One set per chapter. Each has several discussion questions and 1-2 excerpts for analysis. This resource was written with collaborative groups in mind, but it could serve other functions (e.g., individual reading support).
If you are looking for final discussion questions for the entire novella, jump to the bottom of this post.
AnthemDiscussion Questions by Chapter (PDF)
ANTHEM - Discussion Questions by Chapter
Options:
Cut and paste discussion prompts from the list below.
Download the discussion questions files. Includes customizable format and answer key.
Use the complete Anthem Unit Bundle which includes these sets.
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 1
- What conclusions might you form about a society that assigns names like Equality 7-2521, Union 5-3992, and International 4-8818?
- How does Equality feel when he receives his job assignment? How should he feel?
- Why does Equality feel so strongly about hiding the existence of the train tunnel from the very first moments of its discovery?
- Equality explains that spending time alone is “the great transgression and the root of all evil.” Why would the people of the society hold such a view?
- Wordsworth wrote, “The child is father to the man.” Describe the raising of children in the collective society of Anthem. What life-long psychological effects might result?
- Anthem illustrates a hypothetical approach to transitioning individuals from infancy into adulthood. Are there any similarities between this imagined approach and our real society?
- Interpret the meaning and purpose behind the credo of the World Council.
- What would be the best and worst aspects of living in the collective society?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 1:
But we must never speak of the times before the Great Rebirth, else we are sentenced to three years in the Palace of Corrective Detention. It is only the Old Ones who whisper about it in the evenings, in the Home of the Useless. They whisper many strange things, of the towers which rose to the sky, in those Unmentionable Times, and of the wagons which moved without horses, and of the lights which burned without flame. But those times were evil. And those times passed away, when men saw the Great Truth which is this: that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together. (19-20)
From Chapter 1:
… The evil of our crime is not for the human mind to probe. The nature of our punishment, if it be discovered, is not for the human heart to ponder. Never, not in the memory of the Ancient Ones’ Ancients, never have men done that which we are doing.
And yet there is no shame in us and no regret. We say to ourselves that we are a wretch and a traitor. But we feel no burden upon our spirit and no fear in our heart. And it seems to us that our spirit is clear as a lake troubled by no eyes save those of the sun. And in our heart—strange are the ways of evil!—in our heart there is the first peace we have known in twenty years. (36-37)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 2
- When Equality first sees Liberty 5-3000, he experiences a “pain more precious than pleasure.” (39) What does he mean? Can you explain this sentiment (feeling)?
- Why do you think Equality feels compelled to rename Liberty 5-3000?
- How do you think the Council of Eugenics decides which men and women will procreate?
- The Home Council holds that everyone is happy because they live to server their “brothers and sisters.” What details suggest that the citizens are actually miserable?
- Describe Rand’s use of language in the section where Equality first meets Liberty 5-3000.
- What connections can you make between the Uncharted Forest, the Evil Ones, and the Unmentionable Times?
- How would you characterize Equality? What are his characteristics and/or traits?
- Why do you think the society only uses the death penalty on those who have spoken the Unspeakable Word? What might the word be?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 2:
And there it was that we saw Liberty 5-3000 walking along the furrows. Their body was straight and thin as a blade of iron. Their eyes were dark and hard and glowing, with no fear in them, no kindness and no guilt. Their hair was golden as the sun; their hair flew in the wind, shining and wild, as if it defied men to restrain it. They threw seeds from their hand as if they deigned to fling a scornful gift, and the earth was a beggar under their feet.
We stood still; for the first time did we know fear, and then pain. And we stood still that we might not spill this pain more precious than pleasure. (38-39)
From Chapter 2:
As the flames rose, a thing happened which no eyes saw but ours, else we would not be living today. Perhaps it had only seemed to us. But it seemed to us that the eyes of the Transgressor had chosen us from the crowd and were looking straight upon us. There was no pain in their eyes and no knowledge of the agony of their body. There was only joy in them, and pride, a pride holier than is fit for human pride to be. And it seemed as if these eyes were trying to tell us something through the flames, to send into our eyes some word without sound. And it seemed as if these eyes were begging us to gather that word and not to let it go from us and from the earth. But the flames rose, and we could not guess the word…. (50-51)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 3
- How is it possible that the scientific knowledge of the past (the Unmentionable Times) is unknown to the Council of Scholars? What happened?
- What are some of the experiments that Equality has conducted? How much time does he have to work each night? How long do you think Equality has been following this routine?
- Equality’s tone (attitude) about his crimes changes in Chapter 3. Describe the change using examples from his own words.
- Make a prediction. What will happen if Equality continues on his “evil” path?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 3:
No single one can possess greater wisdom than the many Scholars who are elected by all men for their wisdom. Yet we can. We do. We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is still to be learned! So long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone! (54)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 4
- Equality and Liberty form an instant connection. Are they uniquely suited to make this connection, or might other members of the society connect under similar circ*mstances?
- Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” (At that moment Juliet is arguing that Romeo’s last name does not matter to her.) What do you think? How important are people’s names?
