our society and around the world today.
Directions: Please read and review part II of Anthem by Ayn Rand, pages 38-51. Next, compose a blog response using at 2-3 of the questions below as a guide and 2-3 direct quotations in your response. Remember to read each other’s comments and have a discussion. Note: If you see a number of your classmates writing about a particular question, please choose a different one. Lets try to cover everything as a class! I look forward to your responses.
- What does Equality mean when he says, "They"?
- Who is Liberty and what does she do?
- What is a Transgression of Preference? How did Equality commit such a transgression or transgressions?
- What is the Time of Mating? Why does Equality think of being sent to the Palace of Mating as being a "shameful matter"?
- How are children raised in Equality's society?
- Why doesn't Liberty want Equality to be one of her brothers?
- Why does Equality care about Liberty's age?
- What is wrong with Equality's brothers?
- Why is Equality afraid of the Uncharted Forest?
- What are the Unmentionable Times?
- What is the punishment for speaking the Unspeakable Word?
Sophia Lakos
ReplyDeleteLiberty is short for Liberty 5-3000 which is her code. Equality had noticed her, and since she is a women they are seperated and she works in the soil. She is said to have golden hair and dark eyes which stuck out to Equality. She lives in Home of the peasants beyond the city.
If they speak of the unspoken word they are put to death. As a reader we do not yet know what that word is but I think it is “I” or “Me” because they are not supposed to be thought of as individuals. In the beginning of the book Equality mentions a greater punishment which makes me think he had said the unspoken word.
Equality is worried about Liberties age because she is 17. Which means she is going to go the the mating palace next year. Equality does not want her to go because he is catching feelings for her which he should not be able to do. Liberty is also falling for Equality.
Jayden Cho
Delete10/8/18
In your second paragraph you say that the unspoken word might be "I" or "Me" and although this is not said in the book, I think this is just a word that is not known in their language/vocabulary. I think it might be a emotional word like "passion", "Love", or something along the lines of this since preference/emotion is against their law and is a punishable crime.
Peyton Levental
ReplyDelete1. What is a Transgression of Preference? How did Equality commit such a transgression or transgressions?
Transgression means an act that goes against the law and a preference is what you personally want. One way Equality commits Transgression of Preference is by "communicating" with a woman. In his town it is not allowed to talk or even make notice of the opposite gender but Equality does this anyway. What he would do is lift his hand up to his forehead, so other people thought he was only blocking out the sun, and slowly lower his hand down. Liberty would do this too. This was their own way of communicating and no one so far thinks anything of it.
What is wrong with Equality's brothers?
2. Equality talks about his different brothers in the street sweepers home. He says one of them named Fraternity, who has kind eyes but cries suddenly without any reasoning. Equality also talks about Solidarity who seems to be bright, youthful, and happy but in the middle of the night would scream "Help us!" (47). And of course doctors cannot help him because the doctors do not know more than anyone else could. They all seem to be silently in pain and struggling with their own lives but are not aloud to say.
Frankie Huntress
ReplyDelete1.how are children raised in equality society
in there society the children never see there parents and the mother never sees the child."women never see there children and children there know who there parents are."when children leave the house of the infants they are put into school where everyone is supposed to have the same level of education and every night they say a pledge to there brothers then when they leave school they are put into a job assigned to them.
2.why does equality care about liberties age
equality cares about liberties age because he does not want her to go to the mating palace."we did not want her to go to the palace of mating.
Jayden Cho
ReplyDelete10/5/18
1. The transgression of preference is mentioned many times throughout the book, and Equality explains it by saying, “We preferred some work and some lessons to the others. We did not listen well to the history of all the Councils elected since the Great Rebirth. But we loved the Science of Things.”(Pg 23.)” The transgression of preference can be many things, from liking some subjects rather than others to liking a specific person. This is not allowed in Equality’s society because everyone should be kind to everyone in the same way, and also should pay attention to all subjects. Equality breaks this transgression many times throughout the story. He admits in the beginning that he prefers some subjects, and also says he prefers his friend International than his other brothers, “International 4-8818 and we are friends. This is an evil thing to say, for it is a transgression, the great Transgression of Preference, to love any among men better than the others, since we must love all men better than the others, since we must love all men and all men are our friends.” Equality has already experienced breaking the transgression multiple times in the story, but has never experienced any feelings/emotions to any women in the story until he met Liberty, the “Golden One.” You can tell Equality has trouble dealing with this, for he doesn’t know of this emotion which is just natural for a human being.
