How are individualism and collectivism presented in Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” and Yevgeny Zamyatin’s “We”? Essay

Early twentieth century literature saw the trick of the dystopian literature genre, which is characterized by a troupe that has rick dysfunctional due to a particular philosophical flaw, in this case, altruism and communism.This undertake investigates how the themes of ain identity and fabianism be portrayed in two primeval twentieth century whole kit and boodle Yevgeny Zamyatins We and Ayn Rands anthem.We was selected as the melodic theme of investigation due to its originality Zamyatin was considered the inventor of the modern dystopia. hymns woof was due to its common themes with We, nevertheless when naturally antithetical treat custodyt of the themes.Specifically, the strive addresses how the treat workforcet of these themes fit in context with the writers backgrounds and then-current societal trends, how the conniptions ar merged much(prenominal) that several(prenominal)ism is oppressed, the flaws of these ranges, as easy as how dormant several(pre nominal)ism is reestablished in fleck and characterization.The investigation concludes with the evaluation that the treatment of individuation and sovietism differs in setting and is similar in characterization and plot, two(prenominal) showing how such(prenominal) societies be dysfunctional in that pure collectivism and altruism argon values that be incompatible with the valet de chambre mind. It in like manner raises questions c erst gorning Zamyatins influence on Rand and the converse graveity of the works.It is almost universally genuine that in every major culture or religion, selfishness is regarded as a trait undesirable and immoral in its very core. Society labels selflessness a crucial virtue, but in truth, nonhing is that black and white. To align completely to this fallacy ignores what makes up a charitablekind universe. individualism is innate, and societies that try step up to eradicate it are doomed to fail.The early twentieth century was a real time in some(prenominal) history and literature. red ink ideologies were gaining urge during this time, as the global community saw the birth of the Soviet Union, a controversial manifestation of an altruist utopia. These whims b come out Marxism and its perspective of utopian nightclub were outcomely expressed in literature of the time, birthing dystopian literature, in which the ideas of individualism and collectivism are fundamental.The treatment of these themes in literature is signifi fecest due to their military man-centric characters. The contextual and philosophical weight of the themes further reinforces its significance. The universalities found in these works alike show a common base of the human being psyche, in that twain works were too indite in repartee to then-current world issues. Even though political significance has faded by in time, today there is still plenty debate surrounding the splendour of self-recognition in every culture. These works ca rry with them an insightful ethical message concerning how we ought to live as humanity.Although individualism and collectivism is core in dystopian literature, the writers convey these themes differently, each producing their own distinctive portrayal of red ink ambition g wholeness rogue. Ayn Rands Anthem and Yevgeny Zamyatins We economic consumption plot, characterization, setting, and symbolisation to show that the soullessness necessitated with collectivism and altruism is incompatible with human nature.CONTEXT twain(prenominal) works were likely pen as the authors ain criticism of the flaws of Marxist Russia and collectivism. Due to the varying nature of the authors personal backgrounds and experiences with Marxism, the treatments of the themes in the works are different. For this reason context is worthy of discussion.We was written by Yevgeny Zamyatin, a Russian engineer, in 1920-21 (Zamyatin). In 1917, Bolsheviks, a Marxist party, withalk control of Russia, finally e stablishing the USSR in 1922 (Colton). We is Zamyatins own warning of how then- proximo Marxist Russia would be like once the Bolsheviks were to actually reign. These ideas, which include the rationalization of industry and ambitions for space exploration both of which indeed, were or became realities are central to the work. Zamyatin himself was once a Bolshevik sooner betraying it, and is thus likely to pass on supported few Bolshevik ideas, since ideas such as space exploration and rationalization of labor are draw in positive light in We through the INTEGRAL and angiotensin converting enzymeStates technological advancement (Kukushkina).Ayn Rand, a Russian-born naturalized American citizen, wrote Anthem cardinal years after the Wes conceition. Like We, Anthem is Rands personal interpretation of sustained communism in the USSR. The USA, renowned for its principle of individual liberty is likely to arouse influenced Rand, who herself found Objectivism, a philosophy advo cating individualism, the importance of ego, while strongly opposing collectivism (Messenger). On objectivism, she statesMy philosophy is the concept of man as a heroic world, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute (About Objectivism).These ideas are reflected strongly in Anthem, which satirizes company in which productivity and reason are jilted in favor of communism.Rand and Zamyatins similarly Russian but different occupational backgrounds are referable to the works thematic similarities but different styles. Although both works caustic remark corporal rescript, We is written in a humorous and sardonic tone, while Anthems tone is dark and desolate. Zamyatins engineering-background, Bolshevik experience, and