Friday, January 7, 2011

Anthem: Chapter 9

Respond to the questions below.

Equality and Liberty are reunited in the Uncharted Forest. What is it that Equality says is the “bond” between them?

Read the quote that begins “There is some error, one frightful error . . . (pg 86). In response to this quote, what do you believe is the error that Equality is trying to identify?

Honors' Discussion Prompt
In this chapter, Equality questions the morality of his former society. Contrast what he was previously taught about solitude, good, evil and joy to what he now believes. What events have brought him to this belief system? Do you agree with/ like his progression of thought? Explain your opinion.

38 comments:

  1. 1: Equality describes the bond between him and Liberty as joyful. He says they need to forget their lives in the cuty, becaus they have started a new one together. In a nutshell, I think what Equality is trying to say is that he and Liberty are in love and that the teachings of the city is wrong.

    2: I think the error Equality is talking about is that the society must think of everyone as a whole ithe city. He doesn't know the word "I". He knows he shouldn't say "we" anymore, but he doesn't know what word to subsitute it with.


    Honors: In the society Equality used to be a part of, he was taught that solitude was evil and that good only comes form his brothers. He was taught that he had to live for his brothers. He now knows there is nothing wrong with solitude and being an individual. He knows that he doesn't live for his brothers , but for himself, and that anyone who lives for someone else is wrong. Being in the forest and doing things that the council said were wrong brought him to these conclusions. He felt no remorse for doing these thing that were "wrong" and soon found out they weren't wrong at all. I love that Equality has discovered this. It was driving me crazy that they were taught all these things; I'm happy Equality and Liberty finally get it.

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  2. #1: The bond that they share is love in my opinion. She even admits it in this chapter and the only reason she takes it back is because she has been taught that it is bad to feel emotion toward others and she was scared to say it.

    #2: I think that he thinks the error is loving someone that he is not assigned to love or has not been sent to the Hall of Mating with but someone that he has chosen to love.

    Honor's Discussion Prompt: Equality was previously taught that any emotion that he feels towards someone is a false feeling and should not be kept in his mind. What he now believes is that he should be able to pick to love anyone he loves and that should be fine in his society. He was taught that solitude is evil and that individual thinking is a sin and should be punished. He was taught that he should not use the word I or we because that would be singling themselves out from the concept of his former society which was that all men were one. I think his thoughts and feelings about Liberty have brought him to his new train of thought. I do agree with his progression of thought that you should be able to have feelings and that you should express them openly. If you can't feel anything then I don't see the point in living because I would be depressed all of the time.

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  3. 1. In the book the bond between Equality and Liberty is described as joyful. He tells her not to be afraid of the forest, because there is nothing wrong with the quiet forest. Equality also tells Liberty that she needs to forget the life they lived.
    2. I think the error that Equality is talking about is that the council isn’t open to new ideas, and that they are all taught to think of each other as equals. In the second part of the paragraph it talks about how it struggles with in them. So I think that he is having a problem trying to figure out who he is, because the error in the society he was raised in didn’t let them have their own identity.

    Honors:
    In the society that Equality was raised in they were taught that being alone in solitude, and being your own person was wrong. The only thing that was good was doing what the council said and working with your brothers. While in the forest is that there is nothing wrong with solitude, it actually gives you time to think about things. Good in the society he was from is completely different then what he has figured out by being in the “Uncharted Forest”. He learned that joy doesn’t come from your brothers, it comes from yourself. I’m super happy that Equality discovered individuality. I thought that I was going to go crazy just reading about this society.

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  4. #1 The bond Equality and Liberty have in common is the addiction they have to one another. In this chapter, Liberty leaves to come find Equality and she says that she followed him. Both characters are experiencing an emotion that they aren’t familiar with, love.
    #2 I believe the error Equality is addressing from this quote is that the society in which he lived for a long time is wrong. Equality has finally figured out their teachings were cruel and did not allow their citizens to ponder on anything. He now realizes every person is special and that no one is alike. So Equality believes his error is that he doesn’t speak in first or third person. He wishes to speak a different way, especially since he doesn’t live in the society anymore.
    Prompt:
    In the society in which Equality used to live, he was taught by the council that there was no such thing as individual people. Equality was taught to be a “whole” and that there was no such thing as “I.” Now that Equality has been living in the Uncharted Forest he knows that the society he lived in wasn’t fair. Equality does what he wants to do and is discovering many new things. He now knows there isn’t any problem with expressing your own thoughts and emotions. Equality and Liberty love each other and the new emotion they are feeling is refreshing. He has realized that there is nothing wrong with solitude and he loves this new idea of being his own person.

