Jonas was born into a perfect society. Every little detail was organised and planned, everything was methodical and conventional. No one ever experienced thirst, hunger or pain – no one even knew these things could exist. By the time children reach 12 they are told what they will work as; even though they didn’t have the freedom to choose what area they would work, their job was a perfect reflection of their personalities. Jonas was given the most honourable job as the “Receiver”. He will be in charge of all the memories, therefore no one else has to experience pain but there is one person to remember and not repeat mistakes in history. However, when Jonas starts receiving memories he opens his eyes to a whole other world. No one feels pain but nor do they feel love, everything is the same for everyone but there is no colour – the world is grey - there is no sunshine or soft snow. Jonas realises holding memories may be painful but they hold so much warmth and happiness that everyone should have the opportunity to experience them and most importantly have a choice in life.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a science fiction book reflecting on the perfect world and the importance of memories, experiences and free choice. Lowry wrote the book after her father lost most of his long term memory. Memories can traumatise someone but they are so important to learn from and to grow from. Memories also contain just as much, if not even more, goodness in them.
Lois Lowry tries to create the perfect world, but the whole concept of perfectness can never be truly established within the limitations of human’s imaginations. It is only subjective to one’s perceptions. Therefore when the characters in the book went through their lives they didn’t question it.
It was a perfect society and because they’ve grown up with these believes they do not know otherwise. When I was questioning this I realised that I too don’t question some beliefs that I’ve grown up with. Like I feel bad when it is really hot and I don’t sleep with any sheets on because I always remember that my mum used to tell me to at least have a sheet to cover me so I wouldn’t get sick. Also, while reading the book I found it appalling the subject of homicide and suicide. It showed that the inhabitants of the society didn’t think anything wrong of something that they have always been told to do, however I found it a bit overwhelming. Even though the world described wasn’t completely perfect (everything was grey, I mean seriously!) it is the concept of perfection that is the theme and it really demonstrates that one can never really achieve perfection.
While reading the book I found many links to the questioning of communism. The society in which Jonas lived in seemed very much like a communist place, everything being controlled by the government and the lack of free choice and speech. When Jonas found the colourful village it seemed like it was the capitalit society where he would finally be able to live life the way it was intended. Although I support a capitalist government - I live in one - and would find it alarming if there was a change in the government, it isn’t to say that we, under capitalism, haven’t been shaped and ‘brain-washed’ into thinking that capitalism is right and communism is wrong. The government and society still hold a lot of power in the way we act, and we too should question this and explore the possibilities.
Before even reading the novel I wasn’t sure if it was for my age group as the cover was very grown up. However, the book was so interesting and quite easy to read too. (I should really stop judging books by their cover :S) Even though the book was written in 1993 it remained very modern and I wouldn’t have thought that it was so old. I really, really loved this book and I recommend it to anyone who likes books on the quest of perfection and questioning of society.
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