Language is a tool to communicate with others, convey your ideas and meanings. Precise language is important because it can help you exchange ideas with others more efficiently without any chance of being misunderstood. Sometimes, different words are used to conceal the true meaning of the idea or action, such as passing away implicating death. In Lois Lowry’s “The Giver”, people living in the community are taught to use precise language to prevent any misunderstanding or misconceptions. But some words used in the community are not precise and are used to distort the true purpose of the word, in order to promote rules or ideas that the government does not want the general public to know. Three words in Lois Lowry’s “The Giver” which camouflage the true meaning of the words are release, assignment and stirrings.
On page two of Lois Lowry’s “The Giver”, there is the first mentioning of the word “release” when the announcer says: “Needless to say, he will be released.” Throughout the book, the main character, Jonas, wonders what being released means. We learn that being released is not to be taken to another community but to be killed. This definition is unknown to most people in the community, and many think that being released is harmless and just the process of getting sent to another place. The word “release” obscures the true definition of the word death because they do not want to scare the people living in the community. People in the community are happy and joyful because they don’t know the truth, which is that they will automatically be killed at a certain age. If the general public knew the true action of release, it would cause confusion. This is shown on pages 150 and 151 of “The Giver” when Jonas sees what being rel...
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...Giver” that hide their true meaning. Release distorts its true meaning of death. Assignment conceals its true implication of job and stirrings actually mean puberty. All three words in some way or another affect people’s behaviour and how they may view a situation. Even a world where precise language is viewed as very important, there still are words that are used to promote the ideals of the government and keep the truth from people. In a world where people are pressured into using precise language to prevent any misconceptions and misunderstandings, the government makes words that cloak the true definition so the public does not find out their true intentions, which is to control their behaviour. Language may be used as a tool to help communicate with others, but when used improperly, people will be deceived and ultimately be living a life of lies and illusion.
How does language impact each character from our readings, and what is the significance? A common theme within our various texts this semester was that of the importance of language. Not only is language a basis of verbal and written communication, but a deeper symbolic aspect of one’s own true identity. This piece will discuss include the significance of language to each character, what it personally means to them, as well as the conflicts they face with their specific means of communication.
At this point, Jonas has realized what release really means. He finds out that the little baby Gabe that has lived with his family is being released at the very next morning. And the large plan that has been made with The Giver, to get rid of sameness within his community can’t be carried out because he knows that he must save Gabe’s life. He starts to really understand what it means to truly live and truly love. He knows he loves Gabe and, therefore he must sacrifice himself in order that Gabe might live. So, he quietly leaves in the middle of the night, and takes Gabe with him and they leave the community. Jonas is running for their lives because he knows they’re being hunted down. He hopes that they will just give up and assume that maybe
In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, many characters develop an understanding of the power of words which results in many characters being negatively impacted by the theme.
“What happened ten years ago?” Jonas asked. The main character in Lois Lowry novel, The Giver is Jonas, who lives in a Dystopian Society. The problem he forces is that he realizes that the community is hiding many secrets such as what release truly is. During the course of the story Jonas became conscious of what his community is doing to his life. Jonas inherited many different types traits, learning many life lessons and enduring horrible secrets from the community. He thoroughly shows that he was proud of what he is accomplishing such as becoming receiver, sympathetic toward the cruel tactics of releasing the innocent or the guilty, and curious to know how his life is going to change after being presented with his job in the society.
In the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry one sees how there is basically no freedom in the community. The government regulates one's life long career at the age of twelve. Everything is straightforward and is the same for everyone. If there are any imperfections one is released. Overall, there is almost no freedom in this society and there are very strict rules.
The Giver presents a community that appears to be perfect on the surface. Jonas's community is free of warfare, pain, sorrow and other bitterness we suffer in our society. The world seems to be secure and undergoes little conflict. Such a community seems flawless and is the idealistic society that we longed to live in. However , through Jonas's training, the imperfections of the Utopian community are revealed. The community allows little individual freedom and choice. In allowing only one person, the Receiver, to bear the memories of the world, the community frees itself from suffering and conflict. As a result, it gives up the ability to experience true feelings, passion, individual privacy, freedom and knowledge. To maintain the community's order, strict rules are applied to the inhabitants. "Releases" ( a less offensive term for kills) are performed to the citizens who jeopardize the stability and peace of the community. The inhabitants' careers and spouses are chosen by the Elders (or government).
