Anthem Answers

Anthem Answers

1. Discuss how the society in Anthem would rationalize (define) the names given to its members.

2. Compare and contrast the relationship between Liberty and Equality with a modern relationship in this country.

The society in Anthem wanted to eradicate all individualistic ideals and make everybody equal. Equality 7-2521 is supposed to like all his brothers equally and not supposed to use singular pronouns in order keep from separating himself from the rest of his brothers. It seems to be ironic that his name is Equality yet he prefers some people over others like the Golden One (Liberty). I believe the society gives the names of concepts as well as numbers instead of actual names to defer people from distinguishing themselves from each other. That is also supported by the idea that the brothers don't know how they look like and aren't curious to know. They are also not allowed to know and that is why there are no mirrors. Equality sees himself in the reflection of water near the end of the book.

In this book it is forbidden for Equality to prefer Liberty over any other person yet in modern society it is okay to like some people over others. In the society people were limited by the types of emotions they could express and were not knowledgeable or familiar with things like love or passion with another. They told themselves that they loved their brothers, but that isn't near the same level of love that Liberty and Equality shared. Plus, they loved their brothers because the council told them to do so. This is similar in the idea that in modern society it is considered inappropriate and unacceptable for people that work together to share any kind of intimacy for each other.