Book reviews from alecb

Anthem

by Ayn Rand

If you had no idea of the past, no freedom, no individuality, no love, It would seem appropriate to start asking questions. In the powerful story of Anthem one character begins to challenge not only his freedom, but his entire existence. I’ve never been so intrigued by a book I now understand the phrase “I couldn’t put the book down” simply from the high doses of suspense and mystery.Anthem is about a street sweeper named Equality 7-2521 analysing his hardships of living in a communist society. In this future setting all individuality has been forgotten, and the period were these beliefs are accepted were completely forgotten. These time are named the unmentionable times (modern day). For example, Equality 7-2521 discovered a light bulb but he gets shunned by the Council because the light bulb represents the unmentionable times. Also Equality 7-2521 falls in love with a young woman named Liberty 5-3000 or “The Golden One” is what he named her. But later in the book the two star-crossed lovers had no choice but to vanish into the forest because love is another aspect of the unmentionable times that has been forsaken by the Council. “We wish to write this name, we wish to speak it, but we dare not speak it above a whisper.” Equality 7-2521 wrote in his journal.One interesting choice of writing that Ayn Rand chose was when people referred to themselves they don’t use “I.” Individuality has been so looked down upon that when people speak their not only speaking for themselves but for all of their brothers as well. Words such as I, or Mine or Me don’t even exist to them.I’m rewarding this book with 4½ stars. It made me realize that if something in your life doesn’t seem justified, then you have the power to stand up and fight it. It’s human nature to question things greater than us and if we are silenced, then we will do anything to claim victory. Anthem portrayed that in such a way that I was sitting on the end of my seat, but in the end; I would sit back and contemplate what I just read for hours.