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Reflection on personal and developmental perspective on self identity
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Jonas rode down the hill. The wind whipped past his face as the sled want faster and faster. The last thing Jonas remembered - before blacking out - was the sled slowing to a stop.
Jonas woke up in a room. But it was a room unlike any other room he had ever seen. The room was very white. The room smelled strongly of medicine, giving it a clean feel. On the mono-colored walls there were lots of tools that Jonas had never seen. Some looked razor sharp while others looked rather dull.
As Jonas laid in the bed - which was much more decorated then what he was used to - his mind began to clear up. He hadn’t realized it at first, but he could tell that his mind was groggy when he had first woken up. Jonas started to move around in the bed when
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“I wonder what it is used for. It must have to do my health, but how did I get here? Was there really a village at the bottom of the hill? I guess so, because the sled was there, and I am here in a room. Supposing there is a village, they must have found me and took me here, but… but I have no memory of coming here.” Jonas laughed at the thought of not being able to recall what happened. He stopped and felt that it shouldn’t be a laughing matter. There was something that … something that he was neglecting to remember. No, not neglecting, Jonas corrected himself: forgetting. “I’m forgetting, the memories! I can't remember the memories the Giver gave me!” More specifically, Jonas could recall what the memories were about, but he couldn’t remember what the memories were like; the feelings, the color, the smell, the taste, the sight, or the touch. Jonas was relieved to be able to remember his life back at the community. He could remember the people who he had once called family. He remembered Asher and Fiona. He remembered his instructors, the chief elder, the Giver, and the twisted ways of the community. But above all these memories, the fear of wondering if he was going survive was much more vivid than the memories he had from the community. He could remember going down the hill on the sled, clutching Gabriel, the bitter cold snow stinging his legs. He remembered fighting for his life, climbing up the …show more content…
They all looked somewhat similar, another thing Jonas noticed. The people in this village had different skin tones, some were lighter than others. Some people he had seen had black hair, others had brown, some with a beautiful golden color. Jonas could remember that in his first week of training, the Giver told him that there were once different skin tones, before Sameness happened. Jonas knew that the group of people were all part of the same family. And it was a family that was blood related to each other, unlike his old dwelling family. When the family reached Jonas, they set Gabe on his lap. “Gabe! I am so glad you are okay!” Jonas exclaimed. “You look so much better!” “Gabe. So that’s his name. We’ve been calling him Hippo because he always seemed to smile when he saw a picture of one. It didn’t seem right to rename him,” one of the family members said. Jonas thought she must be the mom, because she looked like the oldest female in their group. “My name is Mary, and this is my husband, Noah. These are my kids, Annie and
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.
The newchild climbed up to Jonas, and grabbed his ears with his chubby hands. The girl picked him up and Gabe squealed and began to play with her hair. As Jonas closed his eyes, he saw ghostly figures. With his abilities, he saw Rosemary, the twin, Larissa, Caleb, and much more. Then the scene changed. He saw the community. Green grass, blue skies, he knew that the memories had
This first becomes evident when Lily tells him that the newchild Gabriel had pale eyes like his own while “almost every citizen in the community had dark eyes (Lowry 25).” Later, while playing catch with Asher using an apple, the apple changes for an instant, but Jonas is the only one who sees the change. The purpose for these differences is revealed when Jonas is “selected to be [the] new Receiver of Memory (Lowry 76).” There is only one Receiver of Memory, so the person selected must be unique from the others to perfectly fit the
Soon after, the Giver provides Jonas with a joyful memory as an attempt to balance out the memory of war. The story describes, “While Jonas watched, the people began one by one to untie the ribbons on the packages, to unwrap the bright papers, open the boxes and reveal toys and clothing and books. There were cries of delight. They
He had no reason to. Jonas even gave memories of snow and sunshine when they were running away to elsewhere. On page 175 Jonas and Gabe are both freezing, “ He pressed his hands into Gabriels back and tried to remember sunshine.” Jonas soon made it to elsewhere with Gabe still
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
Even now he could remember it so clearly. He could still remember savage calls echoing through the trees, and the pounding of his heart in his chest.
In an early discussion with the Giver, Jonas concludes that "`We really have to protect people from wrong choices... [It's] much safer'" (99). However, it is with the progression of his training as Receiver of Memories that Jonas learns the impact of the sacrifices his community makes. After receiving a memory of a family celebrating together, Jonas speculates with the Giver about the emotional potential of the situation. He contemplates "`The family in the memory seemed... complete...
Even as a child Jonas was unusually perceptive, this is characterized through his pale eyes which appear deeper than the other children’s dark eyes. While he gets along well with his peers he still feels different. Jonas has a heightened sense of people and who they are, the reasoning for things, and curiosity of new things. He particularly enjoys the freedom to make his own choices as to where he will serve his volunteer hours. Jonas never volunteered at one place more than another, which made it hard for him to predict what job he will be assigned. He liked being able to experience all sorts of positions in the community. Jonas is set apart in many ways, one is particular is his ability to see beyond. The closer the ceremony of twelve gets, the more often he see sees flashes of items changing for a second, flashes of the beyond (Lowry 94).
“And there’s the first lady and birth mother of for me!” said Jonas after remembering about his stirring dreams for
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
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
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
Community Jonas lives could be described as a perfect society. The move starts in black and white, making everyone look the same, and confirming that differences were not allowed. There were no losers or winners and words like fear, pain, envy, and
...s us to celebrate our differences. We also realise that we live with the same kind of memories that Jonas struggles to carry, every day of our lives. Although the fact that the memories are new to him makes it harder for Jonas to bear the pain, it also makes it easier for him to appreciate the beauty of the little things. We, on the other hand, being familiar with the sensations, do not cherish them as much as we should. None of us savors the warmth of sunshine or the beauty of snow the way Jonas does. Perhaps we need the darkness of the night to appreciate the brightness of the moon.