Claude Mckay words, “If a man is not faithful to his own individuality, he cannot be loyal to anything” (qtd. Brainyquote.com). Without the sense of individualism, society would not grow and become independent, some might end up relying too much on others and become a burden or disloyal. However that is not all a waste, some people forget due to age and not a lack of individuality which Lois Lowry’s father can be an example. Her dad became senile and forgot about her sister's death; this inspired Lowry to write the novel The Giver. The narrative is a dystopian modern young adult novel about a twelve-year-old boy named Jonas who is a receiver of memories. He struggled with new emotions because of his job, which affected his individuality and independence. …show more content…
They are assigned jobs based on their skills and the interest they have, they are not allowed to have a strong emotion. “The goal was to avoid the messiness of the relationship, the pain of loss, the ugliness of difference”. The community members are expected to prioritize the community’s needs over their own; which stifles their individuality and creativity. However Jonas’s experience as a receiver of memories challenges this notion of conformity and reveals the importance of individualism. As Jonas is gaining new emotions and memories, he begins to question the community’s rules and the values.
He also realizes that the community’s way of life is not sustainable and that without individualism, people cannot experience the range of us as human connections and