Anthem by Ayn Rand

I finished my 3rd book of the summer - Ayn Rand's Anthem. This book is taught in 12th grade at the school district I work for and I was curious when I discovered it was somewhat of a dystopian novella.

Anthem is the story of a man who lives in a world where people have no real sense of individuality, that all actions are done for the benefit of everyone else. Case in point, the protagonist refers to himself as "we" because the word "I" has been banished for so long, it was forgotten. Yet, the protagonist still feels that something is wrong with his day-to-day life and stumbles upon an object which (literally) illuminates his mind and makes him realize the error of the society in which he lives.

I personally liked this story for the concept, the interesting world Ayn Rand has created, and even the ending of the novella is satisfying. The drawback to the story is the philosophical rambling that break up the plot of the story. It is hard to read because the repetition of words make everything sound like nonsense:

"What is my joy if all hands, even the unclean can reach into it? What is my wisdom, if even the fools can dictate to me? What is my freedom, if all creatures, even the botched and impotent, are my masters? What is my life, if I am but to bow, to agree and obey?" (97).

Huh? But this is Ayn Rand. She's apparently coined the term "objectivism" and created an entire philosophy known as objectivism, which is evident in this novella as well as her other works. It sounds pretty kooky to me, but see for yourself.

Anthem by Ayn Rand receives a 6/10.