ESCAPE TIME!  with KC Heath

ANTHEM
Ayn Rand
Signet 1995 (original publishing date 1938)
Pb 266 pgs
ISBN# 0-451-19113-7 

Yes, this is a piece of Classic Literature, but it is also a rare working of science fiction.  To be able to appreciate this masterpiece, you must either love a good turn of phrase or the idea of individualism, or both.  And if you do, I guarantee a good read.  Though the book is 266 pages long, much of that is not story.  The novella itself only runs 88 pages, the remainder of the pages counting for: Introduction, Foreword, Author's Self-Editorial, and a Reader's Guide To The Writings and Philosophy of Ayn Rand. 

One of the most intriguing qualities of this masterwork is its presentation.  ANTHEM is written in first-person plural, and in the present tense.  A friend of mine found this most distracting and was unable to enjoy the story for this reason.  But I could not put the book down for the fascination of it.  The second reason ANTHEM is a masterpiece is the subject.  But I'm not going to say too much here because of the impact of Rand's presentation of that subject.  All I will say is: In this reader's opinion, the last chapter of ANTHEM is redundant and preachy, but the next-to-the-last chapter [now do not go and read the next-to-the-last chapter without first reading all of the chapters that lead up to it or you will spoil the effect] but the next-to-the-last chapter is magnificent! It is the anthem, the main character's epiphany.  And it is grand.  Remember, the story is only 88 pages total, so it doesn't take long to get to that great chapter. 

So--who is the story about?  Well, ANTHEM is set in the future, a plausible post-cataclysmic future where Earth's human civilization has fallen yet again into another dark age.  Our hero is a street-sweeper by the name of Equality 7-2521.  I will give bellow a sample of the text which tells of Equality 7-2521's companions.  Remember as you read that ANTHEM is written in first person plural, which means "we" can mean Me or I, and "they" means He or Him; and "were" and "are" will exchange for Was. 

"It was on a day of the spring before last.  We Street Sweepers work in brigades of three, and we were with Union 5-3992, they of the half-brain, and with International 4-8818.  Now Union 5-3992 are a sickly lad and sometimes they are stricken with convulsions, when their mouth froths and their eyes turn white.  But International 4-8818 are different.  They are a tall, strong youth and their eyes are like fireflies, for there is laughter in their eyes.  We cannot look upon International 4-8818 and not smile in answer.  For this they were not liked in the Home of the Students, as it is not proper to smile without reason.  And also they were not liked because they took pieces of coal and they drew pictures upon the walls, and they were pictures which made men laugh.  But it is only our brothers in the Home of the Artists who are permitted to drew pictures, so International 4-8818 were sent to the Home of the Street-Sweepers, like ourselves." 

As you can see, our hero Equality 7-2521 makes the mistake of thinking for himself.  Eventually he rediscovers electricity.  He chooses his own mate.  And as a result, he is damned by society.  Then he discovers a truth. 

I found ANTHEM a fantastic read and quite understand why it is called "Classic Literature."  I stand in awe of this work that coveys an idea almost entirely through the use of style.