Euthanasia In The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a novel based on the idea of having a perfect society, although it displays qualities and signs of a dystopia. Jonas is the main character of the novel and he is a member of this “utopian society”. Jonas’ name is one from the bible, where he is sent by God to go against evil and those who are wicked. Jonas is given the role of Receiver in his community and along with his job, he faces pain and hardship. The role of the Receiver leads him to go through his hardships, persevere, become a better person, and therefore be the hero of his community.

Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of memories that the Giver, currently holds. Unlike ordinary children, Jonas was chosen because he was special and experienced moments that were unexplainable. These moments were signs of foreshadowing that Jonas would eventually become the Receiver. "But when he

looked out across the crowd, the sea of faces, the thing happened again. The thing that had happened with the apple. They changed. He blinked, and it was gone. His shoulder straightened slightly. Briefly he felt a tiny sliver of sureness for the first time” (Lowry 64). Jonas discovers his strengths and weaknesses which are what defines Jonas’ actions as a character in the novel, The Giver. His strengths are also what allows him to accept and become the person he was “meant” to be. He possesses the strengths of bravery, responsibility, intelligence, and selflessness. He was able to mostly take care of a child, Gabriel, who he has a deep connection with. He volunteered at the House of the Old, giving baths to the elders. "It hurt a lot," Jonas said, "but I'm glad you gave it to me. It was interesting. And now I understand better. What it meant, that there would be pain"(Lowry 109). He is able to receive memories from the Giver and learn more about life outside of his dystopia, without complaint. He shows a great amount of respect for the Giver and is willing to do whatever it takes to makes things right in the society.
As he learns more about the outside world through his memories as the Receiver, he begins to question almost everything that he does not understand, especially the rules that he believes should not exist. Jonas has many weaknesses that somewhat deprive him of learning the full truth for some time. His weaknesses are that he is extremely emotional and at some times thinks quite deeply about the memories he receives from the Giver. “He knew that there was no quick comfort for emotions like those. They were deeper and they did not need to be told. They were felt” (Lowry 132). Jonas was beginning to understand what the Giver was showing him without anything being said. “They were satisfied with their lives which had none of the vibrance his own was taking on. And he was angry at himself, that he could not change that for them” (Lowry 99). He had to lie to all his friends and family about his job as well as deny the rules set forth and follow his own set of rules. At some times, Jonas decides to break his own set of rules just to share what he is feeling and what he sees in his memories to others. He wants to be able to share his joy and pain, his experiences, so that his friends can feel what he is feeling. Jonas does not want to be isolated and have to keep secrets, especially from those he sees on a daily basis. Jonas also has more knowledge than anyone else and has more curiosity for more as he progresses. His curiosity could have gotten him in serious trouble, if given the chance, where he could have caused his downfall, although it showed to be the determination of his heroism.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry, presents conflicts that are connected to the idea of man vs.

society. The idea of euthanasia is practiced and the government’s laws present the struggle of limited rights. “Euthanasia is act of causing or permitting the death of someone as a way to end the suffering of that individual” (“Euthanasia”). Euthanasia is used in the book, as either punishment for breaking the rules and release of the elderly, newborn, or anyone who asks for it. “Release of the elderly, which was a time of celebration for a life well and fully lived; and the release of a new child, which always brought a sense of what-could-we-have-done”(Lowry ). As the Receiver, Jonas is able to understand and recognize aspects of the “utopia” that are considered wrong and immoral. Jonas later learns that the term “release” is associated with death and people, like his own father, do not know any better or that what they are doing is not right. After learning that euthanasia is practiced in the society, Jonas does all he can to prevent it from happening to those he loves by leaving to free all the

memories.