The Giver

People often imagine that a dystopian society is vastly diverse from our modern day society, but in fact they are very similar. Sure there are a few differences not limited to, rules, family, and how the societies are governed. One prime example of a dystopian fiction is The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, which takes place in a town that is governed by a circle of people with no emotions or feelings. In our modern society we have multiple rule guides called the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. These rule guides were created and maintained by our government, which consists of three branches that make community decisions; they are kept in balance with a system called checks and balances so that one branch isn’t

“But the most conspicuous difference was the books. In his own dwelling, there were the necessary reference volumes that each household contained: a dictionary, and the thick community volume that contained the descriptions of every office, factor, building, and committee. And the Book of Rules, of course” (Lowry 74). This means that most average people in The Giver do not have access to anything other than necessary books. One of these many rules is that you are assigned one spouse, and two children a boy and a girl. If a person decides that they would like a spouse than they will apply for a spouse and a spouse will be chosen for them. The same thing occurs for children if that family wants one or two then they will have to apply for it. The people who lead this amazing town is a group called The Committee of Elders. The Committee of Elders never lets rules change, but they make it look like they are thinking about it. “Larissa frowned. ‘I don’t know why they don’t let children come. Not enough room I guess. They should enlarge the Releasing Room.’ ‘We’ll have to suggest that to the committee. Maybe they’d study it,’ Jonas said slyly, and Larissa chortled with laughter”(Lowry 32-33). The paragraph cited here gives light onto the fact that the committee doesn’t ever change