Response In Lois Lowry's 'The Giver'

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

Jonas is very mature at the beginning of the novel. For example, he volunteers at many places, plays games, goes to school every day, shares his dreams and feelings, and most importantly follows the rules.

Jonas accepting his society because he's unaware of emotions of the other people in his community. Jonas follows the rule of having the share your feelings everyday. Not telling

Jonas is feeling things that no one in his community has ever felt before. He is beginning to understand that others are missing out on important emotions. He knows that The Giver has already given away most of the memories, and in order to stop the process, he must make a sacrifice in order for his community to be aware of what they are missing. This proves that he is conscious of the fact that his community is not perfect, and the act of staging an accident is a noble, selfless thing to do; something that his perfect peers would not understand. When talking about the harms of banning books and by quoting Lois Lowry, Jennifer Kendall states, “The world portrayed in The Giver is a world where choice has been taken away. It is a frightening world” (Kendall). Kendall makes the point that the Utopian society is not something that people strive for. As a middle-schooled child, it is easy to see that life is not perfect. I feel as if Lowry does a great job in showing the reader that Jonas does understand that his community is not perfect, and he goes to great links to stop the perfection. While there may seem to

Jonas wanted to live a different life. In his journey, Jonas travels with Gabriel, the child that was being nurtured by his family. He needed to saved him from being “released”. Together they faced danger and fear but it was just the beginning of a new life in the land of Elsewhere.

Jonas starts out with a very low understanding of what it means to be mature. He has no knowledge of pain, love, or any other emotion. He proves this by acting like a normal child. He plays with his friends after volunteer hours. He attends school on a regular basis. Jonas is a stickler for the rules. He has been told that it is wrong to not follow rules and that there

“The community broke into complete chaos. Everybody and everything was out of order. When the wave of painful memories hit, the people dropped to the floor and held their heads in excruciating pain. We should have thought this through more carefully Jonas. I would never have believed that such anarchy could become in such a peaceful community. But the memories were too harsh. Riots were started. Fires burnt down the buildings. Some jumped into the river and died just

Ignorance is shown throughout the adventures of Jonas. In the beginning of the story, Jonas and his family are talking about their feelings from the day. While Jonas talks about his feelings of apprehension towards the upcoming ceremony, Lily (his younger sister) talks about her feelings of anger towards a young male who didn't follow the rules. He is then called an

In this novel, foreshadowing is a crucial literary element that Lois Lowry uses to give the reader hints about what is going to happen later on in the book. Foreshadowing gives the reader an idea of the main character's personality, introduces the conflicts that are yet to happen, and discreetly proposes the main theme: the importance of being an individual. Lois Lowry even chose to begin her book with foreshadowing by saying, "It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to feel frightened." (Lowry 6). For example, at the beginning of the book, Lowry introduces the one thing that makes Jonas physically different than the rest of the population in the community: his eyes. Jonas has pale looking eyes, just like the Giver. This is a way of telling the reader that he is special, and will have significant role in changing the community. Another example of this element in the book is the “seeing beyond” that Jonas starts to experience. This example foreshadows the internal changes that are going occur to Jonas later on in the story. “The apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed…” (Lowry, 51). Through these examples, foreshadowing easily gives the reader a better understanding of how important it is to have a unique personality.

(SIP-A)Loneliness now drives Jonas literally out of his community. (STEWE-1)Jonas now knew he had to leave because of loneliness ”He knew that he had the remaining hours of night before they would be aware of his escape”(161), this shows how he acts out against his community and leaves. (STEWE-2)Jonas looks back at all the rules that he had come to break ”He thought of the rules he had broken so far: enough that if he were caught, now, he would be condemned”(161), this shows how it was hard for Jonas to obey the rules, this is another reason that caused Jonas to leave. (SIP-B)Jonas knew he had to leave because it was for his own sake. (STEWE-1)Jonas’s job has two sides, the side of loneliness and the side of truth ‘’It was clear to him what a terribly difficult and lonely life it was, despite the honor’’(139), the side of loneliness takes over and forces Jonas away from his life and causes him to leave. (STEWE-2)Jonas knew he had to leave that’s why, ”He felt, surprisingly, no fear, nor any regret at leaving the community behind. But he felt a very deep sadness that he had left his closest friend behind”(162-163), this shows how Jonas acted out against his community and left because he knew it was the right thing to do. (CS)Loneliness and isolation drives Jonas away, he is a social person who needs to share the memories, so he acted out and left because he knew that that was the right

With no memories, they need to choose someone to hold them all, putting all the suffrage on he or she. In this case Jonas is that receiver and he is getting memory's that are painful and hurtful. Jonas asks why hey have to keep the memories to them selves and the giver said it was to protect the people. They should not keep the memories to themselves so the past won't come back to bite them. If a past event happens to on of them they will not know what to do. They also do not get to choose their spouses. The emotions, they have inside, are called stirrings and they are taken away by a pill they have to take. Jonas started getting the stirrings for a girl named Fiona. He will never get to have a relationship with her because everything in the community is chosen for them. Sameness takes away joy and happiness from the community's lives. It's a very sad novel about how everything is chosen for you. Jonas starts to realize this when he gets multiple memories. He realizes that the community's Elders made wrong choices. This is why Jonas runs

In the story, Jonas is reacting to his father killing the child. He is angry and sad at his father. The book says, “He killed it! My father killed it!”(188). This is important because this shows how the community needs change because they kill innocent children. Jonas reacting showed that emotions help people care about others.

This shows that even in feeling alone, Jonas knows that he is different because he is special, and has the ability to comprehend more than others.

, by Lois Lowry,Jonas is selected to be the new receiver in his community. This position is a punishment. Jonas lives in a world where there is no emotions and jonas has to receive memories both good and bad. The main reasons why Jonas is receiving a punishment will be shown before he was receiver, while he was receiver, and after he was the receiver.

This part reminds me of Homer Hickam, because he had to go against what he learned going up. Jonas’ parents and his instructors have taught him the importance of being part of the group and of the community all of his life.