Examples Of Individualism In The Giver

In this paper, I will argue that the book and film adaptation of The Giver by Lois Lowry demonstrates the outcome of removing individualism and personal choice as seen in Plato’s idea of a utopic society. The similarities between the narratives of The Giver and the philosophical standpoints of Plato appear to make the texts interchangeable in a way that implies similar thinking between Lowry and Plato.

The Giver follows the life of a 16-year-old boy named Jonas, who lives in a strictly controlled society run by community elders. This control ranges from choosing who lives, who dies, the colors people are able to see, their careers and the memories people carry with them. Citizens in this society live their lives with a sense of security, with

Much like the principle behind Plato’s ideals which puts the prosperity of the society over the happiness of the individual. If we rely on the conclusion of The Giver’s narrative, we see the happiness experienced by the citizens once they were able to experience all of the freedoms which were once stolen from them by their elders. Their tears and laughter allow us to witness their ability to once again feel emotions, particularly happiness. Another clear similarity between Plato’s theories and the narrative in The Giver, is the government controlled separation into ranks and occupations. Lowry and Plato both explore the idea of assigning citizens’ occupations, which directly correlates to the freedom of making decisions for yourself as an individual as well as puts the society on top of the desires of the individual. An individual in these societies would have no voice or choice in the occupations which they would be required to perform their entire lives. It wouldn’t be important whether or not the person enjoyed their occupation or even had any interest in the occupation, instead the focus would be on the fact that a task necessary for the societies prosperity was being

When reading The Giver, readers feel the desperation of the community members as they sense that they are lacking something. They don’t know what, but they can feel that something is missing from their lives. Lowry’s purpose for writing this text was to make the reader reflect on the freedoms they encounter in their lives and see the value in something that we may take for granted every day of our lives. Seeing a community struggle without freedom and individuality helps readers value what they have. In modern societies, there is also a level of numbing of individualism, most of which is done by social media as well as mass media. We are taught from a young age, what we are supposed to look like, how we are supposed to act and who we are supposed to be. This may be to different extents in various people, but humans have and always will be altering who they are in order to fit in. When the main objective begins to be fitting in, its easier to lose sight of who you were meant to be in the first place. People begin to be the shadows of their real selves, hidden beneath the insecurities created by the perfect models, with perfect bodies and even skin tone they see everyday in the mass media surrounding