1. Anthem Background Notes Ayn Rand

2. Background on the author A.Ayn Rand was born in 1905 and died in 1982 B.She was born in Russia and lived during Communist rule. C.Growing up as a child in Russia she experienced “firsthand the horrors of totalitarianism ”, and this greatly influenced her novella Anthem.

3. Utopia vs. Dystopia A.Utopia is a perfect or ideal society. B. Dystopia is the opposite; it presents the world as it should not be. C.Do you think it is possible to create a truly utopian society? Why or why not?

4. Questions to Consider A.As we read Anthem, keep in mind the following questions: 1. Is this society a collectivist or individualist society? How do you know? Is the main character a collectivist or individualist? How do you know? 2. Is ths society a utopia or a dystopia? 3. What does the society in the novel value? What does it fear? 4. What does the main character value? What does he fear?

5. The Novel A.Point of View: First person, told from the perspective of the main character Equality 7-2521. B.Setting: Sometime in the future in an unnamed city. C.Main Character: Equality 7-2521 D. Novella, or short novel

6. Literary Terms A.Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story. B.Symbol: A word, character, or idea that represents more than just its literal meaning. C.Protagonist: The main character D.Antagonist: Character or force that opposes the protagonist