Anthem by Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand Biography Born – 1905 in Saint Petersburg, Russia After the Russian Revolution of 1917, her father’s pharmacy is confiscated. Her family lives in poverty. This is the beginning of her anti-communist beliefs Moves to the US in 1926 Becomes a Hollywood screenwriter

Famous Works of Literature Anthem – Depicts a futuistic society in which all elements of individuality have been eliminated. The Fountainhead – The story of Howard Roark, architectural genius who refuses to give in the wishes of society. Atlas Shrugged – Considered Rand’s masterpiece, it is the story of the disappearance of the country’s intellectual leaders and the shutdown of society that this causes.

Objectivism Its essence is "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute. Rational egoism - The individual should "exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. Atheist Strongly believed in free-market capitalism

Objectivism The name of Rand’s philosophy She states: “Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fears. Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man’s senses) is man’s only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival. 5

Objectivism Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism.

Quotes Learn to value yourself, which means: to fight for your happiness. I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine. Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns--or dollars. Take your choice--there is no other.

Dystopian/Anti-Utopian Literature This type of literature presents the world as it should NOT be. Collectivism is presented as the worst possible society. 8

Collectivism “The subjugation of the individual to the group—whether to a race, class, or a state does not matter. Collectivism holds that man must be chained to a collective and collective thought for the sake of what is called ‘the common good’.” This is illustrated in Anthem in such quotes as: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever.” 9

Anthem Set in a bleak future All aspects of individuality have been eliminated from society The words “I”, “Me”, “My”, “Mine” no longer exist

Anthem continued First Page – “We have broken the laws…May we be forgiven.” This actually means, “I have broken the laws…May I be forgiven.” The novel uses plural pronouns because singular pronouns do not exist in this society.

Popular Culture The Simpsons – Maggie is sent to the Ayn Rand Daycare. Pacifiers are banned. Signs read “A is A”, “Helping is futile.” Rush – 20 minute overture tells story inspired by and very similar to Anthem.

Popular Culture

Popular Culture