The Dark Secret Behind Euphemisms A euphemism is defined by dictionary.com as “the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.” In the book The Giver, many euphemisms are used to assuage the harm done by actual, non used terms or ideas. In this book written by Lois Lowry, Jonas is obviously different from the other people in his community; the Elders select him to be the next Receiver of Memory. As the Receiver of Memory, he is responsible for experiencing and passing on the remembrances forbidden to society. The Giver mentors him for the job. In this community, color, choice, feelings, and other manifestations of creativity are taken away. Jonas realizes, after The Giver displays him a year’s worth of memories, that the community’s current situation without love is unethical, and he plots to give the community back its memories. Despite the community in The Giver’s strict belief in precise language, they use the words Release, Elsewhere, and Sameness as euphemisms for negative ideas that are avoided in the community. By using the word Release, which means death by injection, the community makes it seem as though death is actually a liberating act, and Release is frequently celebrated. For example, Larissa, one of the residents of the House of Old, is unaware of what Release really means. “‘Larissa,’ he asked, ‘what happens when they make the actual Release?’.... ‘I don’t know. I don’t think anybody does, except