This course is a deep dive into the world of Anthem. We’ll study its story, characters and setting, as well as the deeper meaning behind them.
“It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see.” So begins Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem as it carries the reader into a bleak society whose rulers suppress all expressions of individuality, and into the innermost thoughts of a young man who is distinguished from all others by his intense desire to understand the world.
This course explores the world of Anthem. We’ll examine its story, characters and setting, as well as the deeper meaning behind them. The goal is to help readers gain a greater appreciation for the beauty and artistry of Anthem as well as a deeper understanding of its meaning and its relation to Rand’s ideas and her novel Atlas Shrugged.
This course does not assume that students have already read Anthem, or any of Rand’s other works besides Atlas Shrugged. It is designed both to facilitate a first encounter with the novella and to enhance the understanding of someone who is re-reading it. We will avoid discussing spoilers until the final class.