2. Children are raised very differently than our society, and is similar and different in some ways with the Giver but completely different with human society today. First of all, when men and women turn 18 they must go to the “Mating palace” every year, although would not stay with their children and would never know about them. The children from the age of 5 start going to school for another 10 years, and sleep, eat, and more there. The school’s education teach very basic studies of Science, History, and more. However, their education is taught wrong on purpose from a young age which sticks with them until they pass away. For example, in science class they learn about the Earth as the center of the universe, all planets and suns orbiting around it, the Earth is flat, and more. Their history is also very different, for they learn about all councils elected since the great rebirth, and have no actual true history taught to them unlike our world today. The children from the beginning are raised to love all, and to not be selfish and think only about themselves. This is slightly similar to the class in the Giver called “Abnegation” which strives to be selfless and share everything with everyone. Equality’s society is basically the same thing except they took it to the next level and removed phrases and pronouns like “I”, “Me”, and more singular pronouns.
3. All of Equality’s brothers seem to have something different about themselves, and upon closer look it seems that they are all just normal human disabilities/illnesses. It seems like everyone in this dystopian society have some trait different than others, and Equality’s is just one of the more important ones for he is almost more “enlightened” and understands more than the others. This is important for he understands and learns quicker than the others, and realizes although doesn’t know at the moment that there are many things wrong with society.
Lucas Kaufman
ReplyDelete1. What are the Unmentionable Times?
In Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”, the society described by Rand came into being after the “great fighting, in which many men fought on one side and only a few on the other.” (48). In the aftermath of this great fighting, the society of the Unmentionable Times was destroyed and the people who still believed in it slaughtered. I believe the Unmentionable Times are our current society, or maybe the society of the early 20th century due to when the novel was written. I think the whole book is a warning by Ayn Rand about what could happen if the world ever fell into the wrong hands. People like the Nazis, the Soviet Union, they may have created an “extremist-collectivist” society not far off from Equality’s world had they won their respective wars against the United States and our allies.
2. What is the Time of Mating? Why does Equality think of being sent to the Palace of Mating as being a "shameful matter"?
Since the society in “Anthem” has eradicated families (they would cause violations to the Transgression of Preference) and is not technologically advanced enough for test tube babies, babies are produced through an event called the Time of Mating, which occurs each spring. All men over twenty and women over eighteen are sent to the Palace of Mating for one night, where all men are assigned a woman and required to mate with them. There are many things in this society that I personally view as horrible and unthinkable in today’s society, or at least in this part of the world. The Palace of Mating is basically a bunch of men and women being sent into a building and told to mate, without any prior knowledge of one another. The mating is most likely unprotected, and we don’t know how clean the chambers are, or even if there are separate chambers. The worst part is that because nobody has individual will, everyone is okay with this horror because, “how [can men not be happy] when they live for their brothers?” (45). Because of all this, I can see why Equality would view such a thing as ugly and shameful.
Drew Wachtel
ReplyDeleteWho is Liberty and what does she do?
Liberty is a female that Equality likes and she lives in the house of the peasants. She works in the fields gardening and planting new plants. She is 17 years old. Equality thinks that Liberty likes him as well but you are not allowed to have a crush on the other gender in this society. Liberty has long blonde hair and her eyes are “Are not like the eyes of any other men.”
2) What are the Unmentionable Times?
I think the Unmentionable times are the time were there was a big war that divided the world and everybody wanted to have power. I think that this happened because they eliminated the word I in the English langue. Also I think that there might have been a big issue that the people might have been arguing about that divided the world because the world doesn’t go through that big or a change without a big issue that people may have been fighting over.
