Question Responses on Ayn Rand's Philosophy

Questions on Ayn Rand’s Philosophy

• Explain how Anthem is Ayn Rand's Anthem of who she is and whether or not you embrace any or all of her philosophy.
• Show how you do or do not adopt all or any of Ayn Rand's philosophy in your life.
• In addition, show how the world around you does or does not adopt any of Ayn Rand's philosophy.

Q#1:

Growing up during the Russian Revolution, Ayn Rand has learned to hate being like others and having your own happiness forced upon you. I can’t say as I blame her, everyone is different and has other dislikes and likes. But putting yourself before others all the time is just selfish and makes you look conceited. I’ll admit sometimes I make some pretty selfish decisions, but I don’t totally embrace her philosophy of Egoism.

Q #2:

Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Egoism is mostly centered around a singular and somewhat selfish wanting. In a way I believe I adopt some of this philosophy in my life, but then again I don’t. For example at a soccer game this season one of the less experienced freshman grabbed my jersey number. I always wear that jersey and she found out and not wanting to make me angry, offered to trade with. I could have snatched it right from her, but I let her have it, I let her feel special for a day, even though she didn’t even get to play in the game and I ended up playing the whole time. But sometimes I can be very selfish, like when my friend didn’t have a lunch one day and I ate all of mine, not offering her any because I was super hungry.

Egoism can apply to more aspects of my life than I had ever thought of, so its important to make good decisions and not be selfish, but also not let people walk all over you or take advantage of you.

Q#3:

I believe most people these days do pertain to Rand’s philosophy of Egoism. It seems like all anyone cares about these days is themselves, and what they need to do. Instead of stopping to help the poor kid in the hallway who dropped all his things, people rush around him because they don’t want to be late for class. Its sad to see how society has changed and become so selfish, judgemental, and just downright mean. There’s a point when you have to realize the world doesn’t revolve around you.

Anthem Creative Writing Response

Anthem Creative Writing Response

Topic #6: Rewrite the meeting between Equality and Liberty from her perspective.

We work in the fields near the great road that winds North. Not many come to these parts beyond the city. Then one day a group of street sweepers began coming every day. They all looked unhappy and unlively, except one -- one that could not seem to keep their gaze off we.

Many days after, this continued to occur. We began to study this street sweeper, and we noticed they were not like the others at all, they were curious.

Then one day it happened. The curious street sweeper came over to the hedge we were working near and spoke to we. We couldn’t believe it, never had such a thing occurred. But yet, we liked it. They ended up coming to talk to we quite often. They even gave we a name -- such a name that is forbidden. They called we the Golden One.

Anthem Advanced Research Response

Anthem Advanced Research Response

Topic #3: Is Anthem a realistic portrayal of life in a totalitarian society? Compare the fictionalized society in Anthem to a real dictatorship, past or present.

The cold war and communism of the Russian Revolution in 1917 is similar to that of the dystopian society portrayed in Anthem. Not only did Rand grow up during Russia at this time, but she also based her book off of the thoughts it gave her.

A lot of major events happened in Russia during 1917, this year was also known as “The End of Tsardom”. During March of 1917 food riots broke out in St. Petersburg -- troops in the city refused to fire on the people and mutinied. Under pressure from St. Petersburg the Duma set up a provisional government under Prince Gregory Lvov on March 14th. Three days later Russia became a Republic. The soviets challenged the Provisional Government for control, and by October 1917 were controlled by the Bolsheviks, this marked the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin promised the people “Peace, Land, and Bread”. They so obviously didn’t receive this -- thus explaining their uprising. By November 1917 -- the Bolsheviks are in total control of the Soviets and took over the telephones, railroad stations, and power companies in St. Petersburg. The Bolsheviks later became a communist political party. (Mason)

To compare this to Anthem, this almost sounds like what could have scared the people in her story into going back into the Dark Ages. In Russia there was also The Purges that was also referred to as “The Great Terror” -- this could have been what influenced Rand to have the story take place in a future where people all act the same because they are afraid of one individual having too much power.

The heart of the dystopian society in which Equality and the Golden One were forced to live in is a lot like the communistic dictatorship of Russia.All though in Anthem the people are dictated by different sets of councils, in a real dictatorship everyone is typically controlled by one person -- hence the term dictator. Communists believe in collectivism which is the same thing as believing everyone is one big “whole” or “we”. In communism you don't have a say, or an opinion -- you must only fall in routine with the crowd and go through the motions.

Poetry Project

My poem:

Morning Song by Sylvia Plath

Love set you going like a fat gold watch.

The midwife slapped your footsoles, and you bald cry

Took its place among the elements.

Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue.

In a drafty museum, your nakedness

Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.

I’m no more your mother

Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow

Effacement at the wind’s hand.

All night your moth-breath

Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen:

A far sea moves in my ear.

One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral

In my victorian nightgown.

Your mouth opens clean as a cat’s. The window square

Whitens and swallows its dull stars. And now you try

Your handful of notes;

The clear vowels rise like balloons.

 

Disillusionment of Ten O’Clock

 

The houses are haunted

By white night-gowns

None are green,

Or purple with green rings,

Or green with yellow rings,

Or yellow with blue rings.

None of them are strange,

With socks of lace

And beaded ceintures.

People are not going

To dream of baboons and periwinkles.

Only, here and there, an old sailor,

Drunk and asleep in his boots,

Catches tigers

In red weather.

 

Writing Response:

 

Disillusionment of Twelve O’Clock

 

The crowd is mesmerized

By contortionists, trapeze artists and magicians.

All with crazy talents,

Costumes,

Makeup,

And names.

None are simple.

When they perform

They are swift, graceful and get their applause.

But the illusionist wears a simple gown,

No makeup,

And is merely called just “the Illusionist”.

She needs nothing exquisite

Because nature does it all for her.

She does not gain an applause at the end,

But instead takes everyone’s breath away.

As the sun and the moon

Chase each other around the clock

She lingers in the dawn of moonlight.

 

 

Poem #1:

Keeping Things Whole by Mark Strand

 

In a field

I am the absence

of field.

This is

always the case.

Wherever I am

I am what is missing.

 

When I walk

I part the air

and always

the air moves in

to fill the spaces

where my body’s been.

 

We all have reasons

for moving.

I move

to keep things whole.

 

Writing Idea: Write about a time when you have struggled with your identity, like the speaker of this poem.

 

My response:

 

Being ignored and unnoticed are some of the worst feeling’s in the world. My sister has always had good grades, great friends, and incredible qualities. I sometimes find myself trying to fall in her footsteps, not only because I look up to her, but also because I want my mom to treat me like she treats her. After Liz recently graduating high school last year and starting college, I’ve felt useless and invisible at some points. I can’t imagine how the speaker of this poem deals with this feeling all the time.

 

Poem #2:

Meeting at Night by Robert Browning

 

The grey sea and the long black land;

And the yellow half-moon large and low;

And the startled little waves that leap

In fiery ringlets from their sleep,

As I gain the cove with pushing prow,

And quench its speed i’ the slushy sand.

 

Then a mile of sea-scented beach;

Three fields to cross till a farm appears;

A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch

And blue spurt of a lighted match,

And a voice less loud, thro’ its joys and fears,

Than the two hearts beating each to each.

 

Writing Idea: Would you go through anything it takes to get to the person you love?

 

My response:

Yes, If I was truly in love with them. I would want to make them happy, and if I did love them I would want to be with them so I could be happy as well. But in the poem he walks quite a lot to get to his lover-- I might would drive...