PART TWELVE -anthem

Upon discovering the word “I” in the first book he reads, the protagonist experiences a profound emotional and intellectual awakening, realizing the significance of individual identity and personal freedom. This epiphany leads him to reject the collective society’s suppression of the individual spirit and to recognize the intrinsic value of his own thoughts, actions, and existence. In a symbolic act of self-naming, he chooses the name Prometheus for himself and Gaea for the Golden One, signifying a new beginning and their roles as the bringers of a new era.

Prometheus plans to establish a sanctuary of freedom and knowledge, harnessing the power of electricity to create a protected space where he, Gaea, and their future child can live autonomously, inspired by the achievements and spirit of past innovators and martyrs for individualism. He envisions a society where each person stands as an autonomous individual, unshackled by the constraints of collective identity and free to achieve one’s fullest potential.

Prometheus’s resolve is fortified by his understanding of humanity’s historical struggles for freedom against various forms of enslavement – to gods, kings, and ultimately to each other through the oppressive doctrine of collectivism. He sees the relinquishment of the word “I” as the ultimate capitulation to oppression, marking a regression to a state worse than that of primitive man.

In the latter part of the chapter, Prometheus reflects on the tragic heroes of the past who recognized the destructive path society was on but were unable to alter its course. Despite their defeat, he views their struggle as a beacon of hope that the spirit of man, the spirit of freedom and individualism, can never be fully extinguished.

Prometheus envisions his rebellion as the dawn of a new civilization on the ruins of the old, a world where the individual is paramount, and where the free and unyielded spirit of man flourishes. He commits himself and his new family to this visionary future, planning to extend an invitation to those like-minded individuals who yearn for freedom from the collective’s tyranny, to join them in building a new society based on the inherent rights and dignity of the individual.

This chapter encapsulates the protagonist’s journey from awakening to action, setting the stage for a revolutionary attempt to reclaim humanity’s lost autonomy and spirit, and to forge a new path grounded in the recognition and celebration of the self – the inviolable sanctity of “I.”