In Ayn Rand’s book, Anthem, Equality lives in a world where every individual is viewed as a whole group. However, Equality beings to realize how unusual he is from his brothers. Equality comes to an important realization that he is different from his brothers, the physical capability that he holds within himself, and the independence he gained from escaping his society.
When Equality was in the Home of the Students, his Teachers and himself always knew he was different from everyone else. For instance, Equality points out that he was under a curse ever since he was born. “We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden” (Rand 18). Equality’s curse was the strive for knowledge, and this was looked down upon among his Teachers and Leaders. His thirst for knowledge made him comprehend things that he was never supposed to venture into, thus driving him to realize he was odd from everyone else. In addition to Equality’s differences, his physical appearance also contrasts with his society. “‘There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers’” (Rand 18). Equality is taller than all his brothers, and his Teachers and Leaders had found this as a burden. He learned faster and was taller. By picking up skills left and right, he eventually used those skills for himself. In short, Equality’s differences are what made him different and independent from his brothers.
Equality comes to realize that he is capable of much more when it comes to his body. For instance, when Equality was spending time in his secret tunnel for the first time in his life, he became aware of his body. “Are we proud of this thread of metal, or of our hands which made it,...We stretch out our arms, for the first time do we know how strong our arms are” (Rand 61). Equality comments on how strong he actually is, and what he can possibly do now since he knows that he has the potential. Considering this, when Equality gets sent the Palace of Corrective Detention, his body quickly healed.“Our body is healthy and strength returns to it speedily” (Rand 67). Here, Equality now knows that his body is much more capable of taking on many tasks such as recovering from getting whipped. Taking this piece of knowledge to one of his advantages, he progresses on to become a free individual. Overall, Equality acknowledges that fact that his body can do much more than what he thought of before.
Upon on escaping from his society, whether it was in his secret tunnel or going into the Uncharted Forest, that is where Equality gained his freedom. Such as when Equality is in his secret tunnel. “Now we sit in the tunnel for three hours each night and we study” (Rand 35). Knowing that his solitudes goes against all laws of his society, Equality still goes there to finish his experiments. After he finished