Ayn Rand's book Anthem inspires me to think outside the box and that it is okay to be different.
A theme of this book would be that it is okay to think and come up with your own ideas. It is a great thing to be different and do what you want to do. In this book Equality 7-2521 lives in a completely controlled environment. He is not allowed to think for himself. When he finds a magnificent discovery he can not let the word out that he has found it because it would be a sin. The entire society is in a rut in which they are not allowed to be of greater value than their brothers. Equality's discovery would place him above his brothers so the Home of the Scholars would not allow it.
The main character in this novel is Equality 7-2521. He has been chosen to be a street sweeper. He works a street sweeper sweeping the streets when he comes upon Liberty 5-3000. It is forbidden to show any interest in another when not assigned to that person. Neither are assigned to another citizen. Liberty 5-3000 and Equality 7-2521 do show interest in each other but they have to be discrete about it because they do not want to be caught.
The setting is in a controlled city. Everyone is being watch by the council. The entire city is controlled by them. The council chooses when they work and when they go to meetings, they choose who they mate with, and they choose when they retire. It is a completely controlled environment that has no technology in it. They are pretty much stuck in the past.
I recommend this book to pretty much any high school student. It is a very quick book to read and it is interesting. It tells of a life that I hope I never encounter but the people that are living in it seem to be happy with it except Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000.
This book counts as 1 book.
