ipl-logo

Differences Between Jonas's Society And Reality In The Giver By Lois Lowry

748 Words3 Pages

If there is no choice would the world be a better place? In the book The Giver Lois Lowry there is something called sameness giving citizens no choice for anything to keep everyone safe in the community. Jonas (protagonist) thought his world was perfect until he became a receiver and realized how corrupted his world truly was and how beautiful life long ago was with color and difference. The three main differences between Jonas’s society and reality are family, release, and memories. Family is one of the most cherished things life has to offer. In Jonas’s society, citizens must apply for a Spouse and for children. The Committee of Elders observe the people in the community to assign family unit. According to the novel, the narrator states, “Two children- one male, one female- to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules” (Lowry 8) This quote shows that unlike society today, the government in Jonas’s society decides when parents receive babies. In Jonas’s community, unlike our society today, elderly people are sent to the House of Old instead of remaining with their family units and becoming …show more content…

Although Jonas 's Society has no memories, The Giver teaches Jonas that, without memories, knowledge is useless. As one can see, Jonas learned that “‘... without memories it’s all meaningless. ’” (Lowry 105) , this shows without memories there is no meaning to knowledge or history. In the novel they got rid of memories to hide the pain and then gave the burden to one person, the Receiver. For example, The Giver tells Jonas, “‘ They gave me that burden. And the previous Receiver. And the one before him’” (Lowry 105) Even though Receiver is a burden it is also a grave honor and through pain is wisdom. In the modern day, we must bare the painful memories and enjoy the good ones, but in Jonas’s community all citizens have no more than one generation of memories so that they feel no

Show More
Related
476 Words | 2 Pages

In the Giver, the writer, Lois Lowry reveals the theme through talking about an old profession in being the receiver of memory.. The theme of tradition is reinforced in the Giver through the character development of Jonas, a young boy chosen to do the job of the receiver. Jonas is chosen to be the receiver of memory a job in which he is given memories from, “Before the previous receiver and generations before him,”(77). This quote reveals how even having a receiver of memory is a very old tradition as it is said that they have been there for generations.

Read More
1737 Words | 7 Pages

At first The Giver warns Jonas that this process of receiving memories “will be painful”(Lowery 85). This pain comes in the form of both the joyful and the terrifying memories. The positive memories that he receives cause him pain because they make him see how much happier the people in his community could be. “Jonas’s realizations about the constraints of this rigidly organized life come gradually", but they begin to weigh on him (Chamberlain). Everytime he learns something new about the past he is overcome by the will to share all of his mental experiences with the rest of the population, but he knows he is not able to do this.

Read More
632 Words | 3 Pages

He had to face the trials of his new job. He must complete the task that were give to him. This meant accepting memories that were both joyful and painful. He also had to overcome the fear of being the receiver which wasn’t always easy for him. “Jonas did not want to go back.

Read More
1015 Words | 5 Pages

The Giver’s job is to show Jonas all the memories from the past and to teach him how to guide the Council of Elders using the memories that the Giver passes to him. Throughout the

Read More
601 Words | 3 Pages

Jonas’s society is extremely different than the one we live in today. The first difference between The Giver and our society is the number of family members. In the book they can only have two kids, one boy and one girl; however, in America we are free to have as many kids as we would want. The second

Read More
733 Words | 3 Pages

The Giver Literature essay I have read the dystopian novel “The Giver” (1993) which is written by the beloved American author Lois Lowry. “The Giver” is about a twelve-year-old boy with the name Jonas. Jonas lives a similar life as all the others in the community, until the Ceremony of Twelve when he got assigned the task as the Receiver of Memory. As The Receiver of Memory it is Jonas’ task to keep all the memories of the past so not everyone needs to keep this burden. Although Jonas received beautiful memories with a lot of colors and happiness he also felt grief, pain and anger.

Read More
492 Words | 2 Pages

If there was no sameness then the community would be a mess. It is because if a person chooses their spouse wrong then they will have to live with them for the rest of their lives. It is also the same when getting a job, if they pick their own jobs and they pick bad then they’ll be stuck with that job until their death. The elders think that sameness is good but Jonas is not happy. Jonas thinks that all people should have their own voice so that they can decide what they can do.

