The idea of a perfect world seems easy, however actually making it happen is almost next to impossible. In the beginning of The Giver by Lois Lowry the community is portrayed as a perfect utopian society. Slowly as the reader reads on, they realize that there is no such thing as a perfect world. Each component of the community has a problem in The Giver it is based on equality and sameness. As a result of the foundation of the community many problems arise such as; no freedom of choice, no connections or feelings, and division of citizens by intellect, ability, class. The community is a dystopia because it is bland and there are no opinions.
Jonas’s community is a dystopia because there is no freedom of choice. At the end of December every
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One day in Jonas’s training with The Giver, he asks him what his favorite memory is. The Giver does not seem reluctant to give it away so Jonas lays down on the bed and is given the memory. Lois Lowry then describes a scene which sounds like christmas eve on a snowy winter night. When Jonas wakes up he is amazed by the memory but is also confused. There were old people in the room, this is confusing to Jonas because in the community when someone is too old to produce and to help the community they get released. Also Jonas is confused because he claims there was a feeling in the room and he just could not describe it. He says it is a warm feeling, then The Giver tells Jonas that the feeling he felt was called love. He is perplexed by the amazing feeling he felt. Later that night at dinner he asks his father, “‘Do you love me?...Your father means you used a very generalized word, so meaning less that it has become almost obsolete’” (127). In the community your are assigned a spouse and do not get to fall in love. Then you and your spouse can apply for a child, you do not get to have your own child. Also at a young age you are given special pills for what is called “stirrings” these pills minimize feelings towards the opposite sex. This means Jonas’s parents have no feeling towards Jonas or each other, if he were to die they would not really care and they would go on with their regular lives.
The utopian communities Logan and Jonas inhabit are both controlled by the state. Logan's world is run completely by machines that manage births and deaths, food supply, and recreation. Jonas's world is managed by an extensive set of rules that spell out exactly what citizens do throughout their lives. For both these protagonists, the community is a safe haven and the concept of "outside" for Logan, and "Elsewhere" for Jonas are worrisome. The state in both of these communities regulate death but have sugar-coated the idea through vague language or ceremonies that promise rebirth. Logan and Jonas begin to see through the deception and rebel against it by opposing the rules and escaping from what seemed to be perfect communities.
The Giver let Jonas experience love at Christmas, in a memory but that was the only time Jonas ever got to enjoy the feeling. The citizens don’t even understand what the emotions are, because they just feel normal-not happy, excited, anger, or love. Jonas had just been given the memory of love from The Giver and decided to ask his dad about it. “‘Do you love me?’ There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle. ‘Jonas. You of all people. Precision of language, please!’” (127). Jonas’s dad got almost angry with Jonas because love isn’t supposed to be something that is in their community. Having emotions isn’t normal in The Giver. Love isn’t a natural thing someone has so his dad didn’t really understand what Jonas was talking
In The Giver, a narrative by Lois Lowry, Jonas’s father illustrates his feelings during his Ceremony of Twelve and Jonas tells about his own feelings concerning the forthcoming event. In the text it states, “‘But to be honest, Jonas,’ his father said, ‘for me there was not the element of suspense that there is with your ceremony. Because I was already fairly certain of what my Assignment was to be,’”(Lowry, paragraph 3). This segment of text elucidates the reason of Jonas’s father’s lack of surprise of his Assignment. As stated above, Jonas’s father was already certain of his Assignment, which he continues to explain to be a Nurturer. Jonas’s father explains that as a result of the love he showed all the Newchildren and the time he spent at
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
Living in a perfect world is like living in an anthill. An ant does not think on it’s own, make it’s own decisions, and doesn't really have any own identity, just like the utopians. It is not worth living in a perfect world. The utopian society we are introduced to in the book, The Giver, has many different characteristics that make the perfect life unbearable. Examples of these things are The Receiver, the community, and the chief elders.
He starts to believe that a world of sameness where no one can decide or make choices for themselves is boring. Lois Lowry is warning readers that living in a world of sameness is not something to create as it is boring and dull, but if the world follows conformity and does not value diversity and difference enough, society could become that of Jonas’s. 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 get freedom, the community is left without someone to take the memories from The Giver.
Set in a community with no climate, emotions, choices, or memories Lois Lowry tells the tale of Jonas in The Giver. Jonas is selected to be the receiver of memory, which means the memories of generations past, before the community was created, will all be transferred to him to hold. As Jonas receives memories his concept of the world around him drastically changes. Jonas starts out as twelve-year-old boy with perceptions different from those around him, he then begins to see the community for what it really is, and he makes a plan to change it.
Jonas had realized that living in his Utopian society had been good until he understood what really goes on. He had to live with out feelings and emotions. Jonas's decision may have affected the community but he did what was right. Living in a community were pain and love isn't felt just isn't normal. He needed to get out of there and he did. After all he is the hero. He gave up his normal and perfect life, to let everyone enjoy life’s
You know everything about the past and the present from your life, but the citizens of Jonas’ community don’t. Everything is hidden from them, except for Jonas and The Giver, who have all
Even though both the society in The Giver by Lois Lowry and modern society are both unique in their own ways, our society is a better society to live in. Our society gives us more freedom to choose for our own benefits and
As Jonas receives these memories, he ponders how their community would be different if they could make more choices. For example, after the Giver transmits Jonas a memory of family, Jonas thinks how crazy it is that they have generations and he says about his community, “‘What if they were allowed to choose their own mate?’”...”’Or what if’”...”’they could choose their own jobs?’” (124). Jonas then thinks if people should make these choices, and things that could go wrong if they did. For instance, while he is thinking about how crazy these choices are, he says, “‘I can’t even imagine it. We really have to protect people from wrong choices’”(124). People in his Community don’t choose their own spouse, the Community leaders assign them a spouse and children if they want. Jonas’s Community is brain-washed into not having opinions or choices. Although they have no divorce and wrong choices, Jonas would rather have choices and a real
Jonas’ community chooses Sameness rather than valuing individual expression. Although the possibility of individual choice sometimes involves risk, it also exposes Jonas to a wide range of joyful experiences from which his community has been shut away. Sameness may not be the best thing in the community because Jonas expresses how much he feels like Sameness is not right and wants there to be more individuality. Giver leads him to understand both the advantages and the disadvantages of personal choice, and in the end, he considers the risks worth the benefits. “Memories are forever.”
The people in the community have absolutely no choices what so ever. The people already have their whole life rolled out in front of you without even knowing it. The council chooses your spouse, your family unit, your job, what you do everyday and how to do everything everyday. The rules that Jonas gets restrict him from doing certain things. “1. Go immediately at the end
Community Jonas lives could be described as a perfect society. The move starts in black and white, making everyone look the same, and confirming that differences were not allowed. There were no losers or winners and words like fear, pain, envy, and
Imagine a world with no color, weather, or sunshine. The Giver is a book by Lois Lowry and is based on a utopia where no one makes choices, feels pain, or has emotions. The book takes place in a community where all of this is true. The story is about an 11-year old soon to be 12 year-old named Jonas who is unsure of which job he will get when he is 12. Jonas changes throughout The Giver and as a result, tries to change the community.