afterlife conflicts with the Bolsheviks enabled him to be to a greater extent than objective, contrary to Rands idealistic approach against collectivism, influenced by her background as a philosopher. Additionally, the works were written during different times. Wes earlier conception made the industrial alteration a more socially relevant issue, hence Wes industrially- progress setting. The momentum had likely already disappeared at Anthems conception.OPPRESSION OF THE SOUL AND EGOIndividualism is core in both We and Anthem, although they are represented differently, as soul and ego, respectively. two rowing de none the individual the sense of self that makes mountain human. twain works portray societies aimed at removing this soul and ego from its citizens in favor of altruistic collectivism, in which the people serve only one purpose to serve the corporate state.OneState is futuristic and technologically advanced. It stresses the importance of endowment and intelligence, shown through the prevalent motif of mathematics, and emphasis on the prestige of D-503s job as an engineer for the INTEGRAL. In OneState, humans in which rationalit y and talent is integral to their existence are made altruistic and use by OneState as mere tools for the good of the state, as instructn in these passagesEveryone who feels himself confident of doing so is required to compose treatises, epic poems, manifestos, odes, or early(a) compositions relations with the beauty and grandeur of OneState (Zamyatin 3).Zamyatins objectivity is seen in OneStates characterization as an anti-utopia rather than dystopia, as he acknowledges likelihood that then-current political conditions whitethorn accommodate rapid technological advancement, albeit with dark, dehumanizing repercussions. Dystopias and anti-utopias differ in that dystopias literally take to be bad place, whereas anti-utopia means an originally utopian place with a fatal flaw, and these differences are seen in the two contrasting settings (Dystopia).Zamyatins technologically advanced depiction of OneState alludes to the industrial conversion, which itself gave rise to communi sm with the rise of p constituenttarians. (Engels) With the industrial revolutions emphasis on productivity, humans in We are literally dehumanized and used as machines for the productivity of the state in order to fulfill this need. They are described as, Not men but some kind of tractors in human form (Zamyatin 182).Oppositely, Anthem make its in a dystopian, dark, nousually stunted future where technologies have been abandoned. This primitivism is instanced by hazards of discrepancy and prejudices associated with the presence of any form of intellectual- prizeity, as stated hereIt was non that the learning was too hard for us. It was that the learning was too easy It is not good to be different from our br new(prenominal)s, but it is evil to be superior to them (Rand 23).Rejection of intellect is ironic as it reverses what is perceived to be good in conventional norms, and serves to reinforce the dysfunctional nature of a collective society brought to its extreme.In the work s settings, the application of technological interruptment and intellect touch on how the sense of self is deprived. Despite contrasting dissimilarities in the technological setting of the works, both are due to societys false perceptions of what is good, and both dehumanize people into purely altruistic beings. Wes rationalization of labor and high value on utilitarian citizens eliminates D-503s granting immunity to regard humanly, dehumanizing him into mere force of productivity OneStates mathematician. Anthems heaviness of thought eliminates Prometheus identity as an individual someone with individual intellect, superiorities, and desires. Both works represented altruism as self-sacrifice and a tone ending of freedom and identity.Anthem and Wes settings differences are in like manner influenced by the authors personal views. Zamyatin believes that the state does not suffer from selflessness. In fact, the industrialization of human intellect leads into significant progres s, but the individuals who constitute for the state are the ones that suffer. Conversely, Rands noble-mindedness is expressed in her conveying altruism as fatal to both the state and its people.Although OneState encourages intellect and talent, imagination is prohibited, similar to Anthems barrier of innovation. ideas absence in OneState establishes a satirical paradox, which Zamyatin uses to notice its evacuation. Conventionally, imagination and creativity is necessary in the arts, but the opposite is authoritative in OneState, as said by D-503Why is the dance better-looking? Answer be gain it is non-free blendment, be pass water all the fundamental significance of the dance lies precisely in its aesthetic subjection, its ideal nonfreedom (Zamyatin 6).Imagination and innovation are incompatible with a collective society because they are strictly individual. Chopins compositions are eccentric to his own musical imagination, as Beethovens are to his own. Ones own sense of i magination or innovation cannot be shared with anothers and therefore moldiness be eliminated, as stated in this excerpt from Anthem in which Prometheus invention is abandonedWhat is not thought by all men cannot be unbent What is not done collectively cannot be good Many men in the Homes of the Scholars have had strange new ideas in the retiring(a) but when the majority of their brother Scholars voted against them, they abandoned their ideas, as all men must (Rand 73).Like Zamyatin, Rand censures collective society by constructing a case so absurdly opposing what humans typically define as good in this case, innovation.Like the arts, rigidity is also found in