The Giver by Lois Lowry

This book, although a short novel, is very thought provoking. I hadn't read it for probably ten years and didn't really remember much about it. When talking to my sister about it, she said that it had been the first book that she ever read that made her really think (she read a lot when she was younger).

Starting into it, I was reminded of another book--Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. Sameness is an interesting concept. These two books give the reader a glimpse into what life would be like if everyone was the same. I sometimes imagine things being much simpler if all of my major decisions were made for me. As I struggle to find focus right now, having an almighty power giving me my Assignment sounds pretty good. Sometimes it seems like there are just too many variables--cutting some of them out might make life easier. I like rules and structure, so having a culture based upon being good sounds lovely (at first glance).

Everything we teach our students about being an individual and an important part of the learning community are totally ignored in this book. There really is little respect for life, besides keeping the Community alive. As a twin myself (although fraternal), I was uneasy with the thought of one twin being selected over the other because it would be awful to have two people that were the "same." Those that don't measure up to strict standards are released (ah, the sweet release of having a needle stuck into the middle of your forehead...).

The fact that kids are known by their numbers and become adults at 12 seems very sterile and impersonal. Having sameness keeps the community working: family units with one boy and one girl, bikes for the Nines, mandatory volunteer hours, the daily pill for adults (to stop stirrings), and prepackaged food. We do catch little glimpses of imperfection from the characters: Lily's untied ribbons, Jonas' feelings towards Fiona, Father sneaking a look at the Naming List, and the Giver being unable to save his daughter Rosemary from being released. In a Utopia, transgressions are unwelcome, just as in this community.

Having the important job of The Giver comes with many strings. I wouldn't want to have such an all-consuming job that alienated me from the community. Being held in high respect is great, but having no one to confide in makes for major mental health issues. Lowry gives a startling description of The Giver's responsibilities and outlines the loneliness that comes with the title. Having all of the communities memories would be great--if they were all pleasant. Since the general population had no experience with pain or happiness, they didn't know what they were missing.

The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared. (pg. 154 The Giver)

I think this book would give young teenagers a good idea of what life could be like if they truly lived in a "prison." Many times we rebel against our parents to be independent, only to find that the outside world isn't as glitzy or kind as we would hope. Jonas and his friends were not given the chance to explore except if they made the ultimate decision as Jonas did--to escape with no chance of returning. It is hard to wrap my mind around absolutely no color, music, books, memories, or real feelings. They are such a part of my everyday life that I have always taken them for granted.