Anthem Characters Analysis
Prometheus - The protagonist of the novel is called Equality 7-2521. He inhabits a collectivist society, where all things are decided by the consensus of a governing council. People refer to themselves as we and have no concept of a self separate from society. In this society, Equality realizes that his nature is different from those that surround him. He wishes to learn many things about the world, and he is more able in mind as well as body than any of his peers. Despite these gifts, the protagonist is sent to become a street sweeper. He defies the council and studies the mysteries of the world. He rediscovers electricity, but his invention is rejected and he leaves society to be on his own. He ultimately discovers that society was wrong and that he was right. He understands the meaning of ‘I’ and decides to build his society.
Gaea - She is initially called Liberty 5-3000 when she is working as a soil worker in the House of the Peasants. She develops a relationship with the Protagonist, who is captivated by her beauty. As they begin to converse, he christens her the Golden One, and she in turn calls him the Unconquered One. The Golden One follows the protagonist when he abandons society and submits to always follow his will. They found a home in the mountains, and Prometheus finally names her Gaea as she is going to be the mother of a new race of men.
International 4-8818 - The first friend that Prometheus makes in the House of Students. He is said to be an extremely talented individual who would often draw pictures that made other people laugh. He was said to always have laughter in his eyes, and so was disliked by the teachers and elders. He becomes the first disciple of the protagonist, as he chooses to obey him rather than the law when they discover the secret tunnel while sweeping the streets.
Union 5-3992 - A weak and unintelligent individual who accompanies the protagonist through his time in the House of the students, and the House of the street sweepers. The protagonist describes as a half-brain and discusses how he had tried to emulate Union in his behavior since the teachers had punished the students who were too quick.
Collective 0-009 - The protagonist walks into the World Council of the Scholars to show them his invention of the light bulb. He expects them to exalt him, and include him in their fold. Instead, the council of scholars led by Collective 0-009 remonstrates him for breaking the law. Collective0-009 explains how scholars before him have also presented novel concepts that they deemed great, but these could not be approved by the world councils and so had been destroyed. They order the destruction of his invention as well, but the Protagonist escapes.
