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Analysis of themes of the novel the giver by lois lowry
Effect of family and how it shapes us
Analysis of themes of the novel the giver by lois lowry
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Is your family important to you? Is family important? Is it important to you? In chapter 16, Jonas was experiencing his first memory of love and family. After the memory, Jonas loved the feeling of how happy everyone in the family was during the memory. He learned about grandparents, and family love, and he wanted something like that. He wanted a real family. "He was in a room filled with people, and it was warm with fire-light glowing on a hearth. He could see through a window that outside it was night, and snowing. There were colored lights: red, green, and yellow, twinkling from a tree which was, oddly, inside the room. On a table, lighted candles stood in a polished golden holder and cast a soft, flickering glow. He could smell things cooking, and he heard laughter." Furthermore, Lowry is approaching the memory of family as very good and warm, it makes Jonas want a real family. …show more content…
Jonas wants family love.
He wants this because in the community, they have family units and the word love is considered a precision of language. In chapter 16, page 129, Jonas had asked his parents "Do you love me?" they responded making love sound like a bad or inappropriate word. When Jonas had asked his parents that question, it was soon after he had experienced the memory of love and family. In addition, this experience allowed Jonas to leave the community to search for love and family, that much easier, and so the community could experience all his memories. In chapter 19, Jonas has now made his plan to escape the community because he had just watched his father release one twin and keep the other. The twins were family but now one is dead. In addition to Jonas wanting love and wanting to search for it he had just witnessed his father, someone he had love for, kill/release a newborn. Jonas didn't have family love or love from anybody so that also influenced him to
leave. After experiencing the memory of Christmas, chapter 16 page 125, he realizes how much he wants love and how important family is. This almost made Jonas upset because he didn't have these things. This adds to my thesis because it really made Jonas realize how important love and a family is. Since Jonas had saw that memory he really saw what he didn't have. He saw everyone being interactive with each other and loving each other and being happy, but in the community you can't be a family like that, and you don't have grandparents. Lowry approaches the idea of family as something not important in the community. In the community instead of relying on people that are close to you, it's more of a self-relying place all the time. So Jonas had wanted these things and he had left the community for them and so the people in the community could have the memories and learn about those things. All in all at the start of the novel Lowry approaches family as un-important but as we get to learn more about this community and memories, it shows how important family really is.
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).
At this point, Jonas has realized what release really means. He finds out that the little baby Gabe that has lived with his family is being released at the very next morning. And the large plan that has been made with The Giver, to get rid of sameness within his community can’t be carried out because he knows that he must save Gabe’s life. He starts to really understand what it means to truly live and truly love. He knows he loves Gabe and, therefore he must sacrifice himself in order that Gabe might live. So, he quietly leaves in the middle of the night, and takes Gabe with him and they leave the community. Jonas is running for their lives because he knows they’re being hunted down. He hopes that they will just give up and assume that maybe
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
In The Giver, a narrative by Lois Lowry, Jonas’s father illustrates his feelings during his Ceremony of Twelve and Jonas tells about his own feelings concerning the forthcoming event. In the text it states, “‘But to be honest, Jonas,’ his father said, ‘for me there was not the element of suspense that there is with your ceremony. Because I was already fairly certain of what my Assignment was to be,’”(Lowry, paragraph 3). This segment of text elucidates the reason of Jonas’s father’s lack of surprise of his Assignment. As stated above, Jonas’s father was already certain of his Assignment, which he continues to explain to be a Nurturer. Jonas’s father explains that as a result of the love he showed all the Newchildren and the time he spent at
After feeling love through his training as the Receiver, he asks his parents about their love for him. The conversation between them says, “ Jonas asks, ‘Do you love me?’... Later, his mom responds, ‘Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it’s become almost obsolete’ ” (Lowry 127). The ignorance that they have grown up knowing, does not allow them to fully be happy by experiencing love.
