At first, man was enslaved by the gods. But he broke their chains. Then he was enslaved by the kings. But he broke their chains. He was enslaved by his birth, by his kin, by his race. But he broke their chains. He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights which neither god nor king nor other men can take away from him, no matter what their number, for his is the right of man, and there is no right on earth above this right. And he stood on the threshold of the freedom for which the blood of the centuries behind him had been spilled.

But then he gave up all he had won, and fell lower than his savage beginning.

—Anthem, Ayn Rand

How does the imagery in this passage develop Rand’s ideas about individuality?

A. It shows that people have always fought to be free from the control of oppressive groups.

B. It shows that individuality is not natural and must be won.

C. It demonstrates that individuality is unstable and fleeting, which increases its importance.

D. It demonstrates that religion is central to the idea of individuality.