- Naming is an important motif in Anthem. What names do Liberty and Equality give one another? What is the relevance of this act? Why not keep the assigned names?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 4:
… they rose and they held the water out to our lips.
We do not know if we drank that water. We only knew suddenly that their hands were empty, but we were still holding our lips to their hands, and that they knew it, but did not move.
We raised our head and stepped back. For we did not understand what had made us do this, and we were afraid to understand it.
And the Golden One stepped back, and stood looking upon their hands in wonder. (57-8)
RELATED POST: ANTHEM UNIT PLAN
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 5
- What does Equality plan to do with his discovery of the electric light? What do his intentions say about his character?
- Why does Equality describe the glowing wire as “a crack in the wall of a prison”? (59-60) What does this word choice signify?
- What does Equality think will happen when he presents his achievement to the World Council of Scholars? What do you think will happen?
- Why do you think Equality takes a newfound interest in his body and appearance?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 5:
… We care not about our body, but our light is…
Yes, we do care. For the first time do we care about our body. For this wire is as a part of our body, as a vein torn from us, glowing with our blood. Are we proud of this thread of metal, or of our hands which made it, or is there a line to divide these two? (61)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 6
- What excuses might the Council of the Home have accepted for Equality’s late arrival? Why does Equality decide against lying to them?
- Equality believes that his achievements will grant him impunity (no punishment), so why does he refuse to explain his actions to the judges? Does this decision make sense to you?
- Equality basically walks out of prison and frees himself. How can we explain this?
- What clues from Chapter 6 show that the society does not reflect a state true equality?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 6:
Tomorrow, in the full light of day, we shall take our box, and leave our tunnel open, and walk through the streets to the Home of the Scholars. We shall put before them the greatest gift ever offered to men. We shall tell them the truth. We shall hand to them, as our confession, these pages we have written. We shall join our hands to theirs, and we shall work together, with the power of the sky, for the glory of mankind. Our blessing upon you, our brothers! Tomorrow, you will take us back into your fold and we shall be an outcast no longer. … (67)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 7
- What does Equality mean when he says, “We are old now, yet we were young this morning when we carried our glass box through the streets of the city…”? (68)
- What evidence from Chapter 7 demonstrates that citizens of the society are not equal?
- Imagine that you time-traveled back 500 years and showed current technologies to the people. What technologies might you present and what reactions might they elicit?
- By the end of Chapter 7, Equality imagines that he will soon die in the Uncharted Forest. What do you predict for the rest of this story?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 7:
“This would wreck the Plans of the World Council,” said Unanimity 2-9913, “and without the Plans of the World Council the sun cannot rise. It took fifty years to secure the approval of all the Councils for the Candle, and to decide upon the number needed, and to re-fit the Plans so as to make candles instead of torches. This touched upon thousands and thousands of men working in scores of States. We cannot alter the Plans again so soon.” (74)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 8
- When Equality wakes in the forest, his emotional state has changed. Describe the change and suggest reasons for the reversal.
- Describe the connection that Equality feels between his physical self and his internal self. What moments from the chapter illustrate this connection?
- Equality feels that he lacks the words to express his current state of mind. List some of the words or ideas for which he may be searching.
- Rand tells the story through Equality’s journal. What other points of view might she have used to tell the story? What impact does the journaling point of view have on the telling?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 8:
Then we took our glass box, and we went on into the forest. We went on, cutting through the branches, and it was as if we were swimming through a sea of leaves, with the bushes as waves rising and falling and rising around us, and flinging their green sprays high to the treetops. The trees parted before us, calling us forward. The forest seemed to welcome us. We went on, without thought, without care, with nothing to feel save the song of our body. (79)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 9
- At this point the novella, we gain a fuller understanding of Liberty 5-3000. How would you describe her? What are her characteristics / traits?
- Liberty knew in her soul that it was time to break away and join Equality in his “damnation.” How does anyone know when it is time to defy the larger community?
- Equality spends much of his time in the forest thinking about the society that he left behind. What conclusions does he reach?
- Are life’s greatest joys and achievements mainly experienced alone or shared with others?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 9:
They looked upon us, and their voice was low, but there was bitterness and triumph in their voice.
“Your eyes are as a flame, but our brothers have neither hope nor fire. Your mouth is cut of granite, but our brothers are soft and humble. Your head is high, but our brothers cringe. You walk, but our brothers crawl. We wish to be damned with you, rather than blessed with all our brothers. Do as you please with us, but do not send us away from you.” (82-83)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 10
- What do you think drives Equality to face the unknown and the elements to travel so far?
- In what ways is Rand’s hypothetical relationship between Liberty and Equality sexist?
- Do you think it is possible that humanity could regress (go backward) so profoundly in terms of individual freedom, science, and technology? Explain your view.
- At the end of Chapter 10, Equality wonders about his life’s purpose. What do you predict?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 10:
And now we look upon the earth and sky. This spread of naked rock and peaks and moonlight is like a world ready to be born, a world that waits. It seems to us it asks a sign from us, a spark, a first commandment. We cannot know what word we are to give, nor what great deed this earth expects to witness. We know it waits. It seems to say it has great gifts to lay before us, but it wishes a greater gift for us. We are to speak. We are to give its goal, its highest meaning to all this glowing space of rock and sky. (92-93)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 11
- Rand implies the meaning behind her novella’s title in Chapter 11. What is the meaning?
