The Language Of The Community In 'The Giver'

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The Language of Utopia is very different from the modern English language. The community in the novel ‘The Giver’ includes words with different meaning then as they are defined today. Words like assignment, release, and ceremony have taken on a whole new meaning throughout the book. Aging throughout the book comes all at once, the eights turn to nines, and the elevens turn to twelves. With the ceremonies there are rewards, such as receiving an assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, or receiving a bicycle at nine. There are other ceremonies as well, such as the Ceremony of Loss, and the Ceremony of Release. The Ceremony of Twelve is a big accomplishment to reach for Jonas. At the Ceremony of Twelve the children are given an assignment, and officially are considered an adult. The ceremonies throughout a child’s lifetime in Utopia signify growing and aging. Everyone in the community ages at the same time, all of the ceremonies of aging take place within two to three days. At the …show more content…

The punishments for bad behavior in the The Giver are much more extreme than modern day punishments for small mistakes. At the beginning of the book the author portrays being released as being sent to another community. Later to find out being released is the same as being exiled. Being released can be a consequence of many different actions. It could be not following the rules of the community, being rude, or repeating a disrespectful act on more than one occasion. When one is released, they are injected with a lethal substance that will kill them. Release is not always a punishment. Some even sign up for release. People sign up for release if they are too old, or don't fit in with the community. Some newchildren, often twins, are released if they are premature or a lighter weight than the others. Members of the community that have broken one of the serious rules three times are

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