At the end of the book, Equality 7-2521 chooses a new name for himself: Prometheus. Prometheus was a Greek Titan who brought fire to humans against the Gods’ wishes, and was punished with eternal suffering for this transgression. Like the mythical Prometheus, Equality 7-2521 brings a new, life-changing form of technology to mankind, and like Prometheus, Equality 7-2521 must suffer for doing so. However, there is a crucial difference between the ancient myth and Rand’s retelling: while humankind accepts Prometheus’s gift of fire, Equality 7-2521’s collectivist society cravenly and narrow-mindedly rejects his gift. Thus, Rand demonstrates the way that collectivism destroys man’s instinct to better himself and his people.