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 gets freedom, the community is left without someone to take the memories from The Giver. This is an example of conformity because a few of the Receivers before Jonas had left the community due to the things they were learning and finding out about the community, which changed the way they viewed the society. They then realized that they do not want to do this for the rest of their life, and for their job to sit around and hold memories as no one else is capable of knowing them is not something they want to do. To conclude, Jonas’s action to run away from the society follows in the footsteps of the others, and if others follow Jonas, there may never be a Receiver for the Jonas’s
As Jonas receives these memories, he ponders how their community would be different if they could make more choices. For example, after the Giver transmits Jonas a memory of family, Jonas thinks how crazy it is that they have generations and he says about his community, “‘What if they were allowed to choose their own mate?’”...”’Or what if’”...”’they could choose their own jobs?’” (124). Jonas then thinks if people should make these choices, and things that could go wrong if they did. For instance, while he is thinking about how crazy these choices are, he says, “‘I can’t even imagine it. We really have to protect people from wrong choices’”(124). People in his Community don’t choose their own spouse, the Community leaders assign them a spouse and children if they want. Jonas’s Community is brain-washed into not having opinions or choices. Although they have no divorce and wrong choices, Jonas would rather have choices and a real
The apple in The Giver symbolizes change. In Jonas’s visions he “had noticed, following the path of the apple through the air with this eyes, that the piece of fruit had-well, this was the part he couldn't adequately understand - the apple had changed. Just for an instant.” (21-22) This shows Jonas has the power to see beyond, he is experiencing the color red. Change may happen even by accident but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. Such as in this case where changing continuously allowed Jonas to help others constantly by taking the burden of all the pain in the world because of a mistake in genetic engineering. As you can tell sameness, precision, and indistinguishable people doesn’t mean perfection. Change is necessary to allow everyone a chance to grow, to experience, to grow as a person and in their jobs, to be unique, and different. That way
And choose wrong?” (P.98). From reading this, I feel that the community was able to control problems such as divorce, rape, teen pregnancy, and AIDS. They all are given a life that is predictable, orderly and painless. Mostly, they have no memory or experience. In reality, we learn from our mistakes to be better each day. Experience is the best teacher in the world; unless one goes through sorrow, he or she will never know how it feels. “Warmth, Jonas replied and happiness. And let me think. Family, that it was a celebration of some sort, a holiday. And something else I can’t get the word for it. Jonas hesitated; I certainly liked the memory, though. I couldn’t quite get the word for the whole feeling of it, The Giver told him the feeling that was so strong in the room is love” (P.125). Family in the novel is described as a group of people that have a unit or bond that they share each day together.
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
Jonas misses the way it was before he had memories where there was no pain or feeling, because everything was innocent. But he understands that although there was innocence nobody feels true happiness.Jonas thinks: “But he knew he couldn’t go back to that world of no feelings that he had lived in so long” (Lowry 131). Jonas wishes he could go back when everything was innocent and when he had no burden of pain, but although there was innocence the bad memories were stripped away to avoid the feeling of pain but also leaves everyone emotionless. But he knows it can never be the same again because of all the knowledge he gained from memories. He learns that memoires need to be valued, even the painful ones. Jonas feels that his community can change and things could be different. He thinks they should live in a world with memories. Jonas says: “Things could be different. I don’t know how, but there must be some way for things to be different. There could be colours [...] and everybody would have memories [...] There could be love” (Lowry 128). Jonas wishes that they could all have memories because everyone would be able to experience love. Love is one of the most important things in human life. He knows that there are bad memories, but without them, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the good ones. Eventually, with his feelings
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,
Jonas plans to change the community by escaping and releasing all of the memories to the community. Jonas thinks for himself he will accomplish escaping and giving himself a chance to go to elsewhere. Jonas hopes to accomplish change throughout the community by releasing the memories if he left so everyone could gain wisdom. In the book Giver says this a way to change the community. Jonas wanted to go to elsewhere and see snow as like he did in the memory. Giver also said the memories had to be shared so leaving would share the memories with the rest of the
We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others” (97). In the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, no one has seen a rainbow after a storm, no one knew what colors were; what choosing was; what it meant to be an individual. Everyone lived in complete Sameness, and never learned what it meant to be an individual. By eliminating as much self expression as possible in Sameness and society, Jonas's community has rejected the individuality of a society where people are free to move society forward. In The Giver individuality is represented by colors, memories, and pale eyes.