Examples Of Selfishness In Anthem

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Equality’s Selfishness

Deep in the tunnels, the humid air and the aura of excitement is prevalent, Equality has made an invention. Not just any invention, a brilliant invention that could aid in the development in mankind and change the world as he knows it. In the novel, “Anthem,” by Ayn Rand, Equality struggles with his own personal desires and doing what he knows will benefit his fellow man, because Equality wants to keep the invention, the power of electricity, all for himself. He constantly has to struggle between two different sides. Mostly due to the distressing society and his degrading job, Equality is motivated ALMOST purely by selfishness.

The society in Anthem is a placed in a dystopian society overflowing with conformity, collectivism and a controlling government. Individualism is forbidden, and ego is despicable. “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, one, indivisible and forever” (19). The authority and regulation of the people of Anthem is so strict, they don’t understand the word “I.” Now, Equality is an individual, just like everyone is, and he has his own thoughts, his own beliefs and his own actions, making it incredibly …show more content…
Equality is ALMOST purely motivated by selfishness, a flame inside of him that grew over the years of being beat down and repressed finally burst out and he went into the tunnels and experimented. And he made something rather magical. But again, Equality is good-hearted and tried to show his invention to the council and they violently rejected him. They even went so far as to deem him a traitor and a scoundrel. Equality couldn’t take it. “We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers. We built it for our own sake” (76). This is when Equality finally had enough and came to terms with his

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