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  5. The bond between equality and the golden one is described joyful. They are passionate for each other. She came all the way out into the forest just for him. He said that he never knew one man could feel such a way as they kissed. There is a true connection between them.

    The error is simply not using the word "I" they are so used to saying we when there is nobody to tell them what to do anymore. The error is not having ego, they just haven’t discovered that word yet.

    Honors: in equality's society he is taught that if his brothers do not think it and the council does not know of it than such things don’t exist. In their society it is a sin to be happy for you own reason to sing and dance is a crime. You will be punished if you do not do the same as your brothers. But he now knows that being an individual and doing your own thing is what is good for you and it’s not bad to have your own opinion because no one is the same. He knows now that solitude is good and being free is a great feeling.

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  6. 1.Equality states that the bond between himself and liberty is joyful, they really feel in love with one another.Equality also feels a strong connection between them, because she came into the uncharted forest just to find him.

    2.I think that the error that Equality is describing is that the society has not made everyone free to do their own thing.He feels that his fellow brithers can not experience the same amount of freedom that he has in the uncharted forest.

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  7. Honors: In the society that Equality was in, he was taught that he was not to live for himself, but instead he was to live for his brothers. Now he knows that there is nothing wrong with being his own person. He knows that he can live for himself and not for his brothers, and he knows that if he lives for someone else, then he is not do anything right for himself. He was free when he was in the forest and he was doing things that were said to be wrong, but he knew that those things were the right things to do. I like that he is actually understanding what is right and what is wrong.

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  8. #1: Equality says that there is a bond of joy between them. I think that they deeply love each other. They have no need to be with other people. They are perfectly content with just one another. Equality and Liberty are more than ready to go off and find a new and better place to live.

    #2: The error is the lack of knowledge and uniqueness in men. It is illegal for anyone to think for themselves. This way of thinking gives the Council the opportunity to brainwash people into being robots. In reality the way they should be living like Equality.

    Honors: In the beginning, Equality was taught that, to think for yourself and act alone is evil. He was taught that everything you do is for the benefit of your brothers and that you should be happy to just be alive. Now Equality believes that you should be able to think for yourself first then think about others later. I kind of agree with this. There are some instances were you should think of others but for the most part, you should love and take care of yourself before you make others your priority.

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  9. 1/ The bond between Equality and liberty is one that is described as joyful. They are truly in love with one another. They feel a strong connection with each other and Liberty came all the way to the uncharted forest to see him.

    2/I think the error Equality is thinking of is that the society he lived in for so long is actually wrong. Equality finally realized how cruel and wrong Anthem's society was.

    Honors/Equality use to think very highly of Anthem and the societies teachings/rules. He was taught that solitude and free thinking were absolutely evil things to do. But as he entered the Uncharted Forest and stepped back and thought about it, he realized that there is nothing wrong with independence and free thinking. He also realized that living for yourself is alright and that he shouldn't live for his brainwashed brothers. Being in the forest, Equality realized that the things the council told him he wasn't supposed to do weren't evil at all. That is what brought him to his present belief system of free thinking. I think it's awesome that Equality is finally 100% independent. I agree with his way of thinking because what is a person if he is never to be his own individual or have a personality?

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  10. 1). The bond between Equality and Liberty is described as joyful in the book. They love eachother and that makes anybody feel happy. They're also realizing that for once in their life they have something to themselves where they can express emotion towards eachother. It's both new and exciting to them.

    2). The error Equality is speaking of is simply the society he was living in. Deep down he knew all along that the way he was living was not right, but it's finally starting to surface. He's realizing the way people could be living, and how much better it is to be free.

    Honors: In Equality's old society he was taught that to be yourself was very wrong. Everything he did was to be for his brothers. Being an individual was the worst thing you could do. Now, as he is by himself or with Liberty, he is coming to the realization that being yourself is what everyone needs to do. The world is dark without individualism and Equality wants and needs light in his life. I agree with him because what is the world without individual people? It would be boring and colorless.

