Anthem by Ayn Rand
Anthem by Ayn RandA standard rule of writing states that one should refrain from using the word “I” in one’s writing. Somehow this rule seems singularly inappropriate when writing about the book Anthem. I wish to talk about my thoughts on this work. I will not abstract my ideas so that I can refer to them without referring to myself; they are my ideas, my thoughts, and my impressions.
Many years ago, I read my first book by Ayn Rand, Anthem. When I decided to write an essay on Anthem, I needed to re-read it to refresh my memory. As it is a short book, I expected this to be an easy task, but I was very wrong.
When I first read Anthem, it was an easy task. I completed the book in about four hours. At the time, I was not mature enough to fully appreciate Anthem’s powerful symbolism. My attitude as I read the beginning of the book was one of indifference and confusion, maturing only later into concern and vigorous interest. This experience began a new phase in my intellectual development that soon led me to read Atlas Shrugged. I then started on Ayn Rand’s non-fictional works.
My understanding of Rand’s philosophical system, however, came piece by piece. There was no one instant of recognition, no single “aha.” Until recently, I was not fully aware that I had been affected so deeply. My progress was step-by-step and I had never looked all the way back.
As I began to read Anthem for a second time, I found myself in acute pain, even at the first paragraph. I continued to read it feeling much as a person would when touring...
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