Strict Rules In The Giver

478 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Memories in the giver

Strict Rules Strict Life In the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, the author portrays a utopian society where important items such as emotions, customs, and diversity are lost and forgotten. Universal feelings such as love and hatred are eliminated from Jonas’s community. Jonas is the main protagonist in The Giver. Throughout his journey from a regular twelve year old to the most important citizen in his community, Jonas learns about many important themes, such as the important of love, sameness versus diversity, and the role of memories. Firstly, sameness verses diversity is an essential theme in The Giver. In a society where everything is represented the same, the slightest difference is found with the consequence of death. Sadly, if a citizen …show more content…

Love is a word lost in time in this society. Citizens do not use the word perhaps because they may not know the meaning of the word. When Jonas asked his own parents do they love him, they chuckled and told him to pay attention to “precision of language”. Families do not exist. Members of the community have to apply for a family unit which consists of one son, one father, one mother, and one daughter. Never the less, not a single emotion to be shown. As Gabriel was not sleeping properly after the father was taking care of him and giving Gabriel another chance at life, he carelessly votes for Gabriel’s release. Overall, no intimacy is shown for family. Each member of the family are almost forced to bond. They are just random member of the community that are chosen for a family unit. If the one of the members of the family unit were to pass away the society would just hold a ceremony and go on with their lives. Lastly, the role of memories in the society shows how we take for granted many things. In the society, citizens do not have the opportunity to remember or to learn about the memories from our history. Jonas leaves the community because of the loneliness of the memories, he wants to be able to share the memories with

Show More
Related

  • Selfish and Selfless in the Giver by Lois Lowry

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas understands the consequences of leaving the community, but wants to be able to experience colors, pain, and love; which he couldn’t have if he stayed. “If it failed, he would very likely be killed. But what did that matter? If he stayed, his life was no longer worth living” (Lowry 155). Jonas is willing to risk the unknown for the idea of finding Elsewhere for himself. He knows how much he does not fit in with the community and wants to be able to be himself, to love, and to share the memories without being chastised. “He felt, surprisingly, no fear, nor any regret at leaving the community behind” (Lowry 164). Jonas was ready for what was ahead of him; even if he didn’t know what that was. He knows that leaving the community is the best option for him and the people of the community, because they need to know about the world’s past and Jonas wants to be able to experience life to the fullest. By leaving the community, he is leavi...

    Read More

  • The Giver Should Not Be Banned Essay

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is one of the few brave books that exposes the horrors of humanity and serves as a cautionary tale for us all. Even in a “paradise” like Jonas' community, people still try to control others in order to keep the world pure, innocent, and shaped in their image, while they are ignorant of the past, of history, and their abilities to harm others even when they have good intentions. The Giver is a vital piece of literature for society today; its lessons of the horrors that can occur in society and the beauty that humanity offers are invaluable to us all. Freedom and choice are vital to a successful and fulfilled society. A world without freedom and choice “is a frightening world. Let’s work hard to keep it from truly happening.”

    Read More

  • The Giver

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas finally decides to change the world (at least the one he knows of), but he faces many obstacles trying to do so. Jonas speaks to the Giver about giving memories to the community . He wants to share them with everyone and change the way the community works. He wants to give them choices and show them that there are differences. The Giver says the only way the community will receive them is if Jonas goes to the beyond and loses his connection to them.

    Read More

  • The Giver by Lois Lowry

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... bravery to push through. His curiosity gets in the way sometimes, but he learns because of his curiosity many things. When he first begins to receive memories, his thoughts and decisions regarding them are immature. But after The Giver provokes further thought from Jonas, he (Jonas) realizes that choices, and decisions, are not all simple things like choosing colors. They are also complex things, like choosing whether it’s right or wrong to have a bigger population. The memories give Jonas the extra boost for him to figure out what bravery is, and once he finds it, he uses it as his weapon to fight the pain from the memories. In conclusion, Jonas’s strong morals and characteristics help him change his outlook on life from the dull, alien point of view that he thought was normal to the uncorrput society that is now the present.

    Read More

  • Jonas 'Bravery In The Giver'

    460 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the book “The Giver” Jonas is a character of many great traits, but one of his traits that stands out throughout the book is his bravery. He shows bravery when he takes on the challenge of being the next receiver of Memory which takes physical and mental pain. He shows how brave he is when he runs away from his community with Gabriel on his father’s bike, as well as when he faces his father everyday after knowing what his father does to “release ” people.

    Read More

  • Reflective Essay On 'The Giver'

    312 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the Giver the main protagonist, Jonas, who lives in a mundane world without differences, follows the path towards the archetypal hero's journey. Jonas begins his call for adventure with being specifically selected as the next receiver of memory. This job entitles him to memories from the Giver to help the community continue to thrive. His deep thought and reflection against it shows his refusal of the call until he is finally able to accept this responsibility. Finally he begins the adventure.

