Anthem Study Guide
Chapter I (1)
1. Describe the society in which Anthem is set, including the political structure, the degree of technology,
social relationships, quality of life, and education.
2. Would you want to live in this society? Why or why not?
3. Equality 7-2521 says that it is very unusual for men to reach the age of 45. Give at least 3 explanations
why life expectancy is so short in this world.
4. The author wants Equality to stand out from his “brothers.” Explain how she does this by contrasting
Equality’s physical abilities and character traits to those of his fellow men.
5. Why does the Council of Vocations assign Equality the job of street sweeper? Is it due to an honest
mistake, stupidity, or something else? Explain.
6. When does this novel take place: the past, the present, or the future? How do you know?
7. How would your teachers react if you had Equality’s “curse”?
8. Why do Equality’s teachers disapprove of his cleverness?
9. At this point in the novel, does Equality agree or disagree with what his society teaches about right and
wrong? How should he feel when he knows he’s committing a crime? Why doesn’t he feel this way?
10. Would you want to be friends with someone like Equality? Why or why not?
Chapter II (2)
1. On page 38, the author gives some information about Liberty 5-3000. What kind of person is she?
Consider appearance, abilities and personality.
2. Find several examples of the ways in which this society tries to make individuals choose to give up their
independence by crushing independent choices, desires and values.
3. Contrast Equality with the rest of the men living in this society (page 46).
4. Of all the emotions possible for people, why is fear the one most often experienced?
5. What word is Equality struggling to find on page 49?
6. Why would mentioning this word be the only crime punishable by death in this society?
7. How does this word go against the ideals of this society?
8. What might this word lead people to do?
Chapter III (3)
1. What does Equality discover in this chapter?
2. Describe four or five ways that this could help society and make life easier or more enjoyable.
3. List some of the Council of Scholars’ beliefs, and Equality’s reasons for disagreeing with those beliefs.
Chapter IV (4)
1. Explain the reasons for Equality’s new name, “Unconquered.”
2. Rewrite the first meeting between Liberty and Equality from her perspective.
Chapter V (5)
1. Equality understands that his invention will help people; however, this was not his main reason for
conducting his experiments, and it is not the primary source of his great joy in the invention. Why not?
2. Why is Equality so interested in seeing his own image at this point in the novel?
3. What emotions is Equality feeling?
Chapter VI (6)
1. The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention show that prisoners never tried to
escape. Why didn’t they?
2. Throughout history, many inventors and thinkers, such as Copernicus, Galileo, Watt, and Fulton have
been made fun of and even criminalized. Research the struggles faced by one of them. Write a dialogue
between this person and Equality where Equality tries to encourage the real inventor.
Chapter VII (7)
1. List and explain four reasons the Council gives for rejecting Equality’s invention.
2. What are the real reasons behind the Council’s rejection of the gift?
3. When Equality says, “We are old now, but we were young this morning,” what does he mean? (page 68)
4. Why did Equality try to convince the Council of Scholars that the invention should have their support?
5. If a government organization thinks that an invention will not benefit their society, should it be
banned? Why or why not?
Chapter VIII (8)
1. What is Equality experiencing for the first time in this chapter?
2. What does he feel as a result?
3. Explain why Equality laughs when he realizes that he is condemned.
4. What does the Uncharted Forest stand for?
Chapter IX (9)
1. On pages 93-94, Liberty compares Equality to his fellow men. Put this passage into your own words.
2. Contrast what Equality was taught about solitude, good, evil and joy to what he now believes about
them.
Chapter X (10)
1. Describe the house and its contents as completely as possible.
2. Why do Liberty and Equality find it so strange and unique?
3. Write two letters from Equality to any two characters who are still in the City.
Chapter XI (11)
1. What discovery does Equality make in this chapter?
2. Explain why the characters say the following, and how these ideas apply to your life:
a. “Whatever road I take, the guiding star is within me.”
b. “the word ‘We’ must never be spoken, save by one’s choice and as a second thought.”
3. What does Equality now believe is the proper goal for his life?
4. On page 50, what is the Saint of the Pyre trying to explain to Equality?
Chapter XII (12)
1. Why do the main characters choose the names Prometheus and Gaea?
2. Why couldn’t they choose their names in their old society?
3. What does Prometheus plan to do in the future?
4. Prometheus believes that “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers” (page 118). Give examples
from the story that show whether he is right or wrong.
Summary
1. What might it be like to live in a society where there are no individual and where “we” has replaced “I”?
2. Which nations are most like the society in Anthem? How are they like it? Which are least like it, and
why?
3. What American laws would the author agree with? What laws would she disagree with?
4. Do any characters in Anthem other than Prometheus and Gaea have free will? Explain why or why not.
5. Write an epilogue for Anthem in which Prometheus is captured while trying to rescue his friends.
Include a scene of Prometheus’ trial before the Council. Will his friends choose to come with him, or
would they rather stay in the City? How will he defend himself? What would the Council decide?
Summary (continued)
1. Is it better to work toward what benefits yourself, or with what benefits everyone? Why?
2. Is it possible to do both? Why or why not?
3. Write the “missing scene” from chapter 1 in which the Council of Vocations is discussing Equality’s
future profession. Are any Council members sympathetic to Equality? If so, would they speak out against
the majority opinion? Be sure that the Council reveals the reason for its decision.
4. In some totalitarian societies, children must live apart from their families. Why would the leaders
insist on this living arrangement?
5. Aside from very rare exceptions, there is no oppositions to the leaders of this society. Why do so many
people accept a life of obedience and fear?