- What is the purpose of life according to Equality? Do you agree?
- Equality concludes that he has no responsibility to other people and that they have no responsibility to him. Do you agree with this point of view? Explain.
- One notable element of Anthem is Rand’s use of tone, the attitude toward a subject as revealed through the language. Choose one excerpt where tone shines through and analyze how Rand creates it.
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 11:
I know not if this earth on which I stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity. I know not and I care not. For I know what happiness is possible to me on earth. And my happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose. (95)
ANTHEM Discussion Questions Chapter 12
- Why do you think Equality chooses the names Prometheus and Gaia? What are the connections? (You may need to do a bit of research for this.)
- Based solely on Anthem, what might be Rand’s views regarding romantic love?
- Try to imagine how the collective society came to exist after the Unmentionable Times. How might this transition have occurred?
- One of the main criticisms of Anthem surrounds the role of Liberty 5-3000. What do you think about this character? What purpose does she serve in the narrative?
- It is not surprising that Rand, a professional writer, believes in the power of words. In her speculative setting, the World Council controls people through words and Equality frees himself with words. What do you think? Do words hold such power?
- Who will win? Will the World Council continue to rule, or will Equality’s plan succeed?
- Many reject Anthem’s messages as immoral and totally wrong-headed. What do you think?
EXCERPT ANALYSIS: What makes the excerpt important or interesting? You might analyze imagery, theme, symbol, word choice, characterization, plot / conflict, or point of view.
From Chapter 12:
“… There was a time when each man had a name of his own to distinguish him from all other men. So let us choose our names. I have read of a man who lived many thousands of years ago, and of all the names in these books, his is the one I wish to bear. He took the light of the gods and he brought it to men, and he taught men to be gods. And he suffered for his deed as all bearers of light must suffer. His name was Prometheus.”
“It shall be your name,” said the Golden One.
“And I have read of a goddess,” I said, “who was the mother of the earth and of all the gods. Her name was Gaea. Let this be your name, my Golden One, for you are to be the mother of a new kind of gods.” (98-99)
From Chapter 12:
At first, man was enslaved by the gods. But he broke their chains. Then he was enslaved by the kings. But he broke their chains. He was enslaved by his birth, by his kin, by his race. But he broke their chains. He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights which neither god nor king nor other men can take away from him, no matter what their number, for his is the right of man, and there is no right on earth above this right. And he stood on the threshold of the freedom for which the blood of the centuries behind him had been spilled. (101-102)
Anthem Discussion Questions (whole book)
Here are some final discussion questions / essential questions to use after finishing the book (book club style).
- The society in Anthem is governed by strict collectivist principles. How does this society limit personal freedom and individuality? Do you see any potential benefits in such a society?
- In the story of your life, what was your “tunnel?” Did you ever have an experience or discovery that permanently set your life down a different path?
- Which of Rand’s messages elicits the most vehement response from you personally? (You might agree vehemently or disagree vehemently.) Explain.
- In the society depicted in Anthem, personal relationships are evil, shameful, and forbidden. How does this compare to our own society’s views on love and relationships?
- The Council of Scholars suppresses scientific and intellectual progress. Does this relate to any real-world instances of suppressing knowledge or inhibiting intellectual freedom?
- Anthem explores the concept of “freedom from” and “freedom to.” How does this distinction play out in the text? Do you think one form of freedom is more important than the other?
- Anthem raises questions about the role of government. What are your thoughts on the balance between individual rights and the necessity of government control?
- Rand’s style of language goes to the extreme. Do your find her approach to be appropriate and effective or clumsy and heavy-handed?
- Anthem depicts a dystopian society where people are stripped of their individuality. Should readers today take Rand’s warnings seriously?
- What do you think happens to Equality 7-2521 after the last chapter? How does the uncertainty of the ending contribute to the overall impact of the novel?
- Anthem explores a rebellion against a repressive society. Can you think of any historical or real-life examples that relate? What similarities do you see?
- Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, promotes individualism and rational self-interest. How does the novel convey these philosophical ideas, and do you agree with them?
- The concept of “equality” is central to Anthem. How does the society in the novel distort the meaning of equality, and what are the consequences?
- What does Rand have to say about the connection between language and control?
- How might Rand’s themes be received differently today than they were in 1938?
Thank you for checking out Anthem Discussion Questions by Chapter!
Whether you will be guiding aSocratic seminar in the classroom or hosting a book club, I hope this list has given you some discussion topics that you can use. These open-ended questions have been organized with collaborative groups in mind, but they could serve other functions as well (summer reading, remediation, homeschooling, etc.)
NOTE: Remember that the Ayn Rand Institute can provide free copies of Anthem for your classroom.
This resource comes from Anthem Unit: Lesson Plans, Materials, Projects, & Assessments.
