The Giver Response Essay

In her book ‘The Giver’, Lois Lowry has created a futuristic utopian community where there are no feelings, no choices and Sameness prevails. Sameness, as the name suggests, is the idea that all aspects of life are almost invariably the same for all community members and life itself has no choices; everything is dictated, from what to wear and who to marry, to how one is required to act and the number of offspring. There exist no colours; the community sees in black and white and hues of grey. Because everything is controlled and regulated and nobody has a say in matters except the Committee of Elders who decide all, the community has no problems that would be reminiscent of the world today: prejudice, competition, rivalry, social stigmas,
In the community, families too, like all other things, are assigned and the child is separated from the Birthmother at birth.
The plot develops when Jonas, at age twelve is assigned the esteemed role of the Receiver of Memory. Memory is one of the chief themes of the book; it talks about the change in perception Jonas develops towards his seemingly perfect society once he receives memories from the Giver.
The Giver is the sole owner of all the memories of the past, so as to rid the community itself of all the emotional baggage associated with emotions, and Jonas has been chosen as the next in line to bear the burden. Jonas receives memories from the Giver when the Giver places his hands on his back. The first memory Jonas receives is of a thrilling sled ride and this is the first time Jonas feels pleasure. As more and more memories are transferred, of pain and pleasure, warmth of the sun and cold breezes, Jonas realises that his community is deprived of all the feelings and emotions that make life worth living. Jonas soon learns that the Giver is of the same view that the community, although very peaceful, has never experienced true joy or love and that the trade-off is not