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  11. #1 Equality and Liberty are both trying to escape their society. They go into the forest to be in solitude. Joy is the thing that bonds them along with the fact that they are both rebels who seek refuge.
    #2 I believe that the error he is thinking of is that of individual love. First, no one can be there own person. The council believes that individual thinking is wrong. Equality also realizes that he has chosen his own love, unstead of mates being chosen for him.

    Honors: Equality was taught his entire life that solitude was a sin, and the only good came as a result of his brothers. The Council only used ideas that were unanimously agreed on. As Equality has lived in the forest, he has learned a few things. From being in solitude, he has invented a light, which is good. Also, he has spent valuable time with Liberty.

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  12. 1) Equality describes the bond between them as joyful. I think they are in love with each other and for the first time find joy by just being with another person. Equality basically tells her to forget the city and it's teachings, they were wrong, there is no danger in solitude.

    2) I think the error he is talking about is the way they have been taught there is nothing good except with all men. Happiness comes from yourself, not brother men.

    Honors: Equality used to believe what the society preached about solitude being evil and a great sin, and how the only joy is the joy shared with brother men. Equality now knows that something is wrong with this idea though and thinks his society wrong. Equality came to realize this as he found joy in making his light alone, and joy in the Golden One, neither of which came from his brother men. He also thought about how he was never really alive and never really had joy in his society. I'm really glad Equality is starting to realize this and soon he'll have the whole truth. As he continues to learn and live on his own away from the society, I think he will discover the whole truth of life and living for himself and not others.

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  13. Equality described the bond between him and Liberty as joyful. He basically tells her to put the past of the city behind them and to start a new one. I think bed telling her that's the city was wrong and it us okay to feel the way she feels....love.

    I think the error Equality is talking about is how wrong the society that he lived in for a long time was. He realizes that people do have uniqueness'. He figures out the word "I" should be used instead of we for individuality. He loves his brothers but knows that he is now his own person. He was told that the only joy was the joy shared by his brother men. I think the easy Equality did things would have been the same thing I would have done. I wouldn't like to not have control over my life. It would be very boring and pretty scary because I would feel alone.


    Honors: Equality was taught to think as his brothers. He was taught that solitude was a sin because nobody should have individuality. They should all think as one. He was taught that any emotions for another person were false. I think the feelings and his love for knowledge is what made him change his ways.

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  14. #1 The bond Equality and Liberty share i think is love. They are not familiar with this feeling because they are not allowed to have emotions towards others. They both enjoy having company with another person and being with someone and not alone. they can share their emotions with and towards someone else and disregarding the laws.

    #2 I think the error Equality is talking about is being able to love someone that he has chosen and not having someone being chose for him.

    Honors: Equality was taught to think and act like his brothers. He was taught to think a certain way and now he is more like an individual and does what he pleases now that he is away from the society. Being separated and alone with another person has made him be this way.

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  15. 1. The bond that Liberty and Equality share is very close. They both the feel the same way towards each other in a special way. Liberty states that he is different than all his other brothers in special ways. And once they meet in the forest, they both know that they are free,and together. They don't have to worry about the possibility of committing a sin because they have no rule.

    2. I think that the error is that Equality knows he is doing something completely terrible. He has gone and entered the forest, he has entered the Home of the Scholars, and completely ruined himself doing it. So, the error is that, his mind is telling him that he has failed and he is finally realizing it.

    Honors Prompt: In Equality's previous society, he was unable to do as he chose. Although, he did it anyways. Then, he fell in love, which is so against the law, but he does not care because his eyes have never seen anything more beautiful in his life. You must obey every law in this society. Although, Equality now has a different view on things. He has broken many laws already, so i mean, he doesn't really care to break more and more. He is learning more and more about himself, and he is becoming more free. Yes, I agree completely because he knows that he already broke a ton of laws and he doesn't need to care about anything else but himself.

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  16. 1. In the book it describes their bond as joyful. Emotions that normal people feel are being expressed when these two meet again. It is a feeling of love which they have been taught to not feel

    2. The error I feel he is trying to identify is the usage of the word 'we'. The way he has been taught to use it relates nothing to how we use it today. He is struggling to find the word 'I'.

    Honors Prompt:
    In the society before the Uncharted Forest Equality was taught that solitude, joy and anything that you feel as an indivdual is wrong and should not be allowed. He later finds out that doing all of these things that are wrong in his former society dont cause him any guilt. Everyone understands the feeling that you get once you do something you know you shouldnt do because it goes against the way you believe. He doesnt feel guilt doing anything he does. I was happy he escaped the clutches of society.

