“Anthem is a dystopian fiction novella written by Russian-born American writer Ayn Rand. It was written in 1937 and first published in 1938 in England. The story takes place at an unspecified future date when mankind has entered another Dark Age. In this dark world, the concept of individuality has been eliminated. So, a young man known as Equality 7-2521, rebels against the State by doing secret scientific research. When his activity is discovered, however, he flees into the wilderness and is followed by Liberty 5-3000, a woman he loves. Together they plan to establish a new society based on rediscovered individualism.”

“What is Ayn Rand’s Anthem About?” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 November 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthem_(novella)

In Anthem men are not permitted to think for themselves. The state controls people’s minds (not just their bodies) and “all first-person singular pronouns have been expunged from the language;” especially the word “I,” which becomes an “unmentionable word.” Since, discovering and speaking these prohibited words is strictly punished. By an agonizing death. For example, one of the novel’s characters is burned alive for saying “I”. Evidently, this character loses his life for speaking out against the regime; against Anthem’s fully collectivized dictatorship. Since, in this world, being different from one’s brothers is an unpardonable transgression. Since, men, in this society must think of themselves as “we.” As a mere cog in the novel’s collective machine.

In sum, Anthem is a novel that condemns collectivists of whatever variety. Particularly, when these autocrats seize control of human society.