Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Are the characters in Anthem too idealized to be believable? Can you relate to any of them?
- What do you think ultimately drives Equality 7-2521? What is most important to him? Is it his own happiness, as he says it is?
- Anthem was originally rejected for publication by the editors at McMillan Press because they said Rand "failed to understand socialism." Do you agree with them, or disagree? Why?
- Is Ayn Rand's depiction of "collectivism" too satirical or absurd to be threatening? Is it an effective critique?
- Does the philosophical nature of Anthem undermine or strengthen it as a work of literature? Is it possible to appreciate Anthem as a work of literature without agreeing with it as a work of philosophy?
- Is Anthem convincing in its attempt to present the human ego as an object worthy of reverence?
- Is there an "argument" for egoism in Anthem? And do you yourself find the egoism Equality 7-2521 adopts compelling? Why or why not?
- Is Randian egoism the same as what we ordinarily call "selfishness," or is it something different? Is Equality 7-2521 a selfish character?
- Does Ayn Rand promote any other values in Anthem besides egoism? Is it possible to agree with some of its moral message while rejecting the egoism?
- Does one have to choose between "egoism" and "collectivism," as Ayn Rand seems to suggest? Or are there positions in between those two? What would they look like?
- Is Anthem still relevant today? Why or why not?