Anthem Questions
1. Describe the society in which Anthem is set.
Please consider the following area 1. political
structure 2. degree of technology 3. social
relationships 4. quality of life 5. education
2. Why is it unusual for men to reach the age of
45? Make inferences
3. Why does the Council of Vocation assign
Equality the job of street sweeper?
4. What is the setting of the novel?
5. At this point in the novel, does Equality accept
the moral teachings of his society? If so, why
doesn’t he feel shame or remorse?
Chapter 2
1. Reread the account of Liberty 5-3000 on page 38. What character
traits are revealed in this brief description?
2. Find three examples of the ways in which this society tries to
obliterate each individual’s mind (and self) by quashing personal
choices, desires and values.
3. What word is Equality struggling to recapture on page 49. How does
this word contradict the ideals of this society? What could its
rediscovery possibly lead to?
4. Write a definition of the following terms: 1. The Great Truth 2.
Unmentionable Times 3. Uncharted Forest 4. Evil Ones 5. Great Rebirth
Chapter 3
1. What does equality discover in this chapter? Describe four ways
this invention can improve society.
2. Outline some of the Council of Scholars’ beliefs, and Equality’s
refutation of those beliefs.
Chapter 4
1. Discuss the appropriateness of Equality’s new name,
“Unconquered”
Chapter 5
1. Equality understands that his invention will benefit mankind
greatly; however, this was not his main motivation in conducting
his experiments, and it is not the primary source of the great joy
he experiences. Explain how this fits into Rand’s philosophy.
2. Why is Equality so interested in seeing his own image at this point
in the novel? What emotion is he feeling?
Chapter 6
1. The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective
Detention indicated that prisoners never tried to escape. Why
not?
Chapter 7
1. Outline four of the Council’s reasons for rejecting Equality’s
invention.
2. What are the real reasons behind the Council’s rejection and fear
of the gift?
3. What does Equality mean, at the beginning of the chapter, when
he says, “We are old now, but we were young this morning” (p.
68).
Chapter 8
1. What is Equality experiencing for the first time in this
chapter, and what does he feel as a result?
2. Explain why Equality laughs when he remembers that he
is “the Damned.”
3. What does the Uncharted Forest symbolize in Anthem?
Chapter 9
1. On pages 93-94, Liberty contrasts Equality with his fellow
men. Write a paraphrase of this passage.
2. Equality questions the morality of his former society.
Contrast what he was previously taught about solitude,
good, evil and joy with what he now believes.
Chapter 10
1. Describe the house and its contents in your own words, and
explain why Liberty and Equality find it so strange and unique.
Philosophical terms
Collectivism– “Collectivism means the
subjugation of the individual to a group–
whether to a race, class or state does not
matter. Collectivism holds that man must be
chained to a collective action and collective
thought for the sake of what is called ‘the
common good.’” (Rand Lexicon . 74)
Find a passage that illustrates
collectivism
• Individualism: “Individualism regards man –
every man– as an independent, sovereign
entity who possesses an inalienable right to
his own life, a right derived from his nature as
a rational being. Individualism holds that a
civilized society. . .can be achieved only on the
basis of the recognition of individual rights–
and that a group, as such, has no rights other
than the individual rights of its members.”
(Rand Lexicon, p.218)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Individualism
Altruism: “The basic principle of altruism is that
man has no right to exist for his own sake, that
service to others is the only justification of his
existence, and that self-sacrifice is his highest
moral duty, virtue and value. . .which means: the
self as a standard of evil, the selfless as a
standard of the good.” (Rand Lexicon p. 4)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Altruism
Egoism: “Egoism states that each man’s primary
moral obligation is to achieve his own welfare,
well-being, or self-interest. . .He should be
‘selfish’ in the sense of being the beneficiary of
his own moral actions.” (Glossary of Definitions
by Ayn Rand, P. 12)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Egoism
Conformity: “The act of habit of bringing
[oneself] into harmony or agreement with
others; of adhering to conventional behavior.”
(Webster's)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Conformity
Obedience: “Complying with a command;
yielding to those in authority” (Webster’s)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Obedience
Independence: “One’s acceptance of the
responsibility of forming one’s own judgments
and of living by the work of one’s own mind. . .is
the virtue of independence.” (Glossary of
Definitions p. 23)
Find a passage that illustrates Rand’s
view of Independence
Selfishness
• Write a detail description of Rand’s view of
selfishness. Explain why she sees it as a virtue.
How does it work. Include John Stossel’s
example of how ‘greed’ gets his steak
delivered to him in New York. Explain how
Rand’s view of ‘selfishness’ leads to her
conclusion that the only moral society is a free
market, laissez faire, capitalistic society
Choose one of the following to write
about
• Why did Ayn Rand name her main characters "Prometheus"
and "Gaea"? Compare the historical myths of Prometheus
and Gaea to the lives of these two characters.
• What does Equality finally understand about his society
when the Council threatens to destroy his invention?
• In the final chapter of Anthem, Prometheus writes that he
now understands "why the best in me had been my sins
and my transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my
sins." What has Prometheus come to understand about
himself? Why does his society regard the "best in him" as
sinful?
Requirements
Essay must be no fewer than 600 and no more
than 1,200 words in length, and double-spaced.
One entry per student.
Contest Rules
•
Essay must be submitted online or postmarked by March 20, 2012, no later than 11:59 PM, Pacific Standard Time.
•
The Ayn Rand Institute has the right to provide contest deadline extensions when deemed appropriate.
•
Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
•
Decisions of the judges are final.
•
Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible
for this contest. Past first place winners are not eligible for this contest.
•
All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
•
Winners, finalists, semifinalists and all other participants will be notified via e-mail and/or by mail by July 26,
2012.
•
Contest winners agree to allow the Ayn Rand Institute to post their names on any of ARI’s affiliated websites. The
winning first place essay may be posted in its entirety on any of these websites with full credit given to the author.
•
Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.
•
Must be in 8th , 9th, or 10th grade
What I’m looking for
• Essays will be judged on both style and
content. Judges will look for writing that is
clear, articulate and logically organized.
Winning essays must demonstrate an
outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning
of Anthem.
Extra credit– sort of. . .
• By submitting your essay to the contest you
get full credit on one book report for first
semester
• May not be used for “extra” points
• May be used for past book report
Prizes
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FIRST PRIZE: $2,000
5 SECOND PRIZES: $500
10 THIRD PRIZES: $200
45 FINALISTS: $50
175 SEMIFINALISTS: $30