The Giver Analysis

747 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Exploring the character of the giver

In the novel The Giver Lowry shows though the actions of Jonas that just because you are told you are suppose to go a certain path in life doesn't mean that is your destiny. If you feel in your heart that something is not right, you don't have to go along with it. Standing up for what you believe in while everyone thinks you are wrong is probably one of the strongest things a person can do. In The Giver Jonas a boy of 12 is living in what is considered a “perfect” world. There is no such thing as, hunger, violence, love, choice, over population, and even color. When children reach the age of 12 they are assigned their life long job, whether it is birth mother or someone who aids to the elderly. Jonas is assigned the unique job of Receiver of Memories. This is an extremely rare job, this is assigned once about every 100 years. Jonas begins to understand the things that have been sacrificed for his perfect society, such as choices, independence, love, pain and adventure. Everything changes when Jonas watches his father kill a baby, sense he now has emotions programed back into his mind, he is distraught and wants to change the way this society lives. Jonas and The Giver, which was the previous receiver of memories, make a plan that will return the society to be more loving and caring, but it would also make it more a dangerous place.
A sled is the first memory Jonas receives from the Giver. The sled symbolizes the journey Jonas takes discovering all of the memories and feelings he wasn't allowed to express or feel his entire life. The sled in this memory is red, this color symbolizes a new world of feelings and ideas that Jonas now knows. Before The Giver gives away this memory, he compares the difficulty of carrying all the mem...

... middle of paper ...

...nd. The fact that Jonas takes Gabriel away is also symbolic of his passion to change things, to start an entire new life away from this insane community that he grew up in. His struggles to keep Gabriel alive in the freezing cold, reflect his struggles to maintain his idea of saving his idea of giving someone a chance of a real perfect life, not a fake and twisted idea of a perfect life.
Nothing in this world is perfect, so once someone tries to make things perfect thats when everything goes to hell. Jonas goes against all that is considered right in his community, for all that is considered right in his mind. A new beginning of hope can keep anyone from falling in to society's ways. Hope keeps one a float, in this case it keeps Jonas from being just The Giver, but it makes him realies his true destiny in life, which is starting a new on, a better one, for Gabriel.

Show More
Related

  • The Giver Epilogue Analysis

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas said “I gave him memories along the way to let him survive, but he’s cold.” The giver had started to give Jonas and Gabe memories to keep them warm and alive. Jonas felt the memory of him sitting next to a campfire and it was as hot as a hot bathing room in the house of the old. Jonas had remembered about his friends Fiona and Asher and asked the giver. “Where is Fiona and Asher.”

    Read More

  • The Giver, by Lois Lowry, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, and Logan's Run, by William F. Nolan

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas, the protagonist, is assigned the job of holding memories for the community. This is so that not everyone has to experience sad or painful memories. The Giver's job is to transmit these memories to Jonas and, in doing so, reveals the wonders of love, and family, and pain, and sorrow to this young boy. Jonas begins to resent the rules of sameness and wants to share these joys with his community. After receiving his first memory, Jonas says, "I wish we had those things, still." (p. 84)

    Read More

  • Lois Lowry's Use of Allusion Throughout The Giver

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    “...Jonas becomes the Reciever of Memories shared by only one other…” (Lowry,4). The author uses allusion throught the entire book almost through evryone and everything. The young boy that Jonas’s family was looking over was named Gabriel. In a biblical view his name is one of god’s messengers and in the end of the giver when Jonas takes Gabe with him to find another community unlike theirs they find it together. In a hebrew relation Jonas is another version of Jonah which is the son of truth were in his community he does not like how his father lied and said that the twin was going to released when he had killed the child. He also wants the community to know the truth of the past and not hide things. The Giver is the book is portrayed as God since he is the presnter to all life. Elsewhere is heaven in the novel when the elderly and the yo...

