The Giver by Lois Lawry illustrates how the enforcement of a totalitarian government system inhibits those it seeks to govern as well as demonstrates the difference between the philosophically based political concepts of the realist and idealist point of view. As the American writer, Charlie Reese once stated, "We... are not really free if we can't control our own government and its policies. And we will never do that if we remain ignorant". One can interpret from this statement that a government that holds complete power over society and offers only limited information to the governed is unjust. Throughout the plot of The Giver, the idealist outlook of the government is constantly in juxtaposition with that of the Receiver and the newly placed Giver Jonas’ outlook. An Idealist is viewed as a person who is guided more by ideals and what they would like the world to be rather than by practical considerations. For example, in the society depicted in the film The Giver the government aims to control every component of life as a means of preserving the greater good. These aspects range from housing, child placement, healthcare and job assignments just to list a few. The idealist perspective of the government within the film leads them to pursue a perfect society rather than allow the people governed to establish the rules of their society themselves. When discussing this notion of thinking in politics anyone who is well versed in this area would likely mention the contrasting
In the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, the receivers are the only people who have feelings and memories. The elders are the people who choose what the best is for their people in the community and sometimes they go to the receiver for help on making the right decisions. The people from the community do not see color, or have freedom on making a decision for them. There is no love, feelings, and grandparents. Jonas is assigned to be the next receiver of the community; He was trained by the giver, who transfers memories of the pain and pleasures of life, who also shows him the truth and reality that is hidden to the community. Jonas’s community does not represent the ideal of society because there are no choices or distinctions between men
President Ronald Reagan once said that,”Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in our bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and passed down for them to do the same.” President Reagan would have been miserable living in the world as it is portrayed in “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. In the book there has been a utopian community built for people so that they have no freedom and no individual thoughts. Everyone is exactly the same. Everyone takes a daily pill which eliminates any memories, pain or stress. The protagonist named Jonas is chosen to receive all the worlds memories and figures out that everyone he loves has no feelings or independence. He decides to risk everything
Change is inevitable no matter what difference is made. The Giver by author Lois Lowry is the story of a utopian community that has adopted sameness that actually seems more dystopian later on. The Giver’s protagonist is a boy, Jonas, who is chosen and honored to take the assignment of being the Receiver of Memories. Jonas as the new Receiver of Memories is trained by the previous Receiver of Memories who Jonas calls The Giver. This causes many joys and pains for Jonas, but a curiousness to every new memory that is given. The setting is set in a community that has gained the culture to be a strict community that is controlled by The Elders. Before meeting the Giver, Jonas began as an outcast,later as he met his mentor Jonas was brave, and as he became more mature he became determined.
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
In Lois Lowry’s The Giver, the biggest flaw in Jonas’s community is their awful idea of hiding the past from the citizens to create an unreasonable world with no disappointments. They almost never admit that a mistake had been made, and they wiped away memories of the past, like war.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is about a twelve year old boy, Jonas, living in a utopian society. This story follows Jonas on his way to find out the truth about his Community, and what secrets lie in the past. The society where Jonas lives knows nothing of the real world, and only know of their perfect reality. In the novel The Giver, the most significant theme is control because in the society there is no freedom of knowledge, freedom of love, or freedom to do what they please, which amounts to uttermost control.
One comparison connecting our modern-day society to the one in the novel, would be they are both run by a government. In the novel, “The Giver” it states that , “The community was so meticulous ordered, and the choices are carefully made by the government.” Basically the committee takes the place of the government and sets the laws also “The Chief Of Elders”. Therefore, their society is run by something that has full control over their community just like in our modern-day society. In our society, we also have laws that governs our actions and require us to follow in order to be safe. For instance, if a citizen breaks any of our laws there will be a conquense such as fine, community service, or even time in jail.
