When
Equality 7-2521
was ten years old, he watched the Transgressor being burned at the stake for speaking the Unspeakable Word: the anti-collectivist word “I.” Equality 7-2521 remembers this man's saintly courage and composure, and recognizes him as a hero once he, too, discovers the power of the word “I.”
What happened to the man who spoke the unspeakable word in Anthem?
Speaking the Unspeakable Word is
the only crime punishable by death
. He recalls seeing the Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word burned alive in the town square for speaking the Unspeakable Word, and he remembers that there was no pain in his face, only joy.
What does the unspeakable word symbolize in Anthem?
The Transgressor has spoken the word I, the “unspeakable word,” and the cutting out of his tongue is a symbolic
gesture of silencing him as well as all individuality
.
Why is the word I the unspeakable word in Anthem Why is everyone ordered to use the word we rather than the word I?
Individuals in Equality 7-2521's collectivist society are forbidden from thinking of themselves as individuals. The pronoun
“I” is not only forbidden but unknown
, and everyone must refer to him- or herself as “we” in order to ensure that all actions and self-conceptions are collective.
What is the significance of the story of the transgressor of the unspeakable word in Anthem?
A martyr for the word “I.” The Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word
suffers no pain as he is burned alive because he knows the meaning of individualism
. His death foreshadows the suffering and exile of Equality 7-2521, and he represents the way to die properly, in Rand's view, for the cause of egoism.
What is the sacred word in Anthem?
The book, “Anthem,” by Ayn Rand, tells a story of one man's rebellion against a collective society. And it's forbidden to say “I”, which is considered a sacred word. The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word:
EGO
(p.
What crimes did Equality 7-2521 commit?
Equality 7-2521 knows that if the state discovers the full extent of his “crimes” — his illicit scientific research and invention of an electric light — he will be executed and his creation destroyed. He has performed actions that are major violations of the
lock-step conformity required by society
.
Why is I forbidden in Anthem?
The state has forbidden humans from speaking or even thinking of the word
“I.” Society has mandated, under punishment of death, that all first-person references are with the plural “we,” even when the reference is to a single person.
Why is ego the sacred word in Anthem?
The word ego implies that
one is more important than the collective
, and that one is the proper beneficiary of one's actions. The book, “Anthem,” by Ayn Rand, tells a story of one man's rebellion against a collective society. … And it's forbidden to say “I”, which is considered a sacred word.
What is the point of Anthem?
Ayn Rand's purpose for writing Anthem was
to point out the dangers of a collectivist society that discouraged and persecuted individualism
.
What is the one word of Equality's anthem?
An anthem is a song or hymn of praise or gladness; what is the ONE word of Equality's anthem? … I; This ties in with and is probably the Unspeakable Word because it represents
individuality
. Summarize Equality's new philosophy and understanding about himself in relationship to the rest of mankind.
What is the great truth in Anthem?
The Great Truth:
the belief that human beings are not individuals but mere fragments of a whole
. Individuality is UNREAL! The Unmentionable Times: the days in the past when humans still possessed individual rights and political freedom. These days are considered evil.
What is the significance of the names in Anthem?
The names
reveal the oppressive collectivism of Equality 7-2521's society
. Individuals are just given stock names which reflect the collectivist social ideals (Harmony, Collective, Union, International) and then are literally numbered. Nothing in the names is expressive of individuality.
What does we mean in Anthem?
13,687 answers.
Equality
refers to himself as “we” because individual identity is forbidden in the collectivist world of Anthem.
What is the unspeakable word and why is it the only crime punishable by death?
Speaking the Unspeakable Word is the only crime punishable by death. … Those who rule Equality's society during his time use harsh words to describe their enemies in order to control how they are thought of; that's why they are called
Evil Ones
rather than opponents or some other word less threatening.
What emotion does equality 7-2521 see in others though they don't speak of it?
| Question Answer | What emotion does Equality 7-2521 not feel when he s in the tunnel? fear | What is the “Unchartered Forest”? |
|---|
