Anthem- Analysis

The reactions of the Scholars when Equality brings them his invention is actually quite interesting. To me, at least. As recap, Equality brings them the creation that he had made in the hopes of showing it to the world, and even possibly for the betterment of mankind. The Scholars react a little differently than he thought they would, though. First they cower in fear of it. Then they rage and demand the most excruciating deaths imaginable. They then tell Equality that what he had made is evil on several technicalities: he made it alone, so it is evil; no one else knows of it, therefore cannot believe in it, therefore it is evil; and even if it is going to help mankind, it is evil solely for that reason, and that humanity should toil because to work hard and unnecessarily is good. At this, Equality curses them and flees.

Now this is laden with a few small significances. Firstly, the fear that the Scholars expressed towards the glass box is obviously connected with the other references to the unknown. The society is afraid of the unknown; or rather, the people are afraid of the unknown because of what they have been told by the elders. The uncharted forest is a source of fear that no one dares to approach, because it is all uncharted, unknown. The people never state what they are thinking, because anything different is evil, and what goes on in the heads of others is unknown. Likewise, the new invention is unknown. There is a glaring fear of the unknown present. It signifies that, because the elders say that the unknown is evil, the people of the society are too afraid to know anything. They don't want to know. It's as if Adam and Eve bit the Apple of Knowledge, but in knowing then curling up in fear of thinking. Technically, knowledge is bad, so we'll just sit here and not know anything other than what is told to us, because only that is what we should know. That is what has happened to this community. They are afraid of difference, and of knowledge of unknown things, because everything is different when you get down to it. Therefore, all things are evil if they are different, and one cannot know difference if one has no knowledge of anything else to COMPARE IT TO. (Sorry, I'm taking my comparison theory too far in my rants, aren't I?) This is why the Scholars are afraid of the invention: they are afraid of the difference, the new knowledge. It is something that is out of the ordinary, something inherently evil. Also, the strong mention of evil signifies the religious grip on the community. The fear of evil alone causes the people to not rise against those in charge.

As for the signs of evil, the Scholars show themselves to be jealous. More than anything, they are jealous. Jealousy is what brings judgment to any "sinners" in the community. Anyone different might be better than others; therefore, there must be some level of jealousy in the community. The Scholars have been clearly outdone by some ordinary Joe off the streets. Naturally, besides the whole evil thing, they are a tad irked at being shown up by a street sweeper. Their uncontrollable fury displayed before one of them reminds them that it is the Council's job to determine punishment, not theirs, shows that, for a moment, they let their emotions and personal, individual, different thoughts get the better of them. Their extremist demands to have Equality "whipped until there is nothing left under the lash" show that these guys really don't like being bested. They're sore losers, and if they can't be the best, they'll just destroy whatever's better than them.

The signs of evil themselves also tell a bit of info. The fact that they call it evil solely on the basis that it was not developed with others is a telltale sign of hysteria. What, does that mean that if they now make it with others, it becomes good and they get the glory? Again, jealousy. Hypocrites. The notion that the number of people present determines good and evil demonstrates a lack of importance as to the idea itself and its purpose, and instead emphasis on whether or not any one person is better than another. Also, the other notion that its making life easier proves its evil shows a severe demand for mindless dronage. If they don't work, then they think. If they think, they become even more afraid of difference, or tolerant of it, and things begin to break down. Heaven forbid people actually thinking for themselves and not the fifty people standing around them. The mentioning that it would put the Department of Candles out of commission is another big signal that change and unknown is unsettling. It took fifty years to show everyone that candles are better than torches, and were unknown and different but still good. Fifty years. That long to let everyone know that there was a better way of making light. People in this society really like their personal bubble, don't they? No change, no difference, just the same beautiful world around them 24/7. Meanwhile, a light bulb would make things so much better and easier. The purpose was for the betterment of humanity. (I bet, though, since plural is evil, it actually would take a lot of people to change a light bulb in this world.) However, better or not, the people are not important. A single form of existence with a single, mindless collective thought is.

The fear expressed emphasizes more than anything how afraid of change people are, and how terrified they are of the unknown just because it's called evil. Words have no meaning other than to be tags. Even the names have lost their real meaning, and are just a form of telling one "they" from another. Rather, simple conditions decide whether something is good or bad, beneficial or not. A web of technicalities for the hypocrites that advance society by keeping it back for fear of the unknown. Even if it's not progress, knowledge is always a step forward.