Perfect Society In The Giver By Lois Lowry

Imagine living in a society, where everything and everyone was the same. Is it perfect? The book The Giver by Lois Lowry is about a perfect society where everyone is the same and everything is chosen for them. Jonas, a 12, is selected the most important job in the community, but eventually he decides that he does not want to live in the perfect society anymore. All because he learns what they have to give up and the changes that it takes to have sameness. If society were to go to sameness, especially in the areas of celebrations, families, and death; than there would be nothing exciting or interesting for people to live for. Celebration holds a great value in our community to bring people together and celebrate their success and milestones.

In jonas society there are family units, a family unit is what they consider a family. There are two parents a male and a female, and two children a male and female. In jonas society one does not get to choose whom they may love or marry. Therefore, Mother was reminding Lily of the rules, “Two children- one male, one female-to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules”. (Lowry 8) This quote is important because it is stating what the rules for a family unit are. However in modern society we can marry whoever one would wish or however many children one would wish. In Jonas society one does not choose whom they may love because they are chosen for them because they want everything to be the same so therefore the community takes a pill that makes them not able to love one another; they no longer have feelings. As in the story, jonas was telling the Giver, “ it had that wonderful feeling with it. You told me it was love”. (Lowry 141) This is an important quote because this is when Jonas learns what love is. As for in modern society love is a powerful thing for everyone. In jonas society spouses are chosen by the elders because one does not have the ability to love anyone. When they are choosing spouses they consider a few things, for example incompatibility, intelligence, personality, but they do not consider their height. In modern society we can love anyone. No one

The House of the Old has something to do with death because that is where the elders go right before death. Therefore, Jonas had walked through the hall, “He glanced into the rooms on either side. The old were sitting quietly, some visiting and talking with one another, others doing handwork and simple crafts. A few were asleep. Each room was comfortably furnished, the floors covered with thick carpeting. It was a serene and slow paced place, unlike the busy centers of manufacture and distribution where the daily work of the community occurred”. This is important because it basically describes what a nursing home would be like. Similar to how when someone can no longer take care of themselves they go off to a nursing home. The release of the old has a lot to do with it because it is kind of like a funeral for them but before they die. Although, while larissa was telling Jonas about the release of Edna, she said “Well, they tried to make her life sound meaningful”. In other words they were celebrating her life as if she was already gone. The release of a new child has do with death because they ‘release’ a twin because they cannot have two people that look the same, in which in modern society it is okay to have two people that look the same. However, celebrations, family, and death, play a big role in