Every great story has an inspiration. Most authors find the stories they write rooted in personal experiences, allowing them to explore their own opinions and style. Many authors use their writing to express their feelings and give the reader a taste of their worldview. Ayn Rand was no exception, revealing her strong opinions to her readers. Ayn Rand's Russian childhood, American influence, and strong opinions greatly inspired her to write the short story Anthem. Rand's childhood was a major contributing factor to the creation of Anthem. Ayn Rand was born on February 2, 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia. At the time she was there, Russia practiced communism with a collectivist culture. (“A Brief Biography of Ayn Rand” 1) Communism is a system used by the Russian economy in which property is collectively owned and other products such as those used in transportation are owned by the government. At a very young age, Ayn Rand again strongly opposed the collectivist culture that constantly surrounded her. This culture is widely illustrated in Rand's short story, Anthem. The story takes place in a city where every aspect of citizens' lives is controlled by the government. Each individual had no choice in their decisions or actions. The city's collectivism is closely linked to the Russian society in which Rand herself lived. Rand also felt this manipulation of lives when communism affected his family. Russian communism not only had a great effect on Rand's views, but also on her and her family's lives. The whole family was put in desperate conditions. (Gordon 1) After the Bolshevik Party came to power, Rand's father's pharmacy was confiscated...... middle of paper ......m from the characters in their works. Often an author can use their writing to show the reader their perspective on life. This applies not only to authors, but also to all people in their daily lives. Very often in life, past experiences play an important role in future decisions. People can choose certain paths to follow in their future based on the opinions they have formed throughout their lives. People's experiences can often help them shape their outlook on life. All of these factors help determine people's personalities and who they are. Ayn Rand is a great example of how she took everything she experienced and put it into her writing. Ayn Rand opened her readers' minds by showing them her individualistic perspective on the world. She used her Russian childhood, American influence, and strong opinions to formulate her own work of art, Anthem..