The message of how differences in an individual has the power to go against a whole civilization of similarity is cleverly portrayed by Lowry using a range of techniques. By going against the grain of society in the novel, Jonas was able to ultimately save his community and restore memories of the past life, one with emotions, pain and most importantly difference. “The biggest challenge in life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else”.The Giver is a fictional novel by Louis Lowry that revolves around a boy named Jonas growing up in a utopian world, a world without pain, suffering or violence. The author uses various techniques to convey to the audience how differences in an individual has the power to rebel or go against a whole civilisation of similarity.
Lowry uses characterisation and perspective to raise the aspect of being different. Jonas, the main protagonist within the novel is portrayed as a character who is different from the rest of the individuals within the community both physically and mentally.
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The isolated community filled with the same individuals behaving the same way makes it a perfect setting for Lowry to represent the power of difference and how it can ultimately go against a whole community of monotony. He uses rhetorical questions to question the reader into how someone could not fit into a community in which everyone is the same. “How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made.” He then quickly contradicts this statement by stating “If you don’t fit in, you can apply for elsewhere and be released” and also by introducing the character of Jonas who is presented to the audience as an individual who is different from the others. By doing this Lowry accurately depicts the power of difference and how it ultimately has the power to overcome
One similarity that Rand’s and Lowry’s books share is that both protagonists, Equality 7-2521 and Jonas, respectively, live in world’s devoid of happiness and individuality.
Consequently, the depictions of these characters’ trials of discrimination and community portrays the significant influence that belonging has on identity. Craig Silvey depicts
Lowry uses the literary elements allusion and setting to express the theme thst memories and choice are worth the pain they might sometimes bring. There will always be a proice to pay when you have something that is wonderful and extremely special. Somethings no one should ever be able to take away from you such as being yourself and being
Both authors distinguish Paul and Trevor’s families for considering themselves above others. Paul’s family “…felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood” (Lawrence, 1933/2013, p. 174) and in "The Destructors” Trevor’s “… mother considered herself better than the neighbors” (Greene, 1954/n.d., p. 1). Both families pride themselves on who they are and how they are perceived. Their pride becomes the root of the majority of the problems the families and causes different destructive reactions from their sons.
In “The Giver”, written by Lois Lowry, one of the major theme’s is “sameness”, which effects very deeply the life of citizens in the community based on perfection.Sameness in somewhere just as this community, can either cause disadvantages or advantages at the same time, also including the loss of diversity.
In the novel, the author uses the characters, plot, and conflict to develop the theme that life can not be taken for granted. The author uses Jonas’s father to help develop the theme that life can not be taken for granted. The author uses Jonas to help show how emotions help people not take life for granted. The author uses Jonas and his father to help show how people can not take life for
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.
How did the absence in color and Jonas’s ability to see color contribute to the theme? In the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, is told by the eyes of a third person, about a life of a male named Jonas who is living in a community without suffering, color, fights, and pain. Both of his parents held a job in the community, Jonas’s father, a Nurturer, took care of newborns and one of them was a male named Gabriel, whereas his mother, who held a prominent position at the Department of Justice, punished people that caused problems and his younger sister Lily who was a six. Each member of the community must obey and follow a set of rules such as sharing your dreams and feeling every morning and during dinner, having no more than 2 kids, one male and one female etc., so there won’t be any problems
In the book The Giver by lois lowry. Jonas’s community is a dystopia. In Jonas’s community there is a lot of sameness. Which leads Jonas to run away from his community. He runs away because of all of the sameness, identical lives, and all of the houses being the same.
First, throughout the book a common theme was, respecting people 's differences. As well as the idea that you are not better or worse than anyone. This is shown in many ways. One way is through Maycomb County’s social hierarchy. In their social
Lowry chooses to omit color from the community in order to create “Sameness.” It is an ideology practiced by the leaders in the community in which citizens are indoctrinated into believing that they are all same and, therefore, equal. Through conformity, the leaders of Jonas community wish to create a peaceful and stable society that is free from pain and wrong judgement. In page 120, the Giver says, “Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness…We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with differences.” Color is omitted because it perpetuates choice and emotion which directly contradict the idea of sameness. For example, red is the color of extremes. It excites the emotion, feelings, and
His transition, expressed by the setting change and supported by his alternating actions, is also gradual. Marked by his obtaining the new “receiver” position in his community, Jonas’s departs from the society that raised him. Evidently, Jonas had always been different from the rest of his peers as he would see something more, something beyond his “reality.” “The apple had changed. Just for an instant… Then it was in his hand, and he looked at it carefully, but it was the same apple. Unchanged… The same nondescript shade, about the same shade as his own tunic” (Lowry 24). No one in Jonas’s community possessed the ability to see color of any sort, which emphasized the theme of sameness. Yet, the fact that Jonas notices the color red first, and repeatedly in Fiona’s hair, insinuates his separation from an emotionless society. “Red is the single most dynamic and passionate color symbolizes love, rage, and courage… red has a great emotional impact… The desire to experience the fullness of living leads to constant activity” (Przybyla, Red Web). The red apple foreshadows Jonas’s ability to see color and further suggests the idea that Jonas will begin to feel. As Jonas later discovers, the reader recognizes a damaging lack of color in his society’s apparent flawlessness after he describes the apples shade as “nondescript,”
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
The Committee of Elders runs the society. They make laws and major decisions that affect everyone in society, such as when a child reaches the age of 11, the Committee of Elders determines what career path the child will follow. Every moment of people's lives is planned by someone else. At home, things are less than normal as well. People do not get married for love; instead, they're assigned a partner. Couples do not have children of their own; they have to apply for a child. Lowry challenges her readers to reexamine their importance and values and to be aware of the interdependence of all human beings with each other, their environment, and the world in which they live .When People are forced to live under an oppressive regime that controls
Everyone in the community can not have there own personalities because they have to be the same. There is a limit of two kids per family unit. There is nothing private in the community because they have to be the same. Sameness is bad because the receiver has to keep the pain a secret. The receiver is a person that keeps all of the memories. ¨but now you will be able to go farther back¨(Lois lowry 116) The Giver tells Jonas “being the receiver makes family life hard”(Lois Lowry 132). Sameness is bad because they have to take away color. Color is taken away because some people can not see color and then they are not the same. Why did colors disappear’ is what Jonas asked the Giver when he found out that everyone can not see color. (Lois Lowry 120)The government pick spouses and the child which results in no love. “Do you love me” asked Jonas.(Lois Lowry 159)It is clear that sameness is bad because there is no love in the community.