in Liberty.
he sees her strength, her fearlessness, her physical attributes, there is an emotional attraction to
her
6. What names do they exchange?
Golden One
a. Why is this significant?
they are not allowed to give names, it shows trust and it shows he likes her, gold implies
value and individuality- his way of singling her out
7. As he sits in his tunnel, what does Equality recognize as the WORD that describes
the feeling that is always among his brothers?
Fear
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8. Even though he is committing serious transgressions, for which he can be severely
punished, why does he feel no fear in the tunnel?
the air is pure and he is doing what he wants he is learning and enjoying his time there
9. What is the feeling of the Council toward happiness?
as long as you work for your brothers you are happy toiling for your brothers
makes you happy
a. Why might his behavior still arouse suspicion?
his body is happy, he sings for no reason and he does not hide his emotions
10. What would seem to suggest there are others who are also deeply troubled by the
world in which they are forced to live?
Equality talks about his brothers who cry out in the middle of the night screaming, “Help me! Help
me!” and there is another who will collapse for no reason and cry and scream and no on knows
why
11. What further details do you find concerning the Uncharted Forest?
no one is allowed there and anyone who has gone there has died because they have not
returned, only one in hundred year has gone to the forrest- yet for some reason Equality is
drawn to it
a. The Dawn of the Great Rebirth?
this is when Equality’s society comes in to existence
b. The Great Script Fires?
when all the material/ideas of the Evil Ones was burned
12. What is the only crime punishable by death in this world?
speaking the Unspeakable Word
13. What is the effect on Equality when, as a child, he views the execution of The
Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word (the Saint of the Pyre)?
they made eye contact and he sees the man as a saint and feels as if the Saint of the Pyre was trying to
communicate something to him, he just did not know what it was-
CHAPTER THREE
1. What is the discovery of nature that Equality makes?
He discovers the many powers of electricity- through the frog , thunderstorms, metal
and copper
2. With this discovery, to what does he dedicate himself?
learn more- discover how to use this power and others that
may have been lost
CHAPTER FOUR
1. In what way does the meeting between Equality and Liberty seal the bond between
them?
They give each other names: Golden One and The Unconquered ; then there is a
moment when Equality kisses her hand (physical contact) -not allowed in this society but
this is natural and that instinct will fight through
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CHAPTER FIVE
1. What does he wish for now that he had not thought about before? Why?
He wishes what he could see what he looks like- because he is proud of himself
2. What is the thing he has created in the tunnel?
Light bulb
3. What does he think of as the good that can come from this discovery?
can light the city and other cities of the world- cleaner, brighter, and help his brothers
4. How is he going to make his gift known?
World Council of Scholars will be in his city next month and he will present it to
them
5. Why does he think he will not be punished for his transgressions?
his gift is greater than his transgression
6. Why does he not care what happens to him? How is this linked to one theme of the
novel?
He feels like he is important, he is valuable- independent thought is good!
CHAPTER SIX
1. What happens this night that results in his being caught?
he made a light box (light bulb) and forgot to watch the sand in the hourglass so
he returned late
2. Why is he taken to the Palace of Corrective Detention?
he would not tell where he was
3. What is he subjected to there?
he was whipped, punched, and asked where he was
a. What do you think his captors are trying to accomplish?
torture him into telling where he was
4. Why is it easy for him to escape from his confinement?
the doors were old, the locks were easy to break through
5. What is the ONE thing that he hopes for after his discovery is made known to the
World Council of Scholars?
that he will be forgiven and accepted back to his society
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CHAPTER SEVEN
1. Why would the World Council of Scholars have been shocked by Equality’s
appearance under any circumstances?
He is a Street Sweeper and does not belong there.
