<P> Rand originally conceived of the story as a play, then decided to write for magazine publication . At her agent's suggestion, she submitted it to book publishers . The novella was first published by Cassell in England . It was published in the United States only after Rand's next novel, The Fountainhead, became a best seller . Rand revised the text for the US edition, which was published in 1946 . </P> <P> Equality 7 - 2521, a 21 - year - old man writing by candlelight in a tunnel under the earth, tells the story of his life up to that point . He exclusively uses plural pronouns ("we", "our", "they") to refer to himself and others . He was raised like all children in his society, away from his parents in collective homes . He believes he has a "curse" that makes him learn quickly and ask many questions . He excels at the Science of Things and dreams of becoming a Scholar, but when the Council of Vocations assigns his Life Mandate, he is assigned to be a Street Sweeper . </P> <P> Equality 7 - 2521 accepts his street sweeping assignment as penance for his Transgression of Preference in secretly desiring to be a Scholar . He works with Union 5 - 3992 and International 4 - 8818, who is Equality's only friend (which is another Transgression of Preference). Despite International's protests that any exploration unauthorized by a Council is forbidden, Equality explores a tunnel and finds metal tracks . Equality believes the tunnel is from the Unmentionable Times of the distant past . He begins sneaking away from his community to use the tunnel as a laboratory for scientific experiments . He is using stolen paper to write his journal . </P> <P> While cleaning a road at the edge of the City, Equality meets Liberty 5 - 3000, a 17 - year - old Peasant girl who works in the fields . He commits another transgression by thinking constantly of her, instead of waiting to be assigned a woman at the annual Time of Mating . She has dark eyes and golden hair, and he names her "The Golden One". When he speaks to her, he discovers that she also thinks of him . He reveals his secret name for her, and Liberty tells Equality she has named him "The Unconquered". </P>

A link to the past guy that runs away