The novella “Anthem” is set in a Dystopian world where technology, scientific development, education, and equality were under the control of totalitarian leaders. This type of society came into existence after the Great Rebirth when a great war was fought. The land of Anthem seems primitive and distant from our world which equates much with a mythical fantasy land. Ann Rand wrote this novella to give a picture of the future which we would most probably be witnessing. She has tried to highlight the ills in the society which the future is carrying for the coming generation.
After running off from their society, Prometheus (Liberty) and Gaea (Equality) discovers a house on the top of a mountain. With astonishment, they find the house small, colorful with windows, mirrors, bedrooms, clothes kept in closets, and a small library in it. Since they have never witnessed any such thing, they found it strange but at the same time they didn’t want to share these things with anyone else. The society from which they ran away was a communist one where the things which eased the life was under prohibition. They were not allowed to have friends or relationships with one another. Their lives were short and miserable resulting in grief and sadness. The use of technology was minimum, and education was a tool of brainwashing.
Ayn Rand wrote this novel to focus on the ills of the Second World War and against the Soviet Union communism. According to Rand, when an individual focus too much on society he forgets about his own personal life. This novel gives an insight to the ills of Industrial Revolution which valued more on state and erased the values of human rights.
