Equality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Anthem starts off with Equality 7-2521 stating that it is a sin to write what he is writing. He says this because it is not allowed in his society to do things that do not involve others. One day, as he is sweeping the streets, he encounters a grill in the street. He and his friend, International 4-8818, decent into the darkness that follows and they discover that it is a remnant of the unmentionable times. Equality tells International that in needs to remain a secret, and not to tell anyone. No one finds out and Equality performs experiments by himself for two years. One day equality notices a woman in the fields, Liberty 5-3000, and falls in love with her. He knows it is not permitted for men to take notice of women but doesn't care. He vows to never let her go to the palace of mating and later begins calling her "The Golden One". As he lies in bed one night he wonders to himself about the unmentionable times and also wonders what the words of those times were. However, he knows there is one unspeakable word, as he saw someone speak it when he was a child and that man was burned at the stake. He later discovers something he calls "The Force of the Sky" and shows the council. He uses objects he finds in the tunnel to better understand the power, as he believes they have a relation to it. He does this even though it goes against …show more content…
They are outraged by this and threaten him with torture and execution. He pleads with them trying to convince them that the light is good. They say that if the light is as good as he's making it out to be, it would put the department of candles out of business. The Scholars come to a conclusion, the light must be destroyed. They try to take it, but Equality jumps out the window with it before they can. He runs with no idea where he is going only trying to get away. He eventually ends up in the uncharted forest and worries that he won't see The Golden One