Examples Of Dystopia In Anthem

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Anthem: Dystopian and Utopian Literature
Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a fictional dystopian novella about a man who could never fit into his collectivist society and runs away to then find his individuality, but he left a utopia. Ayn Rand portrayed the society in Anthem as a dystopia, at least through Equality 7-2521 perspective. The Council and others under the Council’s rule view the society is also a utopia. Ayn Rand wrote Anthem based off her life in Soviet Russia and her dreams of America. Ayn Rand created a utopian and dystopian society in Anthem, whether it is a dystopia or a utopia depends on the perspective of the character and the reader.

In Anthem Equality 7-2521 views his society as good, meaning it has no flaws and himself as evil for not liking the society and for not being able to fit into it. Equality 7-2521’s utopia was freedom from collectivism. For him being an individual, living life for himself, and not being only part of something made him happy and he started his utopia based off this lifestyle.
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The society in Anthem was based off of Soviet Russia and Equality 7-2521’s society off of the United States. Ayn Rand portrayed both societies in Anthem as extremes, inequality and equality. ‘We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who is the State.’ The tone of Anthem demonstrated her disgust for collectivism and love for individuality. Which shows that not everyone’s definition of good and bad, right and wrong, utopia and dystopia are the same.

Anthem is a dystopian and utopian novella written by Ayn Rand and depicts a society that is both a utopia and dystopia based on different perspectives. The perspective of the characters affects how the story is told and how the story is interpreted. Ayn Rand wrote Anthem to be a dystopian story, yet wrote a utopian and dystopian