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Giver And The Truman Show

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas knew that he had to get out and leave his society. There were many complications to Jonas leaving. Jonas did not want to leave Gabe so he had to find a way to bring him with. Once Jonas was ready to go he got himself and gabe already to go. Then they were gone and they found elsewhere.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Overcoming Adversity In The Giver, By Lois Lowry

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas decides to leave and change the lives of his people so that they can experience the truth. “The Giver rubbed Jonas’s hunched shoulders… We’ll make a plan” (155). Their plan involves leaving sameness and heading to Elsewhere, where Jonas knows the memories can be released to the people. He has a connection with Gabe, a special child who has experienced the memories, unlike the rest of the community. Jonas has a strong love for Gabe, and he longs to give him a better life. “We’re almost there, Gabriel” (178). Even with a sprained ankle, Jonas keeps pushing forward because he wants everyone to experience what The Giver has given him. He wants them to have a life where the truth is exposed. His determination allows him to make a change for a greater future in his community. This proves that Jonas has the strength to change his community for the

    Read More

  • Essay On Conformity In The Giver

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    He starts to believe that a world of sameness where no one can decide or make choices for themselves is boring. Lois Lowry is warning readers that living in a world of sameness is not something to create as it is boring and dull, but if the world follows conformity and does not value diversity and difference enough, society could become that of Jonas’s. When he turns twelve, his job for the rest of his life is decided as the Receiver. His job is to receive all the memories the previous Receiver has held on to. While this is beneficial for Jonas as he is able to leave the society and his job of the Receiver behind and get freedom, the community is left without someone to take the memories from The Giver.

    Read More

  • The Giver: Analysis of Jonas

    501 Words  | 2 Pages

    Once Jonas begins his training with the Giver, however, the tendencies he showed in his earlier life—his sensitivity, his heightened perceptual powers, his kindness to and interest in people, his curiosity about new experiences, his honesty, and his high intelligence—make him extremely absorbed in the memories the Giver has to transmit. In turn, the memories, with their rich sensory and emotional experiences, enhance all of Jonas’s unusual qualities. Within a year of training, he becomes extremely sensitive to beauty, pleasure, and suffering, deeply loving toward his family and the Giver, and fiercely passionate about his new beliefs and feelings. Things about the community that used to be mildly perplexing or troubling are now intensely frustrating or depressing, and Jonas’s inherent concern for others and desire for justice makes him yearn to make changes in the community, both to awaken other people to the richness of life and to stop the casual cruelty that is practiced in the community. Jonas is also very determined, committing to a task fully when he believes in it and willing to risk his own life for the sake of the people he loves.

    Read More

  • The Perception of Jonas in Lois Lowry's The Giver

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    As December approaches Jonas feels apprehensive because this year his group will be given their assignments (Lowry 9). He is chosen as the receiver of memory. While this position holds high honor it is also a painful load to hold. Jonas will hold all memories of the past. Receiving memories is not like watching a movie, as Jonas soon expe...

    Read More

  • The Giver Conclusion

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Personally, I believe that Jonas and Gabriel ended up dying in the freezing cold, while starving and going insane; I also have various reasons to back this theory up. Firstly, on pages 171-172, it states that Jonas and Gabriel begin to starve; this could mean that they would also end up losing their sanity and even possibly see illusions. Furthermore, all throughout chapter 23, it explains that Jonas and Gabriel are agonizingly cold while surrounded by a snowy environment. This may lead to Jonas and Gabriel to lose their sanity and see illusions as well. At the very end of the story, Jonas is able to see “Elsewhere,” the place they left the community to search for. However, it is possible that Jonas is seeing nothing but an illusion. Along with all of this, Jonas is used to livin...

