About the Author
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Ayn Rand
1905-1982
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia
 Disliked the mysticism (acceptance of
allegations without proof or evidence) and
collectivism of Russian culture (communism)
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Studied psychology and history in college
Liked America’s freedom
 Got permission to visit American
relatives. Told Soviet authorities her
visit would be short but planned on
never returning home.
About the Author
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Eventually went to Hollywood where
Cecil B. DeMille (big-time movie director of the
10s-50s –The Ten Commandments, The Greatest Show on Earth, Cleopatra)
saw her at the studio gate and gave her a job
as an extra.
 Met actor Frank O’Connor that week.
 He later became her husband.
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Worked behind the scenes in Hollywood then
eventually wrote her first novel, We the Living,
in 1934.
 It is about Soviet tyranny.
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Wrote Anthem in 1938.
Terms to Know
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Romantic Hero
 We discussed this during The Count of
Monte Cristo. See if you still have the notes.
If not, print them off my website!
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Novella
 Complexity and length is between a short
story and a novel
 Story has a compact and pointed plot
Terms to Know
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Dystopia
 A fictional society in which people lead dehumanized
and often fearful lives.
○ The Hunger Games
○ Divergent Series
○ The Matrix
○ The Giver
○ Matched
○ Fahrenheit 451
○ 1984
○ Brave New World
○ Can you think of others?
Terms to Know
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Collectivism
 Suppression of the individual to a group (a
race, class, state).
 Man must be chained to collective action
and collective thought for the sake of what is
called “the common good.”
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Pros and Cons?
“Ask not what your country can
do for you; Ask what you can do
for your country.”
John F. Kennedy
Basic Info
Setting: In the future; unidentified city
 Characters have names and numbers
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 Equality – 2521
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All characters refer to themselves as
“we” and “our” rather than “I” and “me”.
 This goes along with the collectivism idea.
Themes in Anthem
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In Ayn Rand’s words, the primary
thematic idea of the novella is “The
Meaning of man’s ego.”
 Additional Thematic Topics are:
○ Collectivism
○ Individuality
○ Conformity
○ Equality
Think About It—Choose a Side
Equality will never truly exist in society?
Agree or Disagree. Explain
 Conformity is the only way to truly feel
accepted in today’s society? Agree or
Disagree. Explain
 Individuality should be more important
than the collective group. Agree or
Disagree. Explain
 True individuality can never be achieved
in our society. Agree or Disagree.
explain
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You could win MONEY!!
Ayn Rand Institute (Essay Contest)
 This essay will be mandatory and
assigned at a later date.
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