Agustina Vergara CidAnthem is a unique novel. It’s Ayn Rand’s “hymn to man’s ego.” In part, it’s an uncompromising indictment of collectivism. But, above all, it’s a celebration of individualism — and a dramatization of what it means to hold one’s own life as sacred.
We recently hosted an online discussion series exploring these themes in detail and showing how the central issue of collectivism vs. individualism is still very much alive today and relevant to our lives.
The five-episode discussion series provided key background material on Rand and the book, analyzing central characters and themes and, notably, explaining the novel’s relevance to today’s world.
The sessions were held live, attracting a sizable audience — including many middle school and high school students and teachers enthusiastic about learning more about the novel and asking as many questions as they could. The series is an excellent resource for students thinking about entering ARI’s Anthem essay contest.
If you missed the live discussions, you can now watch them all on-demand on this YouTube playlist or listen to the audio on the Ayn Rand Institute Live! podcast. And if you find them valuable, please share them with others!
We’re currently running a similar series on another of Ayn Rand’s novels, The Fountainhead. Register here to participate live and to access the recordings from previous sessions.
Tara Smith
Ibis Slade
