A captivating novel in which one man's priority is to serve only his brothers, Ayn Rand's Anthem illustrates a society that has suffered the horrific consequences of collectivism. It describes an oppressive culture where the word “I” is unheard of and men belong to the collective “We.” The lives of men are determined through the Council of Vocations, a group that maintains a powerful dictatorship by subjugating the public from the very beginning of their lives. The idea that “If you are not needed by your fellow men, there is no reason for you to burden the earth with your bodies” (chapter 1) has been forced into the average mindset of society vehemently maintained. In contrast, Rand mocks totalitarian civilization through the main character, Equality. Since he was born, Equality possessed a quick mind and constantly distanced himself from his peers. Throughout his life he displays reluctant behavior to conform not only to his name, but also to the rules of society. After being found guilty of independent thinking, he is sadistically beaten and dragged into the Palace of Correctional Detention, an unguarded prison that chastises the public for its mistakes. The chains are unnecessary due to society's brainwashing and their obedience to orders, which consequently allows Equality to escape. In a collective society, citizens are denied the inalienable right to individualism, which ultimately eliminates all oppositional thoughts. Through their submission, the presence of their souls vanishes and society holds the collectivist principle to be true. The lack of guards and the old locks in the Correctional Detention Building symbolize the evils that come from a collectivist society. In order for men to espouse collectivist ideals, it is... middle of paper...nthem , presents a collectivist society in which man's inalienable right of individualism has been revoked, which forces citizens to surrender their souls to the strong dictatorship. They conform to a part of the programmed group called “We” and compromise their desire to accept the collectivist principle as true. They do not possess free thought and do not have free will. Little by little, they transform and have no need for obvious chains because their minds are chained by the deprivations they suffer. However, it uses the main character, Equality, to break the constraints of society and form his own individual path. The story of equality refers to human existence in which men must lead their own lives or suffer the horrible consequences of interdependence and live for the good of society. Works Cited"Anthem" Ayn Rand"The Ayn Rand Lexicon" Ayn Rand