Trisha Menefee Menefee 1

Professor Beck
English 102 EDB
October 10, 2014


Anthem & Greek God mythology
The book Anthem by Ayn Rand is about the struggle of a brave individual named
Equality 7-2521 who lived in a communist society; a society that refuses to recognize an
individuals worth. Equality 7-2521 is a determined creator who takes a risk to overlook the
rules of his smothering society by inventing something that could benefit his society. Also, he
discovered a new word in the ending chapter; a word that changed everything. The word I
held so much more than just meaning to him. Equality 7-2521 then decides after discovering
such a word he renames himself Prometheus after the Greek god and his loved one, The
Golden One, Gaea, after the Greek goddess. The author chooses to name these two characters
after the epic Greek myths/gods because of how the two characters so strongly resemble them
with some of the events that happen to Equality and The Golden One in the story.
First, Equality has several distinct similarities to the Greek god Prometheus. There was
a time when each man had a name of his own to distinguish him from all other men. So let us
choose our names. I have read of a man who lived many thousands of years ago, and of all the
names in these books, his is the one I wish to bear. He took the light of the gods and brought it
to men, and he taught men to be gods. And he suffered for his deed as all carriers of light must
suffer. His name was Prometheus (Rand 160). Equality shortly states in chapter twelve to The
Golden One a little bit about history on Prometheus and explains to The Golden one how long
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ago in time people had their own names that distinguished them from every other person in
the world. According to Greek mythology, Prometheus was a wise titan and his names means
Forethought and he was able to foretell the future. He was the son of Lapetus. When Zeus
revolted against Cronus, Prometheus deserted the other Titans and fought on Zeus side
(Prometheus). In addition, Prometheus brought fire to mankind, which lite up their path and
showed mankind the way towards a civilization and soon to be a society. Equality created a
light bulb meaning to change his societys light and source of power. Equalitys gift of light was
created to light up mankinds path and discovery to a new era of technology if the council
would approve of his invention.
Second, If Prometheus hadnt stolen the fire from Zeus, what the mankind would have
done? But what if he didnt steal the fire? (The Myth of Prometheus The Thief of Fire 1) Just
like when Equality invented the light bulb and he was turned away by the council. It was a great
invention that Equality wanted to bring to mankind to help them. Equality 7-2521 is the equal
of the great Prometheus from Greek mythology. In the same way that Prometheus stole and
brought fire to man, a tool that led mankind out of prosperity and towards civilization, Equality
brought ego back to mankind. In a world where the idea of an individual, and even the word
I, had been wiped out, Equalitys gift to mankind was just as desperately needed as fire had
once been. I would be the support for the new society that Equality planned on building with
The Golden One. A society that celebrates the worth of the individual and mans true right to
live as freely as they want. After the period of technological decrease and loss of knowledge,
kind of similar to the dark era mankind lived in before fire was gifted to them, I am. I think. I
will (Rand 11) Equalitys gift of light and I would bring about a transformality and
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advancement of significance. While in Equalitys society, the citizens felt trapped in a state of
living death and fear, with the best and brightest among them seen as street sweepers, this
foreseen world promised hope and a lot of value for each man based on his own ability and his
freedom to choose his own life. Equalitys inventions and discoveries would literally light
mankinds path toward wisdom and knowledge.
In addition, besides leading man to an uptown new view of society, Equalitys discovery
completely changed the way he began to view himself. For his entire life, Equality was taught
that selflessness and humility were ideal, that man was a creature that was unfit to live on his
own, independent from the whole society. Equality was brainwashed to believe that mans
nature was untrustworthy, so one man could not possibly even hope to be good or kind. A lot
of society seems to foolishly repeat today. Equality was taught that vanity, skill, and self-
worship was evil parts of mans nature that were only served to hurt others. The word I the
idea of mankinds individualism illuminated the truth: greed is the true evil. To sacrifice for no
benefit, the ideal of greed, only results in a world of madness where good and happiness is
traded all for evil. Equalitys society attempted to live by such honesty, and their ideas only
resulted in a loss of knowledge and extended suffering and torment. In order for true advancing
and progress to take place, mankind has to be free to act in his own pride, to be selfish.
Through ego and I, Equality was finally able to celebrate his own self-worth and skills.
Therefore, in some way, Equalitys discovery showed him what it truly means to be a human
and free to grow and excel, just as Prometheuss fire showed most of humanity how to rise in
power and advance towards becoming a civilization.
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Last, The Golden one displayed a different kind of courage more than Equality. The
Golden One came to understand the evils of societys warnings against individualism when she
fell in love with Equality. In their old world, Equality and The Golden One were not allowed to
love each other because it was their duty to love all men equally no matter what. The Golden
One realized that love is not something that can be given equally to all men, but something that
has to be earned through a persons kindness and strengths, and only this way would loving
someone hold any if at all meaning. When The Golden One and Equality leave the city and
choose to create a whole new society, And I have read of a goddess, I said, who was the
mother of the earth and of all the gods. Her name was Gaea. Let this be your name, my Golden
One, for you are to be the mother of a new kind of gods (Rand 161). Equality renamed The
Golden One Gaea for her part in the founding of a new world for all mankind, a world with so
much more control and potential that would become like gods. Gaea, the Mother Earth in
Greek mythology, was the mother of the Titans, who would later parent the gods (GAIA 1).
Gaea was the powerful force from which everything came (GAIA 1). Similarly, The Golden One
was the wife of Equality and from them, their sons, and their friends they came together would
become a society that was the rebirth of all mankind. Contrasted to the unreasonable and non-
existence Equality and The Golden One used to live in. Libertys and The Golden ones new
society would be the beginning of a new world where its truly lived to the fullest, just as Gaea
was the start the air, sea, and sky or pretty much of life in Greek myths (GAIA 1).
In conclusion, without the remarkable strengths of Equality and The Golden One,
mankind would not have been redeemed from its hardship under the idea of a communism
society. Their sacrifices and love overcame the education of their crooked society and guided
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them to the discovery of the most important part of the human spirit called individualism. The
Greek god Prometheus and Gaea of the legend changed the world for all mankind and found a
new kind of world with accomplishment and improvement. Equality and The Golden One found
a society that has possibility and remodels the whole world for all of mankind by celebrating
the dignity of the individual human spirit, a thing that can be set free, not self-controlled and
crushed out of just fear. Their discoveries put the terrible teachings of kindness and humility in
favor of the good ideas of freedom and greed.
(Word Count: 1,503)










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Work Cited Page

"GAEA : Greek Goddess of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA, TELLUS." GAEA : Greek Goddess
of Earth ; Mythology ; Pictures : GAIA, TELLUS. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.

Rand, Ayn. Anthem: By Ayn Rand. 1.1st ed. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers, 1961. 02 Feb. 2013.
Web. 10 Oct. 2014.

"The Myth of Prometheus The Thief of Fire." Greek Myths Greek Mythology. N.p., n.d. Web.
10 Oct. 2014.