Anthem
by Ayn Rand 1938 (Science Fiction)
"There
is fear hanging in the air of the sleeping halls, and in the air of
the streets. Fear walks through the city, fear without name, without
shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak." (pg 46)
I had a literature class in my senior year of High School entitled
“Utopian Literature”. We read things like Orwell's Animal Farm
and 1984, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley, and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and had
great discussions in class. I don't remember much about The
Fountainhead, but that class really got me interested in the subject
of Utopian and Dystopian literature because of the interesting
explorations of political and social organization that the books
explored.
I like to frequent thrift stores just to check out the books. It's
like a little bit of heaven to me to spend an hour rummaging through
the stacks to see what I can find. I always found a few copies of
Anthem, every time I went to look at the books. Finally, I
purchased a copy of Anthem for myself and proceeded to read the slim volume. This
book is disturbing and odd. Something that might be better
enjoyed with a group of readers you can discuss it with. I'm not sure what to make of it.
Author Ayn Rand was controversial then and continues to be so now.
She did not worship at the altar of political correctness, in fact
she rallied against it. She grew up in the Soviet Union, at a time
when collectivism and statism were King and individualism was
scorned. She proceeded to give her strong opinions on the subject
back in the 1930's. Anthem was published in 1938. I wonder if any
public high school would even dare to have her books on their reading
lists now, it might offend someone or cause a riot!