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  17. The bond between Equality and Liberty is that they both see the errors of the society from where they come from. Equality also says that now they are together they should forget the "good" of the councils society and the "evil" they had committed.

    The error is that he is starting to realize that the council was wrong in their ways that or he committed many sins. He's on the path to figuring out that the council was wrongly
    teaching the people, but he's not entirely there yet.

    He was previously taught one for many. Nothing was good save for the toil of man. It is evil to be alone, solitude is unproductive and everyman should always be productive for the other. Equality however discovers that everything is the opposite. One for one is ok because things actually get done. I agree and like that his thought progression was logical and productive. This sort of shows a mind that was locked up coming out of it's cell.

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  18. The bond that they share is described as one of joy. Equality thinks that since they are together, they should push the thought of the society they came from away from them.

    The error is that Equality is struggling to find a word to talk about himself as an individual. It is an 'error' of doubt, doubt that he actually commited evil, and doubt that what he has been taught is real.

    Honors:
    Equality was previously taught that anything done in solitude was a great crime against his fellow man. He was taught that what you do with your brothers is good, and what you do on your own is terrible - even though this is not true. He was also taught that the only joy in life was in serving and being served by your brothers, even though this isn't true either.

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  19. 1) Equality describes the bond between them as pure joy. They feel emotions that they've never felt before. Now they realize what the society has kept them from and that they should do something to stop the society from keeping everyone from the world.

    2)I think the error Equality sees is the error in which he was taught. Now that he's escaped from his strange society, he sees errors in everything. It could also have something to do with finding a way to refer to himself as an idividual. Now that Equality has seen joy, he knows something is up but this time the council can't stop him.

    Honors: Equality has realized what the council has done wrong. He used to believe what he was preached, no such thing as solitude for its evil and sinful and the only way you can find joy is through your brothers. Now he realizes everything he has been taught is wrong. He found joy on his own, meeting the golden one, creating a new source for light all on his own, not from his brothers. He's came to realize that he was never happy when it came to life in their society. Now that Equality has come to find all this out, I hope he'll find more. He found happiness through being on his own, he had the patience to find it.As he goes educating himself, I think he will discover the truth about life that the society has been hiding from him. He'll learn how to live on his own and live for himself not worrying about living for anyone else. It's his world, he needs to shape it or someone else will.

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  20. 1) Equality and Liberty's bond is described as being joyful. The bond is what you feel between a long lost friend, or someone you feel a lot for. This is the first time they've felt anything like this.

    2) The error he's talking about is how he has lived in error for many years. He was following this conformity and started to think that this could be wrong. The Council always ran things the way they wanted things to be ran. They were never open to new ideas and pushed away anyone who was.

    Honors) In Equality's society he was taught that the individual didn't exist. The Council made everyone believe that no one should have their own thoughts or opinions. He was taught that being his own person was evil, and that the Council was the good in life. He now feels completely opposite. Equality is breaking away from society and learning a whole lot more than he's allowed. Equality realized that there is a such thing as an individual and every person should be expressed as one. I completely agree with the way he feels.

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  21. I think the error is that Liberty and Equality cannot discover a way to show their true feelings for each other because they have not discovered the word, "I" yet. They know that there is a more meaningful word than using "we". They know that "we" is plural and means more than one person.

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  22. Honors Prompt: He was taught that solitude was good, and that individual joy was evil. Anything outside the betterment of "we" was considered unnecessary detrimental to their societal way of life. After showing his invention to the Council of Scholars, he realized that their will was to control the collective, and not their best interests. I agree to this because no one should have total control over someone's mind.

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  23. 1- Equality and Liberty's is nothing but joy. They are felling emotions that are basically never heard of in their society. Then they now what their society was really about.

    2- The error that I think Equality is struggling to find is something to describe himself as an individual. It is is hard for him because he was used to be taught to be the same and now he is on his own.

    Honors- Equality was taught in his society that anything that was solitude was a sin and would result in punishment. He was taught that joy was being served and serving you brothers was joy and if you didn't do the same as your brothers, it was a sin. This is all wrong.

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  24. #1 The bond is described as joyful.
    #2 I think that the error was a new feeling. I believe that this new feeling is individualism.
    Prompt: He originally thought that he was cursed. Now he still thinks that he is different but in a good way. I think that an event that did this was when he found the tunnel. The reason for this is because this is where he escape the Cave.