numerical names, which exist in both societies to ensure that individuals cannot be easily separate from each other. For example, D-503 would not be easily differentiated with another individual with a name D-504. Words connoting collectivity, such as Equality, and Union are selected for names with intentions of emphasiz ing the residents non-identities as an insignificant part of a collective society. Numbers are also meaningless and have no ties with emotions that whitethorn suggest any singularity, which opposes conventional belief that names are a part of mans own identity, and for that matter, his existence.Similarly, dealing with speech, censorship of names exists in Anthem. Words connoting individualism, such as ego and I are removed from their society to make thinking as an individual impossible. However, Prometheus eventual(prenominal) breakthrough of these obscure words is used to show how ego is too human to be stamp down that censorship would not workThe word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning of glory. The blessed word EGO (Rand 105).Imagination and innovation, which are incompatible with these societies, are suppressed in both We and Anthem through indoctrination. Imagination, which is equated to a soul, is deemed an illness in OneState, a nd Prometheus selfish desire to innovate in Anthem is considered a sin. absoluteness is equated to happiness in OneState, and D-503 ultimately rejects this idea. Equality is equated to happiness in Anthem, and Prometheus similarly rejects this idea when he disobeys the Councils schedules to pursue his own intellectual ventures. Imagination and innovation are shown to be instinctive, becoming catalysts for conflict in both works. This again places emphasis on how much innate human demeanor must be suppressed for collective societies to function, and how even so, this suppression is not sustainable.Although intellect is related to imagination, there is a significant difference amongst the two. While mathematical intellect is absolute and clearly defined, imagination lacks the absoluteness that is crucial for OneState to function. This absoluteness is reflected in the aforementioned description of the non-free dance. Both settings are strictly planned to ensure the predictability t hat is necessary for every member of society to be as one. OneStates residents, for example, begin and end their days at the same time, adjoin in complete unison each day, interest the plans set for them by the Table of Hours, similar to how Anthems residents also follow schedules set by the Councils.The system of regimented living is, however, flawed, shown when MEPHI revolutions occur in OneState. Systematic predictability conflicts with the unpredictability and spontaneity that are characteristic of humans. When the march during the typically unanimous reelection of the Benefactor is disturbed, chaos occurs in OneState. Slight discrepancies are amplified in an environment ill suited for impulsiveness. The guardians exist to reinforce regimentation, but they cannot with ease. This chaos shows how individualism cannot exist in a collective state, as collectivism necessitates everythings sameness, despite how different people really are. The revolution was accompanied by I-330s qu ote The number of revolutions is infinite, which reinforces the instability of such totalitarian states (Zamyatin 168).Because predictability and togetherness is needed in both societies, the rationing of sex and the elimination of love is necessitated. Use of in-vitro-fertilization in both societies removes the existence of families. In Anthem, for example, mouthful is a transgression, and everybody is referred to as brothers. Here, the word brother does not denote familial relationship, rather equality, since the word brother implies likeness to one another.As with other things, sex is also rationed and made technical in We with the use of pink tickets. The presence of quintuple sex partners in We serves to make sexual intercourse impersonal and non-exclusive. A monogamous sexual relationship is likely to cause love, which cannot exist in these societies where everyone belongs to each other because love can only occur between two selves. The absence of sex in Anthems society is significant, as despite its absence, libido remains extant. Gender sequestration is employed to control this, although this is found to be unsuccessful with Prometheus and germaniums relationship, which showed how such a system would be unsustainable.This removal of love and sexual practice from society contradicts with the conventional idea of happiness. Marriage and family are arguably demand for mental well-being. Like imagination and innovation, love is universal and found in every culture genetically predisposed and irremovable from human instinct. Zamyatin and Rand embellish how collective, loveless societies cannot exist, as love and sexuality are innately human and cannot be eliminated.Like imagination and innovation, the rejection of love in these societies contains an element of absurdity, which leads the readers into believe that collective society is absurd. Additionally, the excessive suppression of human character, which causes these societies to become unsustain able, also shows that collectivism has too many flaws to work correctly.FUTILITY OF PROGRESS AND SYMBOLISM OF quantifyEnlightenment philosopher Rousseau once said, Slaves lose everything in their chains, even the desire of escaping from them (Rousseau). Philosophers do not invent ideas, simply stating observations of human nature. It is thus significant to see how despite the centurial time gap between Zamyatin, Rand, and Rousseau, this very same philosophy is reverberateed in their works, indicating