    Read More

  • The Giver Identity Theme

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    To loosely explain, Jonas was born into a bland society where everybody was kind and content, but choice was nonexistent. At the age of 12, he was assigned the job of collecting memories from the past and keeping them for the civilization. As a result of this, Jonas met The Giver, an older man who, at that point, held the job Jonas was assigned. Through his experiences with the man and sharing memories, Jonas learns that he wishes he were a part of those times. Those memories gave him feelings he’d never experienced before, ones that made the world’s current situation seem so bland and monotonous. Ultimately, it is because of these feelings and experiences that Jonas began his journey in self-identity. Lowry writes, “He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo,” (The Giver, 180.) These lines represent Jonas’ sense of hope in his new home by the end of the novel. Through his use of both memories and living in the present, Jonas came to an awakening. He realized that the Giver was a large part in his identity, and also simply that he is a new person now, living in a world where, while it might be scary at times, choice exists. With that choice comes his ability to shape himself into the person he truly wants to

    Read More

  • The Giver By Lois Lowry: Theme Analysis

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    Without conflict Jonas would not have any chances to learn from mistakes. He sees actions and feelings that could potentially cause problems which is why they were removed from the community. Jonas states, “‘The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.’” (193). Jonas realizes that keeping these memories a secret between just him and The Giver is causing problems in the community. Jonas understands that without the rest of the community knowing about the memories, they are missing many positive experiences in life.

    Read More

  • The Giver Hypocrisy

    486 Words  | 1 Pages

    At the December ceremony, Jonas is selected to become the new receiver of memory the most honored position in the community .As he receives the Giver's memories and wisdom, he learns the truth about the community that it is hypocrisy. Jonas' character changes and becomes complex .He experiences an inner conflict because he misses his old life , his childhood and his innocence, but he cannot return to his former way of life because he has learned too much about joy, color, and love. Jones knows that his life can never be ordinary again.

    Read More

  • The Giver Research Paper

    603 Words  | 2 Pages

    Family is one of the most cherished things life has to offer. In Jonas’s society, citizens must apply for a spouse an for children. The Committee of Elders observe the people in the Community to assign a family unit.According to the novel, the narrator states, “Two children-one male, one female- to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules”(Lowry 8). This quote shows that unlike society today, the government in Jonas’s society decides when

    Read More

  • The Giver Research Paper

    897 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas lived with his younger sister and parents, in The Community. Here every citizen, children included, were required to uphold the mindset of corporate organization and success. An underdeveloped new child named Gabriel also lived with this family to be given a chance to thrive, by extending to him extra nurturing, before committing him to release. The community was governed by a set of rules that were enforced by Committee of Elders who also decided marital partnerships, to which families the newchildren were given and such unions would occur. The inhabitants of the Community did not know the pain and joy of memory because the Giver carried this burden for

    Read More

  • The Giver Essay

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas is the protagonist and main character in the story. He is smart but doesn’t understand the power that he is given in his assignment. Jonas is given the rare assignment of being the receiver of memory. The previous receiver, The Giver, gives Jonas memories of the world before sameness. Jonas takes in the memories but because no one else has these feeling he doesn’t know how to express them. The Giver is a wise and intelligent man that has all of the feelings and experiences that people before sameness felt. Because he is growing old he must transfer all of his memories to Jonas. Jonas’s father is a kind and loving man who works as a nurturer. As a nurturer he takes care of all the infants in the community before they are assigned to a family group. Jonas’s mother is a smart woman who is very serious about her position the community. She works in the department of justice and determines if people should be released when they break the rules. Both of Jonas’s give him advice about life and they love him dearly. Lily, Jonas’s sister, is a sweet little girl but doesn’t have a filter so she says things right when they come to her. She often tries to give her family advice but is always correct. Jonas has two best friends that he loves and cares for deeply. Jonas, Asher, and Fiona do all of their volunteer hours together and ride their bikes together. In the community

    Read More

  • The Giver Literary Analysis

    455 Words  | 1 Pages

    Our choices form who we are. We are built from the regrets and prides that are produced. There is pain, suffering, but also, joy, and love. Humans just have nothing without choices. Jonas learns this when he becomes the receiver, but his friends were left behind in their passionless lives. They lost so much to be “protected” that there was no triumph to life. There is never a rainbow without rain. But is it worth it to live a life of pain and misery just for the occasional joy? The gifts of the memories is special to Jonas, as it differs from the monotone life he lives. After receiving his first memory, Jonas asks, “Are you saying that I — I mean we — could do it again?”(Lowry 82). By using the word “again” Lowry implants the information that

    Read More

  • Jonas' Courageous Transformation in 'The Giver'

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel, “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, Jonas is the protagonist living in the community. He is an Eleven, and is about to receive his permanent assignment. Until the Chief Elder skips him and leaves him dumbfounded. After everyone is done, he is called up to the stage. Jonas is the new Receiver of memory and has to hold the memories that the Community can’t. He starts to see colors and the truth behind the closed doors that no one can see. I believe that through the novel Jonas’ courage became stronger, and it develops him as a character.

    Read More

  • Seeking Perfection and Utopia

    1295 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jonas gradually stepped outside his house. He turned left and right and saw Eights beginning to ride their bicycles and Twelves who were excited to be getting their job assignments. As he strapped on his helmet and edged his way onto his bicycle, he saw an apple his friend was throwing around change. It was instantaneous. There one second, gone the next. His friend threw a confused expression on his face when Jonas asked if he saw the change. Maybe it had been a hallucination. What had it been? It was color. Imagine a perfect society. One in which there is no fighting, no discrimination, no war. This is the society of The Giver. The Giver is filled with symbols and themes that reflect upon the lives of people in modern societies and the control of government in Jonas’s society. The underlying theme in The Giver is the idea of control that is enforced on society in order to achieve perfection, and the symbols, including the sled, the river, and Carl Nelson, illustrate life and the society in which Jonas lives in. Therefore, The Giver reflects upon contemporary society through its themes and symbols.

    Read More

More about Strict Rules In The Giver

Open Document