The Giver Research Paper

The Giver Essay

Have you ever imagined living in a Utopian society? The Giver, was written by Lois Lowry, takes place in a perfect community, a Utopian society. The Utopian society has no pain, no starving people, and no feelings. All the people are equal and all have the same exact things. The main character, Jonas, thinks everything is good and is satisfied with the community. When the Ceremony of Twelve comes, Jonas receives his Assignment, he becomes the Receiver of Memory. As the Receiver of Memory, Jonas learns more about history, the things they once had, and about colors. Jonas changes throughout The Giver and as a result, tries to change the community. In the beginning, Jonas was always truthful and honest, but as Jonas receives

In the beginning of the book, Jonas thought everything was good. Jonas believed that there is nothing wrong the way the community ran and did things. When he first began his training, he was confused. Once he walked in, he saw a lot of books. He did not know that there were so many books. In Jonas’s dwelling, there were only a few books. Jonas also did not understand the concept of color. Objects change for a few moments and disappears. During his training, Jonas did not understand anything. “Jonas frowned,’The whole world?’ he asked. ‘I don’t understand. Do you mean not just us? Do you mean Elsewhere?... I don’t understand when you say the ‘whole world’ or ‘generations before him’” (Page 158) He did not know anything that the Giver said. Jonas never learned about history and what was beyond the community. As Jonas receives more and more memories, he becomes wiser. He understands history and beyond the community. Jonas also has the ability to see colors. Jonas knows what feelings are and gets experience good feelings and understands pain, which no one else in the community has felt besides Jonas and the Giver. “I would like to see this morning’s release of the twins…. Jonas watched as his father bent over the squirming new child on the bed…. To his surprise, his father began to direct the needle into the top of the new child's forehead…. As he continued to watch, the new child…. then he went limp. His head fell to the side, his eyes half open. With an odd, shocked feeling, Jonas recognized the gestures and postures and expression. They were familiar. He had seen them before. But he couldn’t remember where….He killed it! He killed it! Jonas said to himself, stunned at what he was realizing.”(Page 184-188) Jonas understands what releasing the Old or the newborns through the