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A Comparison between Anthems

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A Comparison between Anthems
ANTHEM

In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, the story of Equality 7-2521 and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden can be compared and contrasted in many different ways. Two of those are their similarities and differences. They include both personal and behavioral similarities as well as personal and behavioral differences. They will be stated in the following paragraphs.

There are similarities between Equality 7-2521 and Adam. They were both born with a natural curiosity. The curiosity caused them to do something that was explicitly forbidden. This led Equality 7-2521 to rediscover something that was wiped from human memory for a great length of time as stated on page 52: “We, Equality 7-2521, have discovered a new power of nature. And we have discovered it alone, and we alone are to know it.” (Rand 41)He attempted to share his discovery but was rejected and scorned. Adam’s curiosity led him to eat the “forbidden” fruit from the tree from the center of the Garden of Eden. This action caused his banishment from the Garden of Eden. What they both committed was considered by the governing authority to be sins. Equality 7-2521 was forced to run away because he dared to have an independent mind. Adam was forced out of Eden because he did not obey God. Also…

They were condemned for committing a great “sin.” The “sin” was disobeying a godlike authority. Equality and Adam both obtained information that was forbidden by the authority that governed them. Equality obtained forbidden information through secretly studying information on the time before the Great Rebirth, rediscovering electricity and creating a piece of electrical equipment. The World Council banned such actions so when he tried to convince the Council of Scholars, they threatened to report him and destroy his discovery as stated on 72: "You shall be burned at the stake," said Democracy 4-6998. "No, they shall be lashed," said Unanimity 7-3304, "till there is nothing left under the lashes." And page



Cited: Rand, Ayn. Anthem: Student Edition Toronto: Signet, 1995.

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