Independence Essay
Free. Unrestricted. Liberated. Independent. All of these words have shown up in all three of the pieces of literature: Anthem, “The Road Not Taken”, and “Invictus”. Anthem by Ayn Rand had a main character named Equality 7-2521 whom had lived in a collective society where no matter who you were, everyone was equal. Equality had strayed from his path in life and became a new person, a better person that had changed the way the world saw him. The next poem, titled“The Road Not Taken” written by Robert Frost had told the readers about a story in which the man had been stuck at a crossroads and wanted to chose both pathways however unfortunately he could not. The last and final poem is called “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley in which the man had been tortured physically and mentally and must persevere. All of these poems had shown how independence takes a part in their lives and changed them in a way. Independence is what creates change throughout the story, the same change that drives the plot in the poems and novella written by Ayn Rand, William Ernest Henley, and Robert Frost.
Anthem by Ayn Rand was a novella in which the main character had changed multiple times throughout the story in order to gain his independence. On pg 76 Prometheus had thought to himself, “We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers. We have built it for its own sake.” What he had thought to himself represents the emotions he feels, he feels free from the bounds that had kept him tied to his brothers. He had finally gained his freedom and he realized it and realization is the first accepting what you have become or gained. Equality 7-2521 had grasped the concept that he was finally free and that he was allowed to tell himself the truth about why he had truly done what he had done. To find another source to help understand his independence the readers can recall to page 99 where it says, “HIs name was Prometheus. ‘It shall be your name’”. A name can mean many things to people but all in all a name is what defines who you are and what you mean to other people. Prometheus had changed his name multiple times throughout the novella due to certain changes in his life. The first name change that Prometheus had gone through was from 'Equality 7-2521’ to ‘The Unconquered One’, which had represented how he had traveled away from the views of his brothers’ view of the perfect society and started to fall in love with a women. The second name change that had occurred in this novella is what the quote had spoke of, the one in which he had realized that he was the one that can choose his own destiny. This name change had represented how he had strayed away from the collectivist society and become truly independent. He had thrown away everything he had and started anew to become everything that he wants to be, and this was shown by his name change. Prometheus is a great example of a person becoming independent from the control of outside forces and he shows this through acceptance and name change.
Unlike the novella Anthem, the poem written by William Ernest Henley, “Invictus”, displays a parable about a man who had been tortured and beaten by the world both mentally and physically. The speaker says, “I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul.” (Line 15-16) The speaker of this poem had stated that he was the one that was going to control what he did and what he was going to do. This is was a audacious remark to make considering that the world had overwhelmed him, however, this is probably what the poet wanted