Lois Lowry’s, The Giver What is growing up? Merriam Dictionary.com states, definition is, to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity. Everyone has their own definition of growing up, some from an older age perspective and some from a young age. In this book, there are many different perspectives of growing up in both perspectives, which this essay will be about. The theme of The Giver by Lois Lowry is growing up and it is supported by these symbols Asher, Lily, and Jonas. First, in this book Asher is a big example of growing up in this story. Asher does not really show someone who has grown up, but someone who needs too. Throughout the book, Asher shows insecurity, is very juvenile, and immature. According to …show more content…
Lily throughout the book does not like to wear her hair ribbons, she wants her own bike, and wants to be bigger. She is almost the exact opposite of Asher, he still wants to be young and play all the time, but she wants to grow up and be an adult. According to the text it states, "Lily, please hold still, " Mother said again. Lily, standing in front of her, fidgeted impatiently. "I can tie them myself, " she complained. "I always have.” "I know that, " Mother replied, straightening the hair ribbons on the little girl's braids. "But I also know that they constantly come loose and more often than not, they're dangling down your back by afternoon. Today, at least, we want them to be neatly tied and to stay neatly tied. " "I don't like hair ribbons. I'm glad I only have to wear them one more year, " Lily said irritably” (40). Lily wants to be independent and put on her ribbons on herself, without her mother's help. In the text she says she can not wait until she can take her ribbons out, she can not wait until she is older, can not wait to grow up. The text also states, “Next year I get my bicycle, too, " she added more cheerfully. “There are good things each year, " Jonas reminded her. "This year you get to start your volunteer hours. And remember last year, when you became a Seven, you were so happy to get your front-buttoned jacket?" (40). …show more content…
He is very mature, responsible, and shows competence throughout the story. Jonas is very smart and when someone is being immature, he tries his best to help them learn from their mistakes. As the new receiver he shows much maturity, and is very prepared for adult life, has grown up. According to the text it states, “Don’t play it anymore,” Jonas pleaded…….. “Asher,” Jonas said. He was trying to speak carefully and with kindness, to say exactly what he wanted to say. “You had no way of knowing this. I didn’t know it myself until recently. But it’s a cruel game. In the past, there have” (134). Jonas knows that, war games are not appropriate, because he is one of the only twelves who know what war was really like. He knows this because the Giver showed him that memory. Jonas is trying to explain to Asher and help him understand why it is a bad game to play, but Asher does not care to listen. The text also states, “Once again, there was just a moment when things weren’t quite the same, weren’t quite as they had always been through the long friendship. Perhaps he had imagined it. Things couldn’t change, with Asher” (66). Jonas is happy for Asher that he got the recreation job, but now things were not the same anymore. They both got different jobs, and now Jonas is realizing that he is different from everyone else. Even though things are hard for him right now, he is not acting like a child and throwing a fit.
Think about a community where you can’t marry someone of your choice, you can’t choose your own job, and you can’t have your own kids. This sounds like a unbearable place to live, but there is one like this and it’s in the book The Giver by Lowis Lowry. This type of community would be considered a dystopia, even though some of the citizens think it is a utopia because they don’t need to worry about a lot of regular-to us - things in their lives. The people of the controlled community in The Giver get harsh punishments for small errors, the citizens don’t get to experience any emotions, and they kill or release innocent newchildren.
Dodge gets easily embarrassed and will not let go or forget about the past. The reason dodge needs to grow up is because he needs to in the beginning of the book to grow up and do his dad's job but latter in the book he needs to look towards the future and forget about the past. Jack of Diamonds needs to grow up because in the book he would be very useful as a warrior like dodge but instead he wimps out. He also needs to stop being fearful, man up, and go do something to save wonderland from Red. The final character and the main character Alyss needs to grow up because she was always pranking people and never wanted to grow up as it is seen when something difficult happens. Like she getting lost in london. The theme of that you can not stay a child forever and you need to grow up shows the readers that this is how you can do great things. By conquering your fears, looking not at the past but the future, and knowing you can not do everything alone will show you the importance of growing
The community Jonas grew up in were very strict about rules and laws, use of language being one of them. For example, “I want my smack!...Asher had asked for a smack… The discipline wand...came down across Asher's hands.”( page 55) Asher and Jonas were 3s when this happened, as threes, their job is to learn proper diction, Jonas learned at a young age but, Asher didn't. Jonas thought about what he was going to say. “... Jonas was beginning to be frightened. No. Wrong word… Frightened meant that deep, sickening feeling of something terrible about to happen.” (Page 1) Jonas never said the first thing in his mind, he strategically thought things through, but on page 75 Jonas thought through what he was going to say and still didn't like it,”But I thought-- I mean think,’ … reminding
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
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
Jonas is also very determined, committing to a task fully when he believes in it and willing to risk his own life for the sake of the people he loves. Although as a result of his training Jonas possesses more wisdom than almost anyone else in his community, he is still very young and knows little about life in the community itself.
