“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth” - John F Kennedy. This quote is warning the people about restrictive clutches of conformity not just to us as people but together as a nation. In the book “Anthem” by Ayn Rand, a science fiction novel. The main character Equality lives in dystopian society where he is repressed by the Councils laws. Equality must conform to the Council's laws or he would be punished or executed. This conformity is the jailer of Equality’s freedom and an enemy of his growth, just as John F Kennedy had said.
I believe Equality is an incredibly dynamic character. In the of beginning Anthem, Equality is rebellious by nature and he dislikes the thought of it, even claiming his nature as …show more content…
He constantly broke the council's laws and unintentionally and intentionally, like when he was in the House of Students he was smarter than the others. Or when Equality ventured out into a tunnel from the unmentionable times. Being superior to your peers and discovering areas which are not permitted by the Council is a major offence in this society. Equality does not like the fact of going against the Council. He tries his hardest to conform to their laws but nonconformity is in his nature. “We were born with a curse. It was always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden. It has always given us wishes which men may not wish. We know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it. This is our wonder and our secret fear, that we know and do not resist” This quote brings Equality’s rebellious nature to light. He cannot help but be rebellious, he dislikes yet embraces this nature. Equality gets punished later for his nature and is made into a street sweeper other than a Scholar which he desired to become. Equality had an idea to research electricity and develop a lightbulb all on his own. Equality presents his light bulb to the House of Scholars in hopes to convince them to allow him into the House of