The Giver is considered as a dystopian society because everyone is under the illusion that there is freedom. An example of this is when the text states, “you're ready for the pills, that's all. That’s the treatment for the stirrings.” They can't even have independent thoughts. Medication is given to prevent
Did it ever occur to you, why some people can become very influential and take power even with radical ideals? Have you ever wondered why people are extremely convinced to purchase certain products? Animal Farm is a novel written by George Orwell. The purpose of the Animal Farm novel is to convey the adverse effects and consequences of Communism. The purpose of the “Brotherly Love” Coca-Cola advertisement is to persuade customers to buy Coca-Cola. It is very clear that the “Brotherly Love” Coca-Cola commercial utilizes pathos more effectively than Animal Farm’s use of pathos. This is apparent because pathos can leave the viewer/reader with an emotional impact, which is shown through the brother-brother relationship. However, Animal Farm uses plain folk very well with Snowball and Old Major’s attempts to equalize all of the animals on the farm.
The setting of The Giver takes place in a fictional community known as the “Sameness”. Life here is supposed to be "perfect" because there is no pain or suffering. They don’t have to take
Jonas’ community appears to be a utopia, but, in reality, it is a dystopia. The people seem perfectly content to live in an isolated wreck—in a government run by a select few—in which a group of Elders enforces the rules. In Jonas’ community, there is no poverty, starvation, unemployment, lack of housing, or discrimination; everything is perfectly planned to eliminate any problems. However, as the book progresses and Jonas gains insight into what the people have willingly given up—their freedoms and individualities—for the so-called common good of the community, it becomes more and more obvious that the community is a horrible place in which to live. You as a reader can relate to the disbelief and horror that Jonas feels when he realizes
Newberry Medalist, Lois Lowry, reflects her fascination with the stages of life into her many novels that depict young adults coping with the challenges that come with growing up. And like many recognized authors Lowry has been asked again and again, “Where did you get this idea?” For each novel written by Lowry the inspiration arises from diverse occasions from her life. In The Giver Lowry explores the new territory of a fantasy realm of society that is free from pain, disorder, and overpopulation; but in a world without love, color, and memories the perfect society turns to dystopia. (Novels for Students) As an explanation for the origins of The Giver Lois Lowry, in her Newberry Medal acceptance speech, compares her inspiration for the novel to the river Jonas looks into, seeing the world differently for the first time. Her ideas started as a mere spring, trickling in from a glacier; and each of the tributaries came from memories, coming together to make the flowing current of the river. (Lowry)
Lois Lowry’s The Giver is set in a futuristic, dichotomous society, one that is both utopian and dystopian. In response to the overwhelming destruction and chaos in the world, the Elders have attempted to create and maintain a peaceful and orderly utopia, but this security comes at a price. The citizens of the community have sacrificed their individuality and freedom. Although most adult members have some knowledge of the hypocrisies involved, they choose to perpetuate the deception, allowing the community, as a whole, to continue on blissful ignorance. When young Jonas is confronted with all the truths of the present and all the memories of the past, he must choose for himself
This novel is about a community where each person is the same. Everybody in this community go by certain rules and if they do not follow those rules they are punished. Everyone is to act the same in this book. Every person is assigned a job when they become a twelve and they are to work at the job until they go to the house of the old. This book is explained by Lois Lowry the author is explaining a whole different world than ours in this world he describes a person called the giver who is the receiver who hands off the job to Jonas one of the main characters who asks the receiver about all his memories and about what his job will be like. Jones had become the receiver. the giver gives him training and tells him what memories were like, the giver tells him why were like giver tells him why were like.
Individuality is one of the key components of reaching the utopian standard. However, in The Giver, the community rejects the idea of individuality and instead focuses on developing Sameness, therefore initiating a form of control by allowing them to not express their own personality to shine, and alternately forcing them to contort into these soft putty-shaped beings with zero individuality at all. Conversations between Jonas and The Giver that occur throughout the novel informs the audience that the community lacks a sense of uniqueness and results in an absence of options to choose from.