The Concept of Ego in Anthem, Life of Pi, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, and Julius Caesar
Ego, a sense of self, is a conflict that all characters must face in many different genres and literatures. Many people have their own definition of what ego means, however, www.dictionary.com defines ego as the “I or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, or willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought. Many authors use ego as a central theme because it can easily be related to the reader and the audience. Throughout our world today many define others as having an alter ego or a superego. As I grew up I learned that having an ego meant to be yourself, that is how I know to live my life. It is important for us not to fully depend on others, but to have confidence within ourselves. Our society is very unique about our actions, finding our sense of self is difficult because of the changing perspective in the world. Ego is shown through the society, being an individual, and looking towards others for guidance. In the novels Anthem, Life of Pi, Girl in Hyacinth Blue and the play Julius Caesar, along with the essay of Self – Reliance, all similar, but different in the same way, the authors each explore the concept of ego; ultimately, they argue that you can’t have freedom unless you know who your real self is. Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a novel written to pursue the theme of ego that is based upon Rand’s beliefs of objectivism, which gives high honors to the self. Through showing her beliefs, Rand describes the society of limited technology and no advancements due to the high percentage of individuality among the citizens. All of their life, they are taught to live for the “we,” not knowing that they are individuals who need to learn to live for themselves. “Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names upon it” (Rand, 18). As a whole society they are treated for the “we” and the individuals that they are. These unusual names of the