2. What is their reaction when he shows them his discovery?
they are scared at first then become angry
3. What are some of the reasons they reject his invention completely?
did by himself, puts ruin to the Dept. of Candles, he’s a Street Sweeper, if it not believed by
all men then it must not be true
4. Why does he take his discovery and escape from everyone to the Uncharted
Forest?
the light box was going to be destroyed
5. What is he sure will happen to him as a result of Solitude and the Beasts of the
Forest?
he will die
6. What is the only thing that lifts his spirit?
his light box
7. What is his feeling about the Golden One?
he is sad that he will never see her but hopes she will forget him
because he is now one of the damned
CHAPTER EIGHT
1. What is Equality’s feeling when he awakens the next day in the Uncharted Forest?
How is this related to the title?
he is happy and all the things he does for himself fill him full of pride; Anthem is a song of
pride which is what Equality feels more and more as he is away from the society
2. What is his reaction to seeing himself for the first time?
He thinks he is beautiful and knows he can trust himself
3. Why is he hindered in thinking out his feelings and coming to any real
understanding about himself?
he is missing the sense of himself- his identity - perspective about life compared to
what he was taught
CHAPTER NINE
1. What is the reason the Golden One follows him through the Uncharted Forest?
She loves him and would rather be damned with him then blessed with her
brothers
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2. How do they adapt to life in the forest and manage to survive in the wilderness
that would have killed them?
at night they sleep in a circle of fire; he made weapons to hunt with and one
day they will build a house
3. How does the happiness they find contradict everything they have been taught?
they are alone and should be sad but they are not- they were taught that working for their
brothers would make happy which is not true because the light box and Golden One makes
Equality happy which is his own
4. How do you explain her reaction after saying, “…We love you”?
only she loves him and she doesn’t know I
CHAPTER TEN
1. Equality says that one of his plans is to build a house in which they are to live.
Instead, what do they find to take the place of this?
they find a house from the Unmentionable Times
2. How would you describe the kind of house they find? How does this give some
hint as to the setting of the novel?
modern house with lots of windows and a flat roof in the middle of the mountains hidden away - I always
think of a house out west- reinforces that our future is his present
3. What are some of the things in the house that puzzle them at first?
the books, the bedroom, the clothes, and all the colors; they wondered how such a small house would
ever be built for only 12 men and then they figure out it was for just 2 people
4. What is the thought that plagues Equality as he looks out on his new world?
why does he feel the way he does; he has a lot of questions- he feels as if there is
something he should do but he doesn’t know what it is he should do
CHAPTER ELEVEN
1. An anthem is a song or hymn of praise or gladness; What is the ONE word of
Equality’s anthem?
I
a. How is this tied in with the Unspeakable Word?
it is the Unspeakable Word- unspeakable idea = individuality
2. Summarize Equality’s new philosophy about himself in relationship to the rest of
mankind.
His idea of himself is now most important- We should only be used by choice and never put in
front of I; He feels that his individuality is most important but everyone else should also value their
own and not put others in front of their own.
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CHAPTER TWELVE
1. Why does he now understand why he never felt any guilt for his actions and
thoughts before?
he has only done things for himself- he realizes they were wrong
2. What is the significance of the Golden One saying, “I love you”?
she declares “I” which is just her as an individual of her own will- she has the words
3. What is the significance of the names Equality chooses for them?
Prometheus- the barrier of light and both are associated with knowledge; Gaea is the mother of
the Earth- she became the Earth and the Golden One will be the mother of the group of men who
believe in this new philosophy
4. What does he now see as his future?
Children, he will start over, he will try to save some of his friends from the city, he will learn all he can,
teach the philosophy of individuality
5. What specific plans does he have in regard to the house and the others left behind
in the city of the old world?
he is going to build it up get everything up and running- give it electricity and build a barrier
around his house to protect himself, his friends, family and ideas
6. What does he see as the things that enslaved humanity throughout the ages?
gods, kings, kin, birth, and then his race then the great WE
7. What does he still find difficult to understand?
why would men give up the word I
8. How might this have been interpreted as a warning in 1936, 1945, or even today?
Is this warning valid?
WWII and the rise of communism that values the collective
9. What is the significance of the word inscribed above the portal of this house in
which he has chosen to live? Discuss.
EGO is the balance between the I and We. It values the individual self and places it first on a
sense