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The Novel, The Giver, by Lois Lowry allows readers to examine many hidden lessons and messages throughout the story. In the book, we follow Jonas’ journey in learning the unpleasant truth about his community and his attempt to save its people before they destroy themselves. Many themes and messages are brought to light in the novel, like the negative impact of being unable to make your own decisions and being fully pulled away from your freedom. It showcases how important it is to know your true identity and how wisdom and knowledge is a key factor that influences your future actions. By illuminating these issues to the reader, Lois Lowry educates them on how these messages are essential, for we could eventually experience a similar situation in the future.
People often underestimate the power and privilege they have to be able to make their own choices in life. In the novel, Lois Lowry highlights the negative effects of being controlled in a society where people are forbidden from having basic rights. They are completely blind-sided to the evil that occurs behind the scenes. Without choice comes no freedom. They must all follow a set of extremely strict rules otherwise they will suffer unreasonable consequences such as release. They have zero control over what jobs they pursue, where they live, who their partners will be, what they wear, and even their own personal feelings. They are completely being ripped apart from their freedom. Though no one is aware that colors and feelings exist, the members of the community aren’t exposed enough to the control people have over them. Jonas soon comes to realize the lack of choice the community has. “If everything’s the same, then there aren’t any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things. A blue tonic or a red one” Chapter 12 Page 127, Jonas is found expressing his bitter perspective of wanting to appreciate the simple decisions they could potentially be making if it wasn’t for sameness. “You’re very close to being an eight, and when you’re eight, your comfort object will be taken away” Chapter 2 Page 37. This shows a clear example of a rule the community has created to prevent feelings at a young age. By taking away this comfort toy, they are teaching the community to let go of their feelings one by one until eventually there are none left. These statements by Jonas show how frustrating it is to watch your own community suffer in a life they don’t deserve; this then leads them to rebel or disobeying the rules like how Jonas is with his attempt to escape. This then leads back to why there are many negative outcomes from feeling trapped and isolated.
Identity is what makes us unique as an individual. It is what makes are different from other people. Lois Lowry is trying to showcase a lesson about how important it is to know your true identity. Our personality and identity are what truly make us human. People in the community are being treated as a bunch of puppets and robot-like people. There is no uniqueness, and sameness has completely taken over. From not being able to show your true personality and not knowing whether what you’re doing is wrongful, Jonas faces many hardships trying to understand and overcome the feeling of dullness in the community. ‘He killed it! My father killed it” Page 188 Chapter 19. It shows the pain and disbelief Jonas experiences as he watches his own father kill a new child. This then leads back to identity because his father is unaware that what he had committed was murder. They have been brainwashed to forget their real identity and to follow a system where they are clueless as to what they are doing. They also cannot see color, “As he looked up and towards her going through the door, it happened; she changed.”, “….It seemed to be just her hair” Page 118 Chapter 12. With this slight flash of color, Jonas is able to see, it proves how simple appearances such as the color of your hair can differentiate people. This proves the message the author is trying to promote. That not everyone is like what they seem and that they have become brainwashed to act a specific way.
Wisdom and knowledge are an essential part of the perspective you see things and the way you choose to approach situations. It shows how someone who has knowledge is someone who has power and power comes big responsibilities. Wisdom allows someone to learn something and apply it to future issues. Knowledge creates an understanding of the society we live in and shows how much of an impact it creates to be knowledgeable. In the novel, The Giver and Jonas have a prime responsibility to carry memories of the community. Jonas takes on the role of receiving memories and having the bravery to witness a variety of feelings that are new to him such as pain, anger, joy, and even heat. The Giver’s memories get more subtle and faint as he transfers them to Jonas day by day. On page 145, chapter 14 the giver states, “They don’t want to hear about the pain. They just seek the advice”, meaning the committee of elders constantly approach The Giver for advice which is where wisdom and knowledge play a major role. On page 145, chapter 14 he also says, “They prepared to shoot it down. But they sought my advice. I told them to wait”. This quote shows how knowledge plays a key part in avoiding repetitive mistakes and incidents that have happened in the past. From the share of memories Jonas has received, he experiences the feeling of shock and fear when he came to a realization as to what release meant on page 188, chapter 19, “As he continued to watch, the new child, no longer crying moved his arms and legs in a jerking motion. Then he went limp. His head fell to the side, his eyes half-open.” The author successfully shares this message to readers through The Giver and Jonas and educates us on a lesson about how being aware and knowledgeable is extremely valuable in a community where everything is being covered up with the illusion of perfection.
In effect, Lois Lowry teaches her audience lessons by disguising them throughout the story. The lessons that The Giver teaches could become useful to society in time like previously mentioned for we could witness comparable circumstances in the future. These themes and messages give readers an idea and understanding of the rules.
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