Evan Brenner
ReplyDelete1. Why is Equality afraid of the Uncharted Forest?
Equality is afraid of the Uncharted Forest because men usually never enter the forest. There is no path to explore it and no path to lead among the ancient trees. “It is whispered that once or twice in a hundred years, one among the men of the city escape alone and run into the Uncharted Forest, without call or reason. These men do not return. They perish from hunger and from the claws of the wild beasts which roam the forest” (48). Personally if I ever heard this story I would never go near the forest.
2. What is the Time of Mating? Why does Equality think of being sent to the Palace of Mating as being a "shameful matter"?
The time of mating is a place when all men older than 20 and all women older than 18 are sent for one night to the City Palace of Mating. Each men are assigned to a women by the Council of Eugenics. “Children are born each winter, but women never see their children and children never know their parents” (41). This is such a sad thing. I feel like you can’t even be a child without learning how to grow up with your parents. Equality thinks being sent to the Palace of Mating is a “shameful matter” because you never get to see your children or your mate.
3. Why does Equality care about Liberty's age?
Equality cares about Liberty’s age because he does not want her to be sent to the House of Mating. Liberty is 17 years old and at 18 years you go to the House of Mating. “You are beautiful, Liberty -53000” (42). This may also mean that Equality likes Liberty and he doesn’t want her to leave.
Lucas Kaufman
DeleteIn your second paragraph, you said Equality 7-2521 thinks of the Time of Mating as "ugly and shameful" because you never get to know your child or their mother/father (depending on your gender). This is certainly true, but when thinking about what the Palace of Mating really is, you see how dirty a bunch of guys being told to mate with women they've never met really is. We don't even know whether each couple have their own room, or just a bunch of people mating in one giant room.
Jayden Cho
Delete10/8/18
I agree with Lucas how the Palace of Mating is such a dirty thing. To make a comparison, they are treated like animals and in some ways even worse. Although this is a way to not have any problems with population decreases, this is a very unnatural situation and can't be even thought in the society we live in now.
ReplyDeleteJulia Campbell
Unmentionable Times
I interpret the unmentionable times as a conflict between people that supported individuality and those who were not, therefore the removal of it. Equality knows that something is missing from his life, “There is some word, one single word which is not in the language of men…”. This word that he is referring to is probably I or me.
How are children raised in Equality’s society?
The kids in Equality’s society are raised in groups of one hundred separated by gender in the hall of infants until they are 5 years old. From years 5-15 The children spend their time in the hall of students. During this time the students repeat the anthem every day, probably not understanding what they're actually saying, much like our pledge of allegiance.
What is wrong with equality’s brothers?
I read the problem with equality’s brothers as Equality’s jealousy because of the dialogue between him and liberty. I believe that Equality is jealous of his brothers because it is more likely that one of them will go to the house of mating with liberty “...we felt our lips drawn tight with hatred, a sudden hatred for all our brother men.”. Another instance in which it looked like Equality was different from his problematic brothers is when liberty says that he is different from them. I think that Equality’s brothers are a problem because they haven't been able to step out of the cave and recognize that there is a troubling problem with their society.
Abhi Sharma
ReplyDeleteWhy is Equality afraid of the Uncharted Forest?
Equality is afraid of the forest because some people run off for no reason. They do not return back from the forest. Some people perish from hunger or get slayed by the beasts. But the council say it is a legend some believe it is not a legend.
1. Liberty 5-3000 is a women that Equality likes. This is bad for the people in the boom are not aloud to love someone. Just like they are not aloud to have best friends they have to hold everybody in the same regards. He has given her a name “the golden one.”I think this is to single her out from all the rest and is saying that she is the best women. This is not allowed in the society the book takes place in. I think Liberty has “feelings” for Equality. She asked him “Are the street sweepers sent to different parts of the city.” I think that she is asking that because she doesn't want Equality to go away.
