The Community keeps the memories away from the people, which means that they ignore their past, and cannot gain wisdom or bliss. For example, when the Giver was explaining what memories are to Jonas, he says, “There’s much more… I re-experience them again and again. It is how wisdom comes. And how we shape our future,”(Lowry 78). The Giver describes how wisdom comes in this quote. Without memories, nobody can make the right decision, which will lead to a bad choice. Without memories, one cannot shape his or her future. In addition, when Jonas describes the pain he feel when experiencing a sunburn when, “‘It hurts a lot,’ Jonas said, ‘but I’m glad you gave it to me. It was interesting,”(Lowry 86). This quote show that Jonas does not understand …show more content…
As a matter of fact, when Jonas’s father is giving release to the newborn baby, Jonas begins to understand what release really is when, “‘… I know this hurts little guy’… as he continued to watch, the new child, no longer crying, moved his arms and eggs in a jerking motion. Then he went limp… He killed it!”(Lowry 149-150). Jonas’s father unknowingly murdered a newborn child under the name of release. He did not know what death was, let alone murder. Jonas's father did not understand the value of life really was. The Community makes sure that their residents do not know the true meaning of release. Just because they ignore the fact that several murders happen frequently, does not mean that the reality behind it disappears with it. Ignoring this, does not make the residents of the Community live a blissful life. In the beginning of the novel, when the Jonas talks about what release means, he says, “… to be released… a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure,”(Lowry 20). The citizens of the Community do not know what release really is. Children are scolded for improperly using the word release, but are never informed on the correct definition of it. All they are aware of is the term
What are memories to you? In the book The Giver, by Lois Lowry. There is a boy his name is Jonas. He is the Receiver of Memories. Jonas experiences the memories over the course of the book. Memories help us understand there are consequences to your actions. Although some readers may believe that memories are not important. The memories Jonas had helped him with the journey at the end of the book.
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)
During Jonas’s selection to become the next Receiver of Memory, the Chief Elder states that the previous selection was a failure. When Jonas questions his parents about the results of the previous selection, they inform him that “[they] never saw her again (Lowry 85)” and they do not know what happened to her. As well as being informed of a failure in the past, Jonas’s rules state that he is not allowed to apply for medication related to his training or release. These clues hint that Jonas will suffer to the point that he may want to apply for release or there is a chance that he will fail. Later in his training, Jonas experiences memories of pain and suffering, such as injury, war, and hunger.
“Ignorance is not bliss. Bliss is knowing the full meaning of what you have been given.” said David Levithan. In her dystopian novel, The Giver, Lois Lowry is able to convey the same idea as this quote. In this book, people created the Community in which the members are in a supposedly safe and happy environment. The Elders choose Jonas, the main character, to be the next Receiver of Memory and his training helps him to experience the past and see the deep flaws in the Community.
When Lois Lowry first introduces Jonas and the world in which he lives, Jonas is oblivious to the underlying deception behind everyday acts. The plot is driven by Jonas’s newfound knowledge on the lies the government is founded upon. As the plot progresses, Lois Lowry uses also the act and concept of Release as a guiding factor in conveying her theme. As Jonas is introduced to war and pain, he also watches a Release, something has been taught to see simply as an aspect of life, however it is revealed to be murder, disposal of the elderly, treatment for unhealthy infants, and even a punishment. Jonas watches his father as he “pushed the plunger very slowly, injecting the liquid into the scalp vein until it is empty.”(149) In the following moments Jonas realizes “he killed it! My father killed it.” Previously Jonas’s father had spoken on Release, saying he got “the smaller one(child) all cleaned up and comfy… then I wave bye-bye.”(137) The fact that Jonas and his father both knew the truth, despite what had been hidden from the public eye, is a key aspect in Lois Lowry’s portrayal of theme. An additional instance in which Lowry uses sequence event to convey her theme to the reader, is the contrast between the game war, that Jonas’s friend Asher plays and the war of reality. Children in Jonas’s community play war, as children now play tag, what they believe to be a harmless and exciting playground, is something Jonas later finds to be resembling of actual violence, and is appalled by the game’s popularity. Those who participate in the child’s game war, are oblivious to any deeper meaning, as the truth has been masked, however, once again, the Receiver holds memories of war beyond their shielded society. On the whole, Lois Lowry’s use of sequence of events in the depiction of her theme is extremely
Set in a community with no climate, emotions, choices, or memories Lois Lowry tells the tale of Jonas in The Giver. Jonas is selected to be the receiver of memory, which means the memories of generations past, before the community was created, will all be transferred to him to hold. As Jonas receives memories his concept of the world around him drastically changes. Jonas starts out as twelve-year-old boy with perceptions different from those around him, he then begins to see the community for what it really is, and he makes a plan to change it.
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
This action made the community unfeeling and emotionless. The people of the community do not feel the same way Jonas and The Giver do. In the book, The Giver tells Jonas, "Listen to me, Jonas. They can't help it. They know nothing." (Page 153) The Giver told Jonas this after Jonas witnessed his father releasing a baby. The Giver explained to Jonas how the community is trained to do things like this without questioning it since they have no feelings. Without memories the people of the community are unfeeling, so having memories will make them feel things like pain and happiness.
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
Love and other deep emotions are not worth giving up for safety. Jonas’ own mother doesn’t love him, she doesn’t know what love means. “Do you love me… So meaningless that it has become almost obsolete” (pg127). Jonas refused to live where your parents don’t know what the meaning of love is. So he left. He took a stand. Jonas found out that his father was going to kill his stepbrother, Gabe and he was furious. His father doesn’t even know what the word kill means. His father honestly thought he was helping Gabe by releasing him, just because he didn’t sleep soundly through the night. If he knew the emotions of love, empathy and hope he might have known that release is a bad thing. But they chose to not have feelings because they were afraid of heartbreaks,
These people will never have learned what it is like to feel these things, to view life with a purpose. Being that, Jonas is appalled and distraught when he sees his own father killing an infant. The boy can not imagine that his father would even think of kill an infant- which is true, to a degree. Jonas’s father does not know
My father killed it! Jonas said to himself, stunned at what he was realizing,”this teached Jonas how a release works and he learns how important and unforgettable it is and how bad a release can be. People doesn’t realize of what they’re doing of a release, they don’t know how release can be. Release means killed.
“Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory.” In the book “The Giver”, Jonas a twelve year old boy got picked as the Receiver of Memory that changed his life in good ways and in bad. One of the main points about this story is about the memories he receives in his job. In the end of “The Giver”, Jonas and Gabriel made it to Elsewhere because the giver for sure thought Elsewhere existed, Jonas heard music, and he lost almost all the memories.
Imagine having one’s precious memories taken away. In the novel The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, Jonas, and the Giver had been selected to lift the burden of the memories for the society, “When did they decide that?” Jonas had asked angrily. Everyone should carry their own memories because having only one person carry all the memories for the society is unfair; in the society, no one has ever experienced any feelings and they don’t know anything about the past.