Read More
826 Words | 4 Pages

Perfection is not necessary to have a good life. In the novel The Giver, the author, Lois Lowry, uses Jonas to show this message. Jonas lives with his family unit, with a set or rules that Jonas did not like. Until he met the giver, and everything changes Jonas´s life. This message of the novel Giver, shows perfection is not necessary to have a good life.

Read More
865 Words | 4 Pages

Memories are one of the most important parts of life, there is no true happiness without the reminiscence of pain or love. This concept is portrayed in "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. The story tells of a 12-year old Jonas, who lives in a “utopian” society, where all bad memories are destroyed to avoid the feeling of pain. Jonas becomes the receiver, someone who receives good and bad memories, and he is transmitted memories of pain and pleasure from The Giver and is taught to keep the secret to himself. The author shows one should cherish memories, whether it be good or bad, as they are all of what is left of the past, and we should learn from it as to better ourselves in the future.

Read More
790 Words | 4 Pages

Finally, it subsided as the memories were assimilated. But it certainly made them aware of how they need a Receiver to contain all that pain”(Lowry 104). This quote shows that there is a Giver. In Jonas’s society, there is one person who obtains all memories, people don't have their own memories, while in today's society, people make their own memories, and don't have someone else hold the memories for them. What would life be like if there was only one person to have all the good and bad

Read More
517 Words | 3 Pages

The most important assignment in the community. He must receive memories from the current receiver. The chief elder made the decision to make only one person bear the burden of the memories. Everyone thinks the community is perfect, a utopia, but Jonas sees all the flaws .Jonas changes throughout The Giver and as a result, tries to change the community.

Read More
1034 Words | 5 Pages

This book;”The Giver,” by Lois Lowry, has two major places (Elsewhere and the community) mentioned in it. There are many pros and cons of living in either, Elsewhere or the community. Elsewhere would be a better place because many things such as love, color, the concept of love, freedom, etc. exists. On the other hand, in the community, which is more influenced by people’s actions, still has some positives things, such as no lying, no concept of color, no war, etc. After looking at many pros and cons for choosing to live in either the community or Elsewhere, the outside world would be the better choice for living in for a couple of reasons.

Read More
535 Words | 3 Pages

Jonas’ Hardships Lois Lowry, the author, wrote a novel titled “The Giver” which took place in a dystopian society with ideas like climate control, sameness, and precision of language. The main character, Jonas, was selected for the assignment “The Receiver of Memory” and this assignment caused him many hardships. Throughout the story, Jonas faces many hardships related to his assignment, his friends, and the community. The theme to the story is overcoming obstacles because Jonas has to conquer many hardships throughout the novel.

Read More
754 Words | 4 Pages

Although in our society, anyone can get opportunities to make their life great and can prevent some pain from entering their life like physical or heartbreak, but everyone loses someone they love and that’s something no one is able to control. Everyone has to bear the pain and learn to live without them knowing they can never be replaced, but not in Jonas’ society. Since there is no love, no one knows how to care for others who have passed or been ‘released’, “He pushed the plunger very slowly, injecting the liquid into the scalp, vain until the syringe was empty.” (Lowry 149). Before

Read More
1073 Words | 5 Pages

Would you give up love and true happiness for a life without pain? In the dystopian novel The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, strong emotion is sacrificed for a peaceful environment. The depicted community at first appears to be a utopia, where hate and discrimination are abolished, but the emotionless society is quickly revealed to be dystopian as the story continues. They live in a world of sameness; there is no hunger, suffering, or war, but also no color, diversity, or sensuality. The protagonist, a twelve-year-old boy named Jonas, uncovers the truth about his community when he is assigned to be the Receiver of Memory, and acquires the memories from the past from an elder called the Giver.

Read More

More about Differences Between Jonas's Society And Reality In The Giver By Lois Lowry

Related Topics

Open Document