How Does The Giver Change

In the novel The Giver, by Lois Lowry, The main character, Jonas changes who he is throughout the story.

In the beginning of the book Jonas was obedient and lived life by the rules. Jonas is raised like everyone else in the community. His life is planned out and expectations are set for every part of his life. ¨Instantly, obediently, Jonas had dropped his bike on its side on the path behind his family's dwelling¨ As the children grow they gain new small privileges. When Jonas turned into an Eight he was allowed to go into the community to volunteer. ¨The freedom to choose where to spend those hours had always seemed a wonderful luxury to Jonas; other hours of the day were so carefully regulated.¨ His family had a set routine that followed the rules of the community that everyone had to follow.

In the middle of the book when Jonas learns he will become the next Receiver and finds out the rules for being the Receiver he is surprised to learn that he does not have to follow the rules that he had grown up obeying.

One rule was that Jonas was exempt from governing rudeness and he may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive an answer. ¨He was so completely, so thoroughly accustomed to courtesy within the community that the thought of asking another citizen an intimidating question, of calling someoneś attention to an area of awkwardness, was unnerving.¨ Another rule was he could not apply for release. ¨It had never occurred to him that under any circumstances, ever, he might apply for release.” The last rule was that he was allowed to lie. ¨He had been trained since earliest childhood, since his earliest learning of language, never to lie.¨ Jonas is learning that his life will change from his obedient past to something new that only he and the Giver

experience.

In the end of the book Jonas has received many memories and has learned what life was like in another time. He has learned that his job is to hold all the memories so that the Elders can come to him to make decisions. He learns about pain, love, experiences, and how people get to make their own decisions. Once he learns that his community kills people he decides that things should change. So he comes up with a plan but breaks many rules. ¨He thought of the rules he had broken so far: enough that if he were caught, now, he would be condemned.” ¨First, he had left the dwelling at night. A major transgression.¨ ¨Second, he had robbed the community of food: a very serious crime, even though what he had taken was leftovers, set out on the dwelling doorsteps for collections.¨ ¨Third, he had stolen his fatherś bicycle.¨ ¨And he had taken Gabriel too.¨ He left the community so that everyone would have to share the pain and he took Gabriel because they were going to kill him.