Though written in the 1930s, Anthem addresses controversial subjects in society that are still relevant today: equality, environment, sexism, mental health, the role of government. In revisiting this book and its many subjects, one keeps catching glimpses of understandings, and connections with our society today. The use of “we”—could it have a connection to the way we now declare our pronouns? The light he creates—could it have a connection to how man exploits the planet and is paying the price for it now? The Mating Hall—could it have a connection to the Me Too movement? The assumption that all must be happy, for there is no reason not to be—could it have a connection to our dawning understanding of mental health? Then, as you read the struggles of the main character to grasp something just beyond his fingertips, you too may struggle to find your own understanding of what all this means in today’s world. Listen. And see what questions it brings to mind for you.
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