Anthem Review

Anthem by Ayn Rand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a short book. I believe I am going to use it toward the end of the year for a project in my senior English classes.

The book is told through a first person perspective using plural "we," but it is a singular character, Equality 7-2521, narrating. Rand's message about the individual vs. society could not possibly be clearer. She seems to slap her readers in the face with her message: that collectivism in society leads to the death of creativity and an internal and physical prison for mankind.

Equality 7-2521's narration is easy to follow, but certainly leaves some inferencing to the readers.It was a quick and easy read. I particularly enjoyed the sections where the protagonist is interacting with a character known to him as "the Golden One."

My problems with the book is that it was perhaps too brief. The message isn't diminished by this fact, but the end of the book is far too much telling and not nearly enough showing. While the protagonist constantly seeks and welcomes change, I believe the changes the characters make at the end take place far too quickly. (view spoiler)[ Also, as the characters roam through the wilderness, they seem to have far too easy of a time of getting by-- why don't they struggle to find food, water, clothing, shelter? Perhaps Rand has a message about the nature and instincts of man here, but it is left unclear to the reader (hide spoiler)].

In all, the book was a nice and unintimidating introduction to Rand and had some dystopian elements that were ahead of her time.

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