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 her acceptance speech, Morrison tries to communicate the idea that we must be careful with how we use our words. She analogizes the use of language to the life of a metaphoric bird in a tale of a wise, old, blind woman. Toni Morrison opens her speech by referring to a tale of two young people who, in trying to disprove the credibility of this wise woman, ask the question, “ ‘Is the bird I am holding [in my hand] living or dead?’” (11). Of course, being blind, the woman does not know and must say so. However, she adds that, “ ‘What I do know is that it is in your hands. It is in your hands’” (11). In saying this, she tells the youngsters that the fate of the bird’s life is their responsibility. The bird, in this case, represents language. Morrison explains, “So I choose to read the bird as language and the woman as a practiced writer” (12). The bird has either been found dead, been killed, or has the ability (if it is alive) to be killed, much as language, being looked at as a living thing, can live or die; be saved or destroyed. Language is “susceptible to death, erasure; certainly imperiled and salvageable only by an effort of the will” (Morrison 13). That will is the responsibility of those who ...
...at the power of words entailed in the novel, The Book Thief, words really are very powerful. Three examples were given above as a few powers that the novel captured throughout the story. Words can manipulate and divide people, but at the same time connect people. Despite the fact that words have so many contradicting powers, one can use the words to their full extent when their intent is moral. In fact, words are meaningless if it doesn’t have an impact on an individual, society, or world. Words can do both good and bad, however, if one uses them in a proper way, it can result in a positive statement for our world. The novel gives the readers the lesson that we should comprehend the power of words and use words in a moral way. Just remember this: “I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” (pg. 413)
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 Giver provides a chance that readers can compare the real world with the society described in this book through some words, such as release, Birthmothers, and so on. Therefore, readers could be able to see what is happening right now in the real society in which they live by reading her fiction. The author, Lowry, might build the real world in this fiction by her unique point of view.
As time evolves, so do the words that are essential for our everyday survival. The most obvious difference between humans and animals is our ability to master the art of speech. Often, people will say the “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”, a simple nursery rhyme that helps ease a bullied child from abusive words and taunts. But does that really help cure the emotional pain? Words can illuminate and motivate the minds of people but can also shadow their self-esteem through psychological trauma. In The Book Thief, we see how fundamental words were to shape the reality of millions of people caught in the fire of World War II.
The Giver is a dystopian book that should be a required reading in high school. It demonstrates that people are at times willing to make great sacrifices in order to have a sense of direction and normalcy which can lead to negative consequences depending on one’s viewpoint. In this case Jonas and the giver are the only living people in this society who are enlightened as to how their lives are dull, and realize pleasure and pain are worth fighting for.
While reading The Giver, the community gives off a sense of control over everybody. As the book goes on form chapter to chapter, more rules and control are discovered. The people in charge chose for the whole community what everyone should wear, what everyone should eat, what children should learn in school, what to think, ect. From morning to night, any citizen from the community is being controlled. Everything they do in a day gets controlled. From what time to wake up all the way from the time they go to bed. “‘Jonas has not been assigned,’she informed the crowd, and his heart sank. Then she went on. ‘Jonas has been selected...Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory’” (60). The community controls what job you have for the rest of your life until you enter the House of the Old. Jonas, who eventually finds out about how controlled everybody is, decides to leave. Anybody would want to leave that community after the truth was unleashed because they would realize how controlled they are. The community kills babies and old people too. They kill them because it’s part of the process of sameness, which is also another way everything is
Words have been the only constant throughout history; the one thing that has tied men and women from different time periods and different cultures. The greatest and most inspiring people have all used words to plant the seeds of something new; on the other hand, it is not a well-kept secret. Dictators and undeserving leaders know the power of words. Markus Zusak tried to share to the world how powerful one word could be. One word could spark friendship while many words could transcend into hatred. While words can impact different messages to different people, each one is inevitably connected to the next. A word that has power receives its power from the influence it collects from the people who choose to listen; the words can either hurt or heal the audience and the outcome is reflected in the influence.