Next, the spring season is commonly associated with birth and new growth. The author states, “Earlier, when Barry had left the house to go to the game, an overnight frost had still been thick on the roads, but the brisk April sun had soon dispersed it, and now he could feel the spring warmth on his back through the thick tweed of his coat” (Norris 104). The story opens during the spring season as the sun begins to warm the frost covered earth waking all the sleeping plants and preparing them for a new season of life. For this reason, the season of the story supports the theme coming of age as new growth begins at this time of year. Finally, at the age of seventeen, Barry finds himself with added responsibilities as he helps to care for his dying father by shaving his face. To clarify, “With infinite and meticulous care he took away the hair from his father’s face” (Norris 107). Barry knew his father worried about little things and the fact that the woman never showed up as promised to shave him Barry knew that he could accomplish this feat and make his father feel better. Obviously, a parent’s job is to take care of their children, however, Barry is taking care of his father because he is ill and can no longer care for himself proving the theme that Barry is growing up. Physical changes, time of year, and increased responsibility illustrate the theme of coming of age
Growing up and becoming mature can be an intimidating experience; it is difficult to let go of one’s childhood and embrace the adult world. For some people, this transition from youthfulness to maturity can be much more difficult than for others. These people often try to hold on to their childhood as long as they can. Unfortunately, life is not so simple. One cannot spend their entire life running from the responsibilities and hardships of adulthood because they will eventually have to accept the fact that they have a role in society that they must fulfill as a responsible, mature individual. The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger follows the endeavours of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old teenage boy who faces a point in his life where he must make the transition from childhood to adulthood. In an attempt to retain his own childhood, he begins hoping to stop other young children from growing up and losing their innocence as well. As indicated by the title, “The Catcher in the Rye” is a book that explores a theme involving the preservation of innocence, especially of children. It is a story about a boy who is far too hesitant to grow up, and feels the need to ensure that no one else around him has to grow up either. His own fear of maturity and growing up is what leads to Holden’s desire to become a “catcher in the rye” so he can save innocent children from becoming part of the “phoniness” of the adult world.
Dystopian literature brings warning to the modern world and allows the audience to experience a new perception of life. The 1993 novel, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, fits into the dystopian genre because it makes judgment about modern society. She inscribed her novel “For all the children to whom we entrust the future”, which serves as a hope for a better future (Franklin). She targets the younger generation because they are the future. In Lowry’s novel, The Giver, Lowry’s perspective on modern society is that it tends to stay within its comfort zone, which creates limitations in life. The dystopian characteristics of the novel, importance of memory, the history surrounding the novel, and Lowry’s personal background all convey the notion that modern society should freedom bestowed it and to fully appreciate life in itself; society tends to take life’s freedoms for granted.
In the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, the author makes it clear through the main character Jonas that freedom and safety need to find an equal balance. Lowry shows the importance of deep emotions and family through Jonas. Jonas becomes the new receiver of memory and learns about the past. He also learned about the way it was when people knew what love was. Jonas’ father releases newborn children because they don’t weight the correct amount of weight or they don’t sleep well through the night. Release is a nice way of saying kill; the people of the community don’t know what kill means. They don’t have the freedom to expand their vocabulary. Lois Lowry makes it clear that safety has a negative side and you need that you need freedom to have a high functioning community.
Growing up is a natural part of life. Everyone grows up. The loss of childish innocence and blind faith in what is said is one chief mark of growing up. Loss of innocence, however, presents itself in many forms, even to adults, and with it brings a greater understanding of the world at large. In literature, authors use the process to explore society and humanity. Through the characters’ loss of innocence, the authors of both To Kill A Mockingbird and Of Mice & Men discuss ideas of prejudice, family, and courage.
“The Giver” a novel by Lois Lowry (1993), is an, engaging science fiction tale that provides the reader with examples of thought provoking ethical and moral quandaries. It is a novel geared to the young teenage reader but also kept me riveted. Assigning this novel as a class assignment would provide many opportunities for teachers and students to discuss values and morals.
“Growing up” is a very broad term that is used without a true, consistent definition. In essence, it describes and encompasses themes of coming of age and the loss of innocence as a person moves from child to adult. In many respects, people view this change as a specific, pivotal moment in a person’s life, such as an eighteenth birthday, or the day a person leaves their parents’ house. This idea of having a crucial moment in life, which provides the open door into adulthood, is portrayed in many novels. It is easy to find a death that occurs, or a specific event that causes a character to “grow up” prematurely, but many times, contrary to most beliefs, that exact event is not the turn of the key leading through the doors to maturity. It is rather just a small push which starts a domino effect. This is the same scenario in the novel All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. This novel proves that loss of innocence is a learning process rather than the result of a
Growing up is one of the most important stages of human life. It is the part when humans reach maturity, become adults, and attain full growth. Also, it means one more thing. It means understanding more about the society. Harper Lee's, To Kill A Mocking Bird, shows the different ways of growing up. There are three characters who go through the process of growing up, Scout mentally grows up, Jem goes through a mental growing up that every adolescent will go through and aunt Alexandra also goes through a mental growing up.
Jonas always tells his dreams. He always was there for chastisement. He always shared his feelings at the evening meal. He also always took his pill every morning. “Now he swallowed the pill his mother handed him.”(Page 38). By the end of the book Jonas is rebellious. He stops taking pills for emotions that he is supposed to take everyday. Jonas stays at the Giver’s house when he sees his father kill a baby. Jonas also tries to escape from the community when Giver creates a plan to escape from the community which Jonas barely follows because of Gabe’s release. “But your role now is to escape.” (Page 162). This means that Jonas has to escape and the Giver must stay to help the community after he is gone.