Essay On The Giver By Lois Lowry

In The Giver by Lois Lowry, the topic of truth comes up throughout the story. Jonas lives in a utopian society without and feelings or emotions. At the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas became selected to be the new Receiver of Memory. Jonas learns the truth about the past, and his community through things called memories. The Giver transmits these memories to Jonas. In The Giver, Lois Lowry uses Jonas, The Giver, and Gabe to develop the theme that memories are essential to human life.

The author uses Jonas to show that memories are needed for human life.To be able to have happiness, and wisdom the memories of the past are essential. Jonas says, “‘I liked the feeling of love,’ he confessed. He glanced nervously at the speaker on the wall, reassuring himself that no one was listening. ‘ I wish we still had that,’” (158) When you love someone, and they love you, there is happiness.

The Giver gives Jonas a memory of snow, and Jonas does not know what a sled and runners are. “ Jonas was confused.‘ I didn’t understand it, sir.’ ‘Of course you didn’t. You don’t know what snow is, do you?’ Jonas shook his head. ‘Or a sled? Runners?’”(99) Only The Giver knows what snow, a sled, and runners are. The Giver only knows this because of memories. He knows what is happening around him because he holds all of these memories of pain, sorrow, wisdom, love, and happiness. The author in The Giver uses Gabe to show that even babies need memories to thrive. Gabe is labeled “ uncertain.” He is not sleeping through the night and Jonas offers to let Gabe sleep in his room. “Once more, toward dawn, the newchild woke and cried out. Again Jonas went to him. This time he quite deliberately placed his hand firmly on Gabriel’s back, and released the rest of the calming day on the lake. Again Gabriel slept.” (147) Gabe can not sleep without any memories. When he finally got the calming memory, he fell