a universal perspective on human nature.The citizens are able to see clearly past the green besiege surrounding OneState, where nature has taken control. Despite the peoples sensory faculty of the out of doors world, they remain in OneState. Similarly, the Dark set in Anthem represents a time barrier back to the Unmentionable Times, in which residents can easily go past it, but do not contain to do so, as homely in this passageWe were in the chartless Forest. We had not thought of coming here, but our legs had carried our wisdom, and our legs had brought us to the Uncharted Forest against our will (Rand 75).Both works anticipate that censorship and general indoctrination would cause society to become so unfamiliar with their old, free pasts, that they will not desire their pasts even if they see it. The idle and content nature of the citizens mirror how the general Soviet populace during the time was, in actuality, supporting socialism.These emblematical time barriers allow irony in the plots. D-503s association with I-330 and rejection of OneState leads him out past the green wall into the MEPHI who themselves represent naturalness in their nudity. The woodwind in We represents a more primitive past, and D-503s desire to move into the timbre suggests that a without a soul, technological advancement would be superfluous and would all eventually go to waste.The stated passage from Anthem supports the idea that despite indoctrination, wisdom would ulti mately result in returning to the past. The forest in Anthem is the opposite of Wes. The hut where Prometheus and Gaea eventually condescend in signifies a more technologically advanced past and forgotten knowledge. Their ultimate escape to the technologically superior forest connotes that a collective society such as that found in Anthem would cause progress represented by technology to be backwards.The forests appropriateness as a symbol of the past is due to its direct relation with nature, which contrasts artificiality. These future dystopias are depict as socially unnatural and simulated, so it is expert for nature to signify what is natural and normal. Supported by symbolic juxtaposition of forests and artificial society, Anthem and We anticipates an ultimate return to normal, non-collective society, foreshadowed by the protagonists escapes from the collective societies in the works.Time alludes to human rediscovery. While We is placed in a setting over a millennium ahea d of time, Anthem is likely to have occurred earlier, since it is placed only after typical social systems are rejected in favor of collectivism. Historically, new economic philosophies tend to gain big top popularity in only two to three centuries. Modern capitalism, for example, gained momentum in the mid-eighteenth century and reached its peak popularity in the twentieth century (Peterson). Since Anthems society represents the peak of collectivism, its setting is unlikely to have been placed past the twenty-second century.The time settings relates to the social settings of the works. Anthems earlier society is shown to be generally content with the collective nature of their lives, because the state hasnt lived for long enough and the peoples repressed egos have as yet to reappear. Wes later society is shown to have had more time to become discontented, thus the existence of the MEPHI. Anthems plot and protagonist label the beginning of revolution, whereas Wes plot and protago nist is caught up in the warmheartedness of revolution. This trend establishes the fact that in time, the soul naturally becomes reestablished.DISINTEGRATION OF altruistic ATTITUDESThis very reestablishment of soul occurs in both We and Anthem as the works plot progresses. In fact, plot development in the works in the main concern the protagonists discovery of past ideas of freedom, individualism, love, and a concomitant rejection of societal collectivity in this enlightenment and realization of the incompatibilities of their egotistic desires with the constraints of their collective societies.We is written as a series of D-503s journal entries, originally mean to spread OneStates philosophies in their conquests of space exploration with the building of the INTEGRAL. D-503s personal pride as a mathematician for OneState is ironic considering his eventual betrayal of the state. Zamyatin employs this irony as means of describing how even the most loyal pursual of the state would eventually reject its ideas once enlightened. Anthem is similarly written using first-person narration to give personal insight into the development of their souls. However, the nature of the conflict differs greatly, which implicates the protagonists societal roles, and the works settings.Both protagonists in We and Anthem reject their communities because of a desire to be something they cannot be in their societies. These desires are shown to lift coinciding with their discovery of their souls or egos. In We, D-503s infatuation with I-330 and consequent links to the MEMPHI leads him into abandoning his loyalty to OneState. As I-330s reintroduces him to love and life outside OneState, he is essentially re-humanized as he develops an imagination and finds life to have more purpose than serving OneState. In Anthem, Prometheus initial unhappiness with his role as a street sweeper conflicts with his need to contribute to society.However, Gaeas relationship only re-humanizes Prometheu s partly. Instead, he is mainly reawakened through discovery of his sense of innovation. The plots are structured this way because for conflict to occur there must be an incompatibility between the protagonists and their societies. Both societies cannot accommodate humans with souls, and the souls are developed using love, imagination, and