Light is a Symbol in Anthem, Chapter V.
Light is a versatile element in literature. When light is used in a setting, it can help to create a certain mood or tone; abundant light creates an airy or bright mood, while darkness creates a dreary or depressing mood. When light is used in a description, it can be used to indirectly describe an object or place; a light character would most likely be the protagonist, or a dark house may be the site of much grief. In addition to describing concrete perceptions and thereby connoting indirectly a deeper meaning, light can also be used to directly symbolize many abstract ideas such as happiness, knowledge, or purity. In Chapter V of Anthem, Ayn Rand uses light to symbolize knowledge, freedom, and life.Light serves as a symbol of knowledge in Chapter V of Anthem. At the beginning of Chapter V, Equality 7-2521 triumphantly proclaims his discovery of the light: "We made it. We created it. We brought it forth from the night of the ages" (59). In this sense, the light can be thought of as Equality 7-2521's literal knowledge. This light, or knowledge, is being brought forth from the "night of the ages", where the night, or lack of light, symbolizes ignorance. Equality 7-2521 also wishes to share his newfound light, or knowledge, with h
Light serves as a symbol of life in Chapter V of Anthem. When Equality 7-2521 first connects a power source to the wire inside the glass box, the wire " . . . came to life, [and] it turned red . . . " (59). Here, the light is directly linked to life; when the wire comes to life, the light appears. Later in the chapter, the light is described as " . . . light from the heart of metal" (59); again, the light is given some characteristics of life in order to express the light's symbolism of life. Deep in the abandoned subway tunnel, Equality 7-2521 continues with his discovery of the light: "We stretched our hands to the wire, and we saw our fingers in the red glow" (60). When Equality 7-2521 sees his fingers in the red glow, he is seeing his life in the light. Without the light, Equality 7-2521 would not be able to see himself; the light is once more compared to life. Near the end of the chapter, Equality 7-2521 almost cannot distinguish his life from the light. Rand writes: "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)? The connections between light and life in this chapter are abundant; all of these examples serve to show that light symbolizes life in Chapter V of Anthem. In Chapter V of Anthem, light functions as a symbol for knowledge, freedom, a
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Approximate Word count = 951
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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