The art of peer pressure is the reason for so many drug addicts, alcoholics, and failures. Every kid would be too afraid to harm their bodies with substances but their friends only tell them the fun parts and convince them to try it. People wouldn’t participate if it wasn’t fun so it would be best if one never tried it at all. In Anthem the city controls all people’s lives. School is a requirement and after that a job will be given and the job locates where you live and what you do until your service is over. Peer pressure and the life in Anthem relate greatly. Equality is a great example of a warrior and overcoming the stress brought on by his brothers. Independence is a virtue and just taking a puff of smoke is destroying that. Drugs seriously destroy lives because they consume your soul and take over one’s mind so all one desires is to get high. Being the only one that can say no will bring good and happiness guaranteed. None of Equality’s brothers would even sneak out for a night but Equality was alive and could think for himself and he knew there was great potential for him somewhere else. He discovered electricity and they were going to have him sweep streets for the rest of his life. But Equality makes a great example of being able to overcome the hardest personal trials. Stepping out and being yourself is probably the hardest thing to do in this life because people are so judgmental and will make you feel out of place when one’s not even doing anything wrong. Kids should take claim in themselves and reflect an image that even if peers judge they will still feel right about themselves. But that’s the thing; it is way easier said than done. I have struggled with a drug problem all through high school and have experienced peer pressure first hand. I failed the test by saying yes and all drugs did was take me down. It caused huge problems that I had to overcome, but the problems would have never been there if I would have just said no. The book is a great read for teens because it shows you how to overcome by doing the right things even though enduring the situation is so hard. Live free and don’t fall to peer pressure.