Ayn Rand was drawn to America as a child; she emigrated from Russia and lived in New York City until her death in 1982. What is uniquely American in the story of Equality 7-2521 and the philosophies laid out in Anthem?

The independent spirit of Equality 7-2521 embodies the American ethos of individuals rebelling against prescribed conformity. Equality breaks out of imposed collective norms to forge his own future. He takes hold of his own emotional and intellectual freedom and builds a life away from the socialist-like system that shackled his spirit.