Anthem and the role conformity plays in the book
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Conformity, what is it, and what role does it play in human acceptance? Conformity means to be similar or identical, and in laymen's terms to fit in. It is human nature to strive for acceptance and seek approval by one's peers. The need to be accepted has become such a large part of today's society; one will do almost anything to achieve it. This includes changing their most unique and personal attributes like style, values, or even personality just to conform to the "in crowd."
In Anthem, conformity, in the sense of similarity, was forced among the townspeople. Complete and total equality was practiced, and everyone was taught the same value system and forced to abide by the same laws. Anything more or less than mediocre was unacceptable. People didn't have to worry about fitting in because everyone was the same, and anyone who was different was punished for it.
Holden Caulfield, from Catcher in the Rye, desired conformity...