The Giver

“They can’t help it. They know nothing.” What would it be like when you knew nothing except for orders? How would you feel when only you understood the reality when your family and everyone else were unaware of it?

This story was set in an enclosed community where there were no hills, only flat plains; no snow, only sunny days; no choices nor risks, only decisions made by the Old; no rainbows, only dull and gray; and no specialties, only organized schedules. They call this Sameness. Everyone living there knew nothing before Sameness except for two, the Receiver and the Giver. In the story, Lois Lowry talked a lot about life through the conversations between the Receiver, Jonas, and the Giver.

When assigned a role at the age of twelve, like all the other kids, Jonas was shocked to be given the name of the Receiver, because there hadn't been one since the previous one chose to be released years ago. The Receiver, not just in name only, but also in reality, received memories from the one before him, or they call him the Giver. The memories were passed down from generation to generation, way back before Sameness, in order to keep the wisdom to give the Old advises for decisions. As a result, Jonas had the chance to experience things he had never thought of before, both happy and painful memories. However, as an exchange, he lost the care of his friends and family. During the training, Jonas couldn't share the information he got from the Giver to anyone. When other people were talking about their trainings, he could only keep silent and isolated. None of the people understood his thoughts after he had seen “reality”. There was no turning back.

While receiving more and more memories, Jonas hopes to start change his family first, trying to pass the memories to them, but it seemed to have no effect on them except for Gabriel, the baby his father brought back for further nurturing. Then one day, everything changed when he had the opportunity to see the Release. It was the Release of an identical twin of a Birthmother, since the community couldn't accept two people looking the same, done by his father. After weighing the twins, only one was chosen to stay. He saw his father inject something into the baby that was chosen to be released and watched the baby until it lost its conscious. By then he understood what that was, death. At that time, the Giver said to him, “They know nothing.”

Jonas chose to run away. Away from the organized world with Gabriel, who seemed to be the only one that could understand the memories. Nothing mattered to him anymore for he had already seen true pain and pleasure of life.

After reading this novel, I thought a lot about the relationship between the story and our lives. I experienced what life was like when everything was well-organized, such as cram schools and many others, and I believed that many people had as well. However, I might lose the ability to make my own decisions if I only knew how to follow the assignments other people gave me. What will happen when no one can give me any instructions one day?

I am luckier than Jonas since I know what real happiness is instead of experiencing them through other people’s memories. However, I have realized that more and more things are starting to disappear, such as the purest happiness within us. Along with the development of technology, human beings are becoming busier and busier, unaware of the little delights around us. After decades, can we still feel the warmth of the sun or joy in our heart when we care more about how much money we get? Everything will be valued in the near future. I refuse to become ignorant with all the love in me. Though I am not as wise as the Giver, I can still enjoy the delights and pleasures in life with my own and senses. I hope that everyone can spare a little time to treasure what we have and pay a little attention to the little delights around us.