innovation. These motifs are used in the works for enlightenment, because they are predominant parts of normal society and are considered signalize parts of the individual soul. They are shown to be inherent as they develop naturally with interaction between chief characters.Women are used as catalysts for enlightenment in both works due the exclusively individualistic nature of intimate relationships. Names are also used symbolically in the female catalysts. Liberty and I denote freedom and identity operator, respectively. Both Gaea and I-330 possess individualistic traits and encourage individualism in the protagonists part. Gaea, however, i s more passive than I-330, who must give more effort to reestablish D-503s much-dormant soul, compared to Prometheus already apparent desire for self-worth. This encouragement of individualistic values is apparent in dialogue from both works, as such in anthem Your eyes, Gaea said, are not like the eyes of any among men (Rand 44), The statement acknowledges Prometheus difference from his brothers and marks the beginning of their relationship.OneState does not prohibit intersexual relationship. In fact, it presets them to exist, acknowledging sexual instincts inevitability. However, these relationships are kept strictly sexual. D-503s relationship with O-90 is non-romantic, as was his with I-330 initially. D-503 and O-90 only acknowledge each other as sexual products, and any singularity is disregarded with the presence of multiple sex partners.R-13 is used as an obstruction of exclusivity, which O-90 sees that D-503s functions can be substituted with R-13s, therefore disregarding an y singularity. I-330s relationship with D-503 is different in that her character is described as wild and rebellious distinctly different from other OneState residents and of a strong ego. I-330 acknowledges herself as a singular being one that wants D-503 as more than just a sexual being and through her D-503s dormant soul is reestablished. It is implied that only with the acknowledgement of individuality can love occur, which further emphasizes the importance of individuality for happiness, which is normally associated with love.D-503 and I-330 are a study of contrasts. D-503 represents OneStates ideals altruistic, intelligent, and socially beneficial. Contrariwise, I-330 represents the antithesis. Her association with the MEPHI, and her irrational nonconforming spirit of self-awareness, independence, and unrestraint expressed in her smoking and drinking, things deemed forbidden by OneState contradicts OneStates ideals. For this very reason, D-503 initially disdains her. Ho wever, as their relationship matures, D-503 does not change I-330s personality. Instead, the contrary occurs. This indicates that I-330s nature is more in line with human nature. She sees nothing in his nature that evokes a desire for self-reform, but he sees something in her that he comes to desire. Zamyatin shows that the dominant trait is the more human one, suggesting that the characters of individualism and independence are more human than selflessness and conformism.CONCLUSIONThe popularity of dystopian literature in the early twentieth century indicates a global panic of totalitarian states, in which individual freedom is seized that even the freedom to be human is lost to the state. Without doubt, this panic is a sensible one. The societies depicted in the dystopian novels, Anthem and We, where collectivity is rampant, and humans are without their souls and egos, are the aether of a repressive Hades.Whats striking is that aside from slight dissimilarities of style, setting , and situation surrounding enlightenment, both works use similar narration and plot based on the reestablishment of the soul and ego through love, imagination, and innovation, as well as use of females as catalysts for enlightenment. For one, these similarities indicate universality on the authors perspectives concerning human nature and the inevitability of individualism. Secondly, they raise the question of whether or not We may have, in fact, influenced Anthem, a possibility that warrants further investigation.As said, nothing is all black and white. By nature, humans are double-faceted. They are both individualistic and altruistic, and neither trait can be suppressed. D-503s patriotism and nationalism does dehumanize him, but his lack of individualism does. Prometheus innovation is based on both the altruistic desire to contribute to his society, and the need for self-recognition. The extreme collectivism in these works leads to profound introspection of the other end of the spectrum. Here, collectivism has gone unbridled, but how to the highest degree an individualistic nightmare, for a change? How about a world without We, but only an evil I cancerously devour mans own existence?BIBLIOGRAPHYPRIMARY SOURCESRand, Ayn. Anthem. New York first gear Plume Printing, 1999.Zamyatin, Yevgeny. We. Trans. Clarence Brown. New York Penguin Group, 1993.SECONDARY SOURCESAbout Objectivism. The Atlas Society. 11 parade 2008 .Colton, Timothy J. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Microsoft Student 2007 DVD . Redmond, WA Microsoft Corporation, 2006.Dystopia. 28 May 1998. Words at Random. 13 March 2008 .Engels, Frederick. The Communist Manifesto. October-November 1847. date Gutenberg. 22 April 2007 .Kukushkina, Tatyana. The Twists and Turns of Yevgeny Zamyatins Life. The Brilliant Disk (n.d.) 32-42.Messenger, Christian K. Ayn Rand. Microsoft Student 2007 DVD. Redmond, WA Microsoft Corporation, 2006.Peterson, Wallace C. Capitalism. Microsoft Student 2007 DVD. Redmond , WA Microsoft Corporation, 2006.Rousseau, Jean Jacques. Rousseau Social Contract Book 1. piece of music Society. 11 March 2008 .