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  25. 1- they describe the bond as joyful. They then enter what could be called a common law marraige. 2-1

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  26. 2-they find an error in the idea that the life of a man cannot be with joy. They discover this through traveling in the forest.

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  27. Respond Bbick #2: I see what your saying.
    Respond jneal #2: I like you idea.

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  28. Honors- He was originally taught that unity was good and an individuals joy was evil. His experiences underground and his confrontation with the council

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  30. 1- I think the bond between Equality and Liberty is love. They obviously have strong feelings for each other and cannot stand to be apart. I think this is very romantic.
    2- The error is the fact that they are trying too hard to keep everyone under their conformity. Equality is ready to break free and set new standards to the way they live. The men of the council had to know this was going to happen sometime.
    Honors- I think Equality has encountered an epiphany. He now feels that nothing that was evil then is evil now. He sees the truth that lies behind everything around him. This changes his whole train of thought and the way he sees everything.

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  31. #1/ Equality say that joy is their bond.
    #2/ He is realizing the flaw with his old society is that they couldn't think for themselves or say I.
    HONORS PROMPT/ He was taught that solitude was evil in his old society but has come to realize that solitude is a time for self-discovery. Good was being with others in his old society and being without them was evil. He now realizes good and evil are what you want them to be. Seeing himself humiliated and put down and tortured have probably contributed to this mindset. Yes. He is individualistic, I like the shepherd not the flock.

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  32. from sskin

    #1- Equality calls the bond between Liberty and himself as joyful. He's trying to show that he loves her and that he wants to have a life with her. In a since, i think Equality is saying the city is wrong and that they can live together if they want to.

    #2- Equality is trying to tell that he has found the error of the society he has lived in for so long. He knows they are wrong and so he is trying to show how they were wrong. Like how he and liberty should not be together. Equality now knows the counsel was wrong in keeping love from the city of followers.

    Honors-
    Equality was thought to be in solitude or to be alone is evil. He was taught to live for his brothers and for man itself. In a way he's still going by the rule of not being alone because he is with Liberty but he has found his own personality that makes him different. I was glad he finally figured it out because without true indiviedsals the world would be a very very very boring place.

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  33. from- sskin

    spack- i like your ideas.
    zbooth13- I agree when you say they were conected with a bond of joy.

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  34. 1) I feel the bond between them is love. Liberty even says she loves Equality but takes it back only because she was taught to not feel emotions for the oppisite sex.

    2) I think the error in which Equality is speaking of is the error of how concil taught the society. He was taught to not feel any emotion and to be the same as his "brothers."

    Honors-The societ Equality starts out in teaches him to only say "we" and there is no such thing as a single person, everyone is equal and the same. Equality then realizes the truth behind the concils way of doing things when they reject his invention and he is furious. then at his house from the unmentionalbe times he discovers a word and that word is "I."

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  35. Mnieb- ur responses are dead on.

    Ekapl- very true responses.

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  36. In chapter nine, Equality and Liberty are reunited in the forest for the first time. Equality says there is a bond. The bond he is talking about is love; he describes it as “a joy”. He says “, let us forget all things save that we are together and that there is joy as a bond between us.” Equality has been taught that you are to love everybody, that is why is words are said in this manner.

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  37. The error within mankind Equality is specking of is the lack of the word I. Although Equality knows that he is looking for a word to speak, he has yet to find it. Equality says it perfectly on page eighty-six when he says, “We do not know, but the knowledge struggles within us, struggles to be born.” He is right, mankind will always try to learn the word I, because it is in our nature.

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  38. Equality has been through a lot in the past couple of chapters. He has begun to question the society that he lives in. He was taught from the moment he was born that he was different, and that different is horrible. If you are different you are cursed, if you are cursed you are evil. His mind was set on a one way track to thinking the way the government wanted him to. He has begun to question if he is truly evil. He has come to the conclusion that he is not like his brothers, and he is alright with that. He has come to question whether solitude is truly evil. Being taught that the group is good and that there is evil in difference, individuality, solitude, and in being who you wish to be, can be very depressing. He resizes that solitude is not evil. Individuality is not evil, nor is the idea of being yourself. I am happy that he can now realize this, and am joyful that the belief system he had he rejected. He did not reject it for the sake of rejection; he rejected it because it was not working out for him. Congratulations Equality an Liberty on your new life!

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