Jace

Yes, this story is a dystopia. One of the hallmarks of this dystopia is the dichotomy of freedom and fear. The contrast between individualism, which leads to freedom, and collectivism, which leads to fear, becomes particularly clear after the Council of the Home reprimands Equality 7-2521 for singing. One of the council members informs him, "Indeed you are happy. How else can men be when they live for their brothers?" In response, Equality 7-2521 realizes that the answer to the council member's question is not as obvious as the authorities have implied. He sees a great deal of contrary evidence among the other Street Sweepers, many of whom presumably received such a lowly job assignment precisely because of their dangerously superior abilities -- and have thus suffered at the hands of collectivism. In particular, he cites Fraternity 2-5503 and Solidarity 9-6347 as men who are afraid of something that they cannot name because they do not have the concepts necessary to express their fear.