The Giver Identity Theme

The theme of identity can be found throughout many works of literature in all time periods. This is a theme often paired with other ideas, such as the characters having a desire to fit into a certain group or to be accepted by not only themselves, but others, too. Sometimes, this appears in text as a crisis. Other times, the journey to identity is seen as a positive endeavor for the main character. In two postmodernism-era books, The Giver by Lois Lowry and Divergent by Veronica Roth, with the theme of identity present, both similarities and differences can be found in how the authors incorporated it into their novels.

First, it is important to know what exactly the theme of identity might mean. Characters learning who they are and identifying

with certain aspects of themselves are the largest part of this. When on the journey to self-awareness or learning one’s identity, a character is often faced with many changes along the way. Whether they choose to embrace or fear these changes are up to them, and all of it is a part of their identity. This theme of identity can also be represented by characters learning to accept themselves for who they are and realizing when their behaviors do not completely match up with their intentions or beliefs. Usually, they are faced with major inner transformations. All of these are ways in which the theme can be implemented into a work of literature.
In the first novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, a boy named Jonas discovers parts of his own identity through another character named The Giver.

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

become.
Next, the novel, Divergent, takes a more direct approach to identity. Beatrice Prior, the main character, lives in a dystopian version of present-day Chicago. In this society a system of factions exist which citizens are sorted into based upon their personality. Candor is the faction of the honest, Dauntless the brave, Amity the kind, Erudite the intelligent, and Abnegation, the selfless. Beatrice was born into Abnegation; however, she did not resonate with this faction at solely. In fact, she didn’t feel as if she belonged to any one faction alone. Hence, the term Divergent. After she discovered that she was the perfect combination of honest, brave, kind, intelligent, and selfless, she felt at peace with herself and her new-found identity. “I feel like someone breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless.
I am Divergent,” (Divergent, 442) is a quote that perfectly describes this. Beatrice feels relief and comfort in knowing that she’s not like everybody else- that there was a reason for her feeling out of place, and now she can use this knowledge in unimaginable ways.
To conclude, both novels clearly show the theme of identity in different ways. The Giver takes a more indirect approach by leaving much of it up to the reader to interpret and even relate to. Divergent directly shows the main character’s initial struggle with self-identity and how, with patience and work, she came to realize her true self and found peace with that. While both authors portrayed this theme in different ways, the same theme persisted and ultimately left behind the idea that no journey to identity is the same, but the end result is almost always positive.