Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Significance of leadership
Significance of leadership
Study of emotional intelligence
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
What is the basis for being called a hero? Is it as simple as doing good deeds for others without asking anything in return? Or, do we sacrifice our lives to save the others? Empathy may become a standard for heroism. We can all be considered heroes by the small acts that we do, as long as we choose to better our society. In the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, Lowry tells the story of a young 11-year-old boy Jonas who lives in “the community.” The people of the community all practice “Sameness,” where there is no war, death, and suffering. There is no freedom of choice in the society, which is why Jonas decides to leave his hometown. Everyone and everything are treated equally. Despite abandoning his community, Jonas is an example of a heroic character and demonstrates true meaning of heroism. Using the outline of The Hero’s Journey, the outline justifies …show more content…
The day arrived for the Ceremony of Twelve, which Jonas had been waiting for. As Jonas watched his friends receive their assignments, he realized that he was skipped over. Although he knew that he got skipped over, he waited until the end of ceremony in order to show respect. Therefore, he is a good role model to his community. Later, at the end of the ceremony, the Elders explained that Jonas has been selected as the Receiver. “In a firm, commanding voice she announced, Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory (pg 60).” “He has shown all of the qualities that a Receiver must have (pg 62).” The Elders believed that Jonas had the qualities for the task, which includes intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the capacity to see beyond. As a Receiver, he had rules to follow: he could ask any questions, he was not allowed to discuss his trainings to family and friends, he was not allowed to share his dreams, he could not apply medication to training injuries, he could not ask to be released, and he can
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself,” quoted by Joseph Campbell, a very famous American mythologist, writer, and lecturer. Campbell is correct when his definition of a hero, but there is more aspects to heroes we don’t know about. For instance, heroes make difficult decisions to help others and to make a positive change in people's’ lives. Sacrifice is an essential component to the development of heroes since they must sacrifice things such as comfort to be defined as a hero in the eyes of others. In order to become a hero, personal sacrifices are necessary because he or she pledges to put others before themselves. Also, heroes are the ones held accountable for everyone in a dire situation and have society’s expectations weighing on their back. Personal sacrifice can be seen with Bilbo Baggins, when he sacrifices his relationships with the dwarves to remain at peace with the Lakemen and wood elves. In addition,
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.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
What is a hero? A hero can be classified as a number of things. A hero can be a person who in the opinions of others has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal. Ervin Staub, a holocaust survivor from Hungary and as scholar on altruistic behavior, has written, "Goodness like evil often begins in small steps. Heroes evolve; they aren't born. Very often the rescuers make only a small commitment at the start, to hide someone for a day or two. But once they had taken that step, they begin to see themselves differently, as someone who helps. What starts as mere willingness becomes intense involvement." The business man, Oskar Schindler, demonstrated a powerful example
The essential thing to overcoming adversity is the ability to cause change in yourself and others. In the book, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, Jonas is singled out after he isn’t chosen during the Ceremony of Twelve. He has to learn to overcome the pain of being The Receiver of Memory. He also has to face the truth and discover who his real allies are. This helps him to become a changemaker because he grows. He grows by using the pain to become stronger mentally and physically. Ultimately, Lowry teaches us that to make a change, you must display curiosity and determination.
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
What does it mean to be a hero? Heroism can’t be confined to one set defined definition. Instead is a forever evolving term that change as society changes. Since it seems it isn’t the actual individuals that are labeled as the hero that are setting the standards to what it means to be a hero. Instead, society deems itself
In Lois Lowry’s novel, “The Giver”, the characters with light colored eyes all have a rare gift; they see the community in a different way. Once Jonas, the main character, becomes the newest Receiver of Memory, he is told that only he and the Giver notice those differences. Jonas, uses the memories The Giver transmits to him to discover the differences in the community and Elsewhere. He learns about past experiences that have been transmitted to him; the newest Receiver of Memory. Jonas wants to leave the community to discover the truth about Elsewhere and what is there. While Jonas’ motivating factors to leave the community are for the selfish reason to experience life, he additionally leaves for their understanding of the past and to give them the ability to love through one another’s burdens.
In Chapter 8, when Jonas was announced he would be the “Receiver of Memory” many people said he could not handle it. Later on in the book, Jonas is given many painful, excruciating memories of warfare, blood, loneliness, and death, but on many occasions the giver does not have the ability to transmit memories because the pain of the past overcomes him and he is put in deep despair. Another reason being the new receiver could be a punishment is because he could be lonely, although he can apply to have a family he would not be able to share the pain. Eventually, Jonas leaves the community for good because he feels that “The Receiver” should not keep the secrets from his community and he wants to give them
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...
Loss of Freedom in The Giver The Giver, a book written by Lois Lowry, questioned my ideas, thoughts and beliefs. The novel describes an ideal society, in which everything is supposed to be perfect, with all life’s problems solved. It is all about being happy with what the people have and not questioning their lifestyles because they did not know the difference between good and bad. The people are denied of their preferable way of life without their knowledge of how the real world is supposed to be. In the I can. However, the citizens of this society are not able to control their life; for example their choice of clothing, choice of loving and having feelings, or choice of family members. From all existing creatures, we humans differ because we are able to use our brain to make decisions. In the novel, the people of the given society have authority figures that show them how to live their life. “Katya, became a Nine and removed her hair ribbons and got her bicycle” (P The rules start with small things like what age one starts to ride a bike, which age group wears certain types of jackets, the clothing one wears each day, and even what to eat. In the real world, we humans make similar decisions for ourselves without thinking about it. People need guidance in their life to the right way of living but not a book of instructions. Many of us live each day dreaming of our future family and all the happiness we may get from that. I cannot imagine how it feels not to have freedom to feel and love. “Jonas, she said with a smile, the feeling you described as wanting? It was your the opposite sex. Beginning from early age, children are controlled not to feel or appreciate his/her opposite sex. The adults are made to take the pills to annihilate their sexual desires. When the children grow up and become adults, more decisions are made for them. When one is old enough to get married, the superior power chooses a mate for the person and is wedded. This is when I question the meaning of marriage. a future together, not a partnership that you deal with like a business. Although many cultures have different say in this sacred ceremony, most have similar ideas. To many people, love is affection based on admiration or common interests and warm attachment, enthusiasm or devotion. How can one live happy in life without the experience of such feelings? These individuals in the novel did not know better, if they knew how good it is to feel love or even know a good taste when it is good, then they would not be happy with the way of life in their community. “J What if they were allowed to choose their own mate?
What does it mean to be a hero? According to Webster, a hero is someone "of great strength [and] courage" who is "admired" for his or her "courage and nobility."1 Stretching this definition a bit further, I would argue that a hero is someone who uses this strength, courage, and nobility to help or save others. Nora Helmer, in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, leaves her husband and family at the end of the play-a move that can be viewed as either very selfish or very heroic. Because Nora uses her strength and courage in effort to save others and herself from the false "doll's house" life they are living in, her final act of leaving home is truly heroic. Nora saves her children from being raised by a mother who doesn't know the first thing about being a mother and she saves Torvald by no longer enabling him to live the false life he has built for himself. Finally, she saves herself by taking herself out of the "doll's house" and into the real world to discover who she is and what she believes.
Heroism has been a great theme in the literature throughout the decades. Many have differing, or different ways of expressing what a hero actually is. Ernest Gaines, the author of A Lesson Before Dying has a very accurate definition of heroism. Ernest Gaines views heroism as the act of sacrifice one makes for the interest of others’, as an innate illogical desire in all humans, and that, as humans, we all have the capability to be heroes.
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.
The purpose of this book was to show us a possible version of a "Utopia".