Growing Up In Lois Lowry's 'The Giver'

1548 Words4 Pages

Lois Lowry’s, The Giver What is growing up? Merriam Dictionary.com states, definition is, to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity. Everyone has their own definition of growing up, some from an older age perspective and some from a young age. In this book, there are many different perspectives of growing up in both perspectives, which this essay will be about. The theme of The Giver by Lois Lowry is growing up and it is supported by these symbols Asher, Lily, and Jonas. First, in this book Asher is a big example of growing up in this story. Asher does not really show someone who has grown up, but someone who needs too. Throughout the book, Asher shows insecurity, is very juvenile, and immature. According to …show more content…

Lily throughout the book does not like to wear her hair ribbons, she wants her own bike, and wants to be bigger. She is almost the exact opposite of Asher, he still wants to be young and play all the time, but she wants to grow up and be an adult. According to the text it states, "Lily, please hold still, " Mother said again. Lily, standing in front of her, fidgeted impatiently. "I can tie them myself, " she complained. "I always have.” "I know that, " Mother replied, straightening the hair ribbons on the little girl's braids. "But I also know that they constantly come loose and more often than not, they're dangling down your back by afternoon. Today, at least, we want them to be neatly tied and to stay neatly tied. " "I don't like hair ribbons. I'm glad I only have to wear them one more year, " Lily said irritably” (40). Lily wants to be independent and put on her ribbons on herself, without her mother's help. In the text she says she can not wait until she can take her ribbons out, she can not wait until she is older, can not wait to grow up. The text also states, “Next year I get my bicycle, too, " she added more cheerfully. “There are good things each year, " Jonas reminded her. "This year you get to start your volunteer hours. And remember last year, when you became a Seven, you were so happy to get your front-buttoned jacket?" (40). …show more content…

He is very mature, responsible, and shows competence throughout the story. Jonas is very smart and when someone is being immature, he tries his best to help them learn from their mistakes. As the new receiver he shows much maturity, and is very prepared for adult life, has grown up. According to the text it states, “Don’t play it anymore,” Jonas pleaded…….. “Asher,” Jonas said. He was trying to speak carefully and with kindness, to say exactly what he wanted to say. “You had no way of knowing this. I didn’t know it myself until recently. But it’s a cruel game. In the past, there have” (134). Jonas knows that, war games are not appropriate, because he is one of the only twelves who know what war was really like. He knows this because the Giver showed him that memory. Jonas is trying to explain to Asher and help him understand why it is a bad game to play, but Asher does not care to listen. The text also states, “Once again, there was just a moment when things weren’t quite the same, weren’t quite as they had always been through the long friendship. Perhaps he had imagined it. Things couldn’t change, with Asher” (66). Jonas is happy for Asher that he got the recreation job, but now things were not the same anymore. They both got different jobs, and now Jonas is realizing that he is different from everyone else. Even though things are hard for him right now, he is not acting like a child and throwing a fit.

Open Document