Question

which line from anthem best illustrates how the author uses a dystopian setting to develop a theme?

i stand here on the summit of the mountain.
my hands... my spirit... my sky... my forest... this earth of mine...
i know not if this earth on which i stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity.
but such has been the story, for i have lived in the city of the damned, and i know what horror men permitted to be brought upon them.

Explanation:

Identify the core requirements of the prompt

The question asks for the line from Ayn Rand's Anthem that best illustrates how the author uses a dystopian setting to develop a theme.

Analyze the answer choices for setting and theme

• "I stand here on the summit of the mountain." — Describes a natural setting of freedom, not the oppressive dystopian society.
• "My hands . . . My spirit . . . My sky . . . My forest . . . This earth of mine . . ." — Focuses on individual reclamation of self and nature, rather than the dystopian society itself.
• "I know not if this earth on which I stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity." — Reflects philosophical wonder about existence, not the specific dystopian social structure.
• "But such has been the story, for I have lived in the City of the damned, and I know what horror men permitted to be brought upon them." — Directly references the "City of the damned" (the oppressive, collectivist dystopian setting) and connects it to the theme of the horror of losing individuality to collectivism.

Select the best option

The fourth option directly links the dystopian setting ("City of the damned") to the central theme of the horrors of collectivism.

Answer:

• (A) I stand here on the summit of the mountain.
• (B) My hands . . . My spirit . . . My sky . . . My forest . . . This earth of mine . . .
• (C) I know not if this earth on which I stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity.
• (D) But such has been the story, for I have lived in the City of the damned, and I know what horror men permitted to be brought upon them. (Correct answer)