Why Is It Important To Have Memories In The Giver

How would you feel if you had to carry all the memories of everyone in the world, including painful ones? In Jonas’ dystopian community, there is a person responsible for holding all the memories of everyone, painful and positive. However, this should not be done and everyone should be able to carry their own memories because the person responsible for carrying the memories is heavily weighted by them, it prevents the people from learning from past mistakes, and it prohibits the people from experiencing feelings. Forcing one person out of thousands of people to contain millions of memories is vile because they will never comprehend what it feels like. Instead, they are inflicting unnecessary pain upon that person. Think about how you would feel

Humans need memories of the past to correct themselves and learn from their mistakes. The Elders did not have memories to recall, so “The Committee of Elders sought my advice,”(page 140). The Giver had to tell the Elders how to act because they did not have the capability to decide themselves without the memories. “So were they. They were prepared to shoot it down. But they sought my advice. I told them to wait,” (page 141). Once again, the Elders did not have the capability to act by themselves, and relied upon The Giver, who has all the memories, to select a course of action. Feelings are a part of being a human being. However, we need memories, including those of pain, to experience feelings. Without those memories of pain, we can never fully appreciate others and therefore never feel pain. “”Warmth”, Jonas replied, “and happiness,” (page 155). Jonas experienced this through a memory of a Christmas day where everyone was joyful and together. Even though love, “Was a dangerous way to live,” (page 158), risk is needed to relish love. Without memories, life would be dull and without emotion, which is a mundane and tedious way to