    Read More

  • Jonas In 'The Giver'

    803 Words  | 2 Pages

    He is exceedingly considerate towards his family and acquaintances, sometimes even acting without instinct to help them. For example, on page one hundred eighteen, he noticed that the Giver was in pain and asked him if he needed help. The Giver said “Put your hands on me,” signaling Jonas for him to transfer the painful memory. Jonas has already experienced various horrifying memories and does not like them, but dislikes to see the Giver in pain. Therefore, he swallows his fear and takes it all in. Furthermore, there is an instance where Jonas is kind, it is stated on page one hundred fifteen. He volunteers for Gabriel to stay in his room so that his mother will not be disturbed by Gabriel’s restlessness. He also shows affection towards Gabriel, first unconsciously and then consciously when he transfers the peaceful memory of a sail to Gabriel. He does not want Gabriel to fret so he tries to soothe him with tranquil thoughts. These examples illustrate Jonas’ thoughtfulness and warmth to his cared

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Memories In The Giver By Lois Lowry

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas hates how his society decides to keep memories a secret from everyone. Jonas says: “The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared” (Lowry 154). Jonas feels that memories, whether it be good or bad, should be shared with everyone. Furthermore, memories allow the community to gain wisdom from remembering experiences of the past. As for The Giver, The Giver disagrees with how the community runs things. He believes that memories should be experienced by everyone as well, because life is meaningless without memories. The Giver says: “There are so many things I could tell them; things I wish they would change. But they don’t want change. Life here is so orderly, so predictable–so painless. It’s what they’ve chosen [...] It’s just that… without memories, it’s all meaningless. They gave that burden to me” (Lowry 103). The Giver is burdened with the responsibility to not share memories even though that is what he feels the community deserves. In addition, he believes the community lives a very monotonous life where nothing ever changes. Everything is meaningless without memories because the community does not know what it is like to be human without feelings. Overall, Jonas and The Giver’s outlooks on their “utopian” society change as they realize that without

    Read More

  • The Giver

    383 Words  | 1 Pages

    Jonas is making an end by leaving the community. He leaves with Gabriel because he

    Read More

  • The Giver Book Report

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jonas always tells his dreams. He always was there for chastisement. He always shared his feelings at the evening meal. He also always took his pill every morning. “Now he swallowed the pill his mother handed him.”(Page 38). By the end of the book Jonas is rebellious. He stops taking pills for emotions that he is supposed to take everyday. Jonas stays at the Giver’s house when he sees his father kill a baby. Jonas also tries to escape from the community when Giver creates a plan to escape from the community which Jonas barely follows because of Gabe’s release. “But your role now is to escape.” (Page 162). This means that Jonas has to escape and the Giver must stay to help the community after he is gone.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Individuality In The Giver

    746 Words  | 2 Pages

    The sincere awareness of colors is not only forgotten, but dismissed into mere memories, and consigned into oblivion. Jonas, after gaining the awareness of colors, comes to the conclusion of wanting the choices that he could make in his daily routine. “I want to decide things! A blue tunic, or a red one?” (97). After The Giver asks Jonas why it is not fair that nothing has color, Jonas realizes that, for him, color is not just an nature. It also represents a level of individual freedom and choice that he has never known in his rigidly controlled society. This forces Jonas to face the disadvantages of living in such a community where self-expression is stifled. Jonas is talking about the sameness in the community and how he has to wear the same, old gray tunic. The Giver points out that choice is at the heart of the matter; when you can’t choose, it makes life very dull. “It’s the choosing that’s important” (98). Because the world in which Jonas has grown up has no color, the appearance of color in the story is important and meaningful. Color represents Jonas’s want for more individual expression. Colors brighten in a special way and Jonas, coming fro...

    Read More

  • Reflection Of The Movie The Giver: Movie Review

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    But the Giver argues and asks “Do you know what is means to love someone? Possibility of love? With it comes hope, faith and a beautiful feeling. “ But the commander says that people are weak, selfish and when people have the freedom to choose, they choose wrong. Giver believes that in this community “people are living the life of shadows, of faint, distant whispers of what once made us real.” People are living in the shadow, because their right to choose is taken away. The movie does not show what happens after Jonas crosses the boundary of memory, but we can hope that after everyone got memories back they found the real

    Read More

More about The Giver Analysis

Open Document