First Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, now Anthem by Ayn Rand.
I didn't exactly mean to read it all in one sitting before going to bed last night. It just sort of...happened. But I'm ahead of myself...
Yesterday Mom and I were on the way home from the Post Office and the library, and she said, "Ok, we're listening to Anthem." (backstory: Instead of doing book reports, Mom and I take turns choosing classics to listen to in the car and we discuss them.) So we did. And it was fascinating. It's written from the point of view of Equality 7-2521, a man part of a communist world. Everyone exists for the good of all. There is no individuality. The word "I" is non-existent.
I (Tasha) was hooked.
When I got home, I immediately scanned the library and found the paperback. That night, as already revealed, I read the whole thing. That's pretty special. Yes, it may be considered only a 'novella' by some, but I haven't read like that in a long time. It was...awesome. I almost cried when reading a lot of the parts with Liberty 5-3000. AND it had a happy ending. Well, not happy per se, but hopeful. Again, a lot like Fahrenheit 451. Not completely happy, but hopeful.
One note: at the end with all the ego parts, I disagreed with some of the conclusions that Ayn Rand came to, mostly because I'm a Christian and she was an atheist. Let me explain....
*here be spoilers*
At the end, Ayn Rand comes to this conclusion: "And now I see the face of god, and I raise this god over the earth, this god whom men have sought since men came into being, this god who will grant them joy and peace and pride. This god, this one word: 'I.'"
I (Tasha...) agree with Ayn Rand that individual freedom is indispensable and that the rights of "the many" should not be placed ahead of the rights of the individual, but I cannot agree that 'I' am a god. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can give me peace and joy. Only God can make us complete. Only the God of the Bible is God. He is the only great I Am.
*spoilers be over*
So to close: look upon that dark society well. Unless individual rights are embraced and protected (especially Second Amendment rights, but that's another topic for another time) we will become like that. Only part of a collective. A Borg lost in a sea of never-ending cubes. A slave to society. Never to be regarded as an individual.
"I guard my treasures: my thought, my will, my freedom. And the greatest of these is freedom." -Ayn Rand
8 musings:
I'm going to have to check out this one. I read "The Fountainhead" by this author and really enjoyed it!!!
Huh, I haven't heard of this one. I love dystopian novels too.
I know it's not technically a dystopian novel, but have you read "Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier?
Must. Read. Both. NOW! I love dystopias for some odd reason.
PDP: I'm planning to read that book eventually, too.
Somnite: No, I haven't. I'll have to track that one down and read it.
Edge: Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent Dystopia as well. Plus, it's about books.
Excellent review. I'm so proud of you. What should we audio-read next?
PftF: Thanks Mommy!
Hmmm...I'm not sure. Maybe we should do another Jane Austen.
I just added this book to a list of Books-I-Really-Must-Read-As-Soon-As-Possible. Ayn Rand fascinates me. I, too, disagree with her on a lot of issues (I'm a Christian, too!), but some of her ideas are really quite interesting. When I took an Intro to Ethics class last semester, I had to do a paper on her selfishness = survival theory. Interesting indeed.
Anyway, excellent review. I can't WAIT to read this book -- I loved Fahrenheit 451.
Have you read Orwell's "1984"? That and his "Animal Farm" (a quick read!! another one-nighter!) are two of my favorite books.
MMSG: No, I haven't read 1984, but it was a stocking gift from my mom (I actually picked it out, ha ha...) so it's on my to-read shelf.
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