why did the council reject equality

The council did not want change. The status-quo is a major theme in this dystopia. Accepting Equality's invention would be accepting that Equality was an individual with talents the state did not recognize. Equality’s invention of electricity would damage the use of candles as well as the stagnation of society that the state depends on.

The book is based on a dystopia. Individuality is prohibited, all men are to think and act as one. When Equality shows the counsel his finding they are angered and fearful. Never before has someone brought this power to them, never has someone dared sway fro the accepted path. The council fears the new finding as it is not what they were used to. They disagree and are angered because Equality has disobesy orders. They must all be one. Equality has chosen to think and act for himself and the council rejects his change.