ReplyDelete2. I think Equality is afraid of the Uncharted Forest because it is the unknown. I think all humans are afraid of the unknown but in Equality's case I think he doesn't know any better. In this society the government controls everything so I think from a very young age they are taught that the uncharted forest is bad. He has not been in the forest, know one has so he is just afraid of the unknown. I think that is just normal people are just afraid of the unknown.
Why is Equality afraid of the Uncharted Forest?
ReplyDeleteEquality is afraid of the Uncharted Forest because people who go into the forest don’t come back out. “It is whispered that once or twice in a hundred years, one among the men of the city escape alone and run into the Uncharted Forest, without call or reason. These men do not return. They perish from hunger and from the claws of the wild beasts which roam the forest” (48). This quote helps to show that the uncharted forest is not the type of place that the uncharted forest is a scary place and no one wants to go there.
What is the Time of Mating? Why does Equality think of being sent to the Palace of Mating as being a "shameful matter"?
The time of mating is when all men that are older than 20 and all women that are older than 18 are sent to the house of mating Each man is assigned to a woman by the Council of Eugenics. “Children are born each winter, but women never see their children and children never know their parents”
This Is Gannon
DeleteWhat is the Time of Mating? Why does Equality think of being sent to the Palace of Mating as being a "shameful matter"?
ReplyDeleteThe Time of Mating was when the men over 20 and the women over 18 go to the palace of mating and are paired off for one night. All babies are born in the winter and never get to see their parents. Equality has been to the Palace of Mating twice before (which tells us his age) but he does not like the palace. “Twice have we been sent to the Palace of Mating, but it is an ugly and shameful matter, of which we do not like to think.”(pg. 41) He sees the Palace of Mating as unethical and not something to be proud of. Having everyone being paired up and spending one night together and then having their baby being born and not even getting to know it. It also seems that the parents of the baby don’t get married, and just come back again the next year, and probably get paired up with someone else. It’s immoral.
Why does Equality care about Liberty's age?
Equality cares about Liberty’s age because he knows if she is 18 or older she will be eligible to go to the Palace of mating. Equality does not approve of the palace of mating. “Seventeen,’ they whispered. And we sighed, as if a burden had been taken away from us, for we had been thinking without reason of the Palace of Mating. And we thought we would not let the Golden One be sent to the Palace.”(pg. 44) He feels that the Palace is a shameful matter and even if she could go he knows he won’t get paired up with her. He feels relieved when she Liberty can’t go. He feels that it buys him time to get her out of it.
What is the punishment for speaking the Unspeakable Word?
In the book, the word ‘I’ is never written. The characters are not allowed to say first person personal pronouns. The book is written in 1st person but all the ‘I’s are changed to ‘we’ this is not changed only in their words but in their thoughts. One man in the book is put to a flaming death for speaking the word once, and it is considered the Great Transgression and it’s the only thing that can be punishable by death. I think Equality and Liberty came close though when they said, “What is your name?’ ‘Equality 7-2521,’ we answered. ‘You are not one of our brothers..” (pg. 43) The unspeakable word is ‘I’ and I think ‘you’ in this context would not be allowed. The word ‘I’ was taken away from their language to take away ego and selfishness.
ReplyDeleteDavis Blanch
1.Why is Equality afraid of the Uncharted Forest?.
Equality is afraid of the uncharted forest because he has heard that people that go into the forest never come out and that there are beasts that will attack you if you go in. “These men do not return. They perish from hunger and from the claws of the wild beasts which roam the forest”.
2.why does equality care about liberties age
Equality cares about liberties age because she is currently 17 years old but she has to go to the palace of mating when she is 18 and equality is trying to figure a way of preventing her from going because he is starting to catch feelings for her.
Mitch Keamy
ReplyDeleteWhen equality says ‘they’ he refers to the women whom he is forbidden to take notice of. Liberty 5-3000 is the only woman that equality thinks of, she is a soil worker who lives in the home of the peasants. A transgression of preference is to talk to men of the other trades. The time of mating is when men over the age of twenty and women over the age of 18 are sent to the city palace of mating and… mate. Children are born in the winter, no parent is allowed to know who their child is, and no child is allowed to know who their parents are.