The book titled The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, narrates the story of Jonas. He is the main character residing in a world known as The Community where everything remains identical. Nonetheless, Jonas eventually uncovers the existence of another world outside The Community, and he yearns to break free from it.
The Giver is both a fictional and award-winning book for children’s literature. In this book, Jonas is selected as the next Receiver of Memory and gains knowledge about love, pain, and joy. Additionally, the book captures interest by presenting the courage required to depart from the community, as doing so means leaving behind everything and everyone known.
One common symbol in the novel is the blue eyes. Blue eyes are possessed by Jonas, the Giver, and Gabriel, setting them apart from the rest of The Community. This distinction highlights the community’s futile efforts to dictate nature.
In addition, only individuals with blue eyes possess the ability to see color and receive memories. Blue eyes also signify their exceptional nature and purpose. However, The Community strives to eradicate uniqueness as they recognize that differences can foster connection. The presence of blue eyes in the book further emphasizes the distinctness and rarity of those who possess them.
The snow-covered hill is my second symbol, representing a gateway for Jonas. He feels the need to reach something good that lies in the distance. Riding a sled down the hill is his first memory, where he becomes aware of the color red. This experience also teaches him that outside his community, there is a world of diversity and not just sameness. Through memories associated with the hill, Jonas learns about the connection between pain and joy. Additionally, the hill symbolizes pain when Jonas dreams about it and falls off, breaking his leg. The snow-covered hill represents freedom from equality and non-individuality.
My last and final symbol is the river. It symbolizes a gate, as there is another place on the other side of it. The river represents an escape from The community and also signifies danger. For instance, when someone attempts to escape, or in the case of Caleb, who tragically drowned in the river.
It also represents bravery because Jonas demonstrated courage when he chose to cross the river while escaping in order to save Gabriel, refusing to let him be harmed. Furthermore, the river symbolizes bravery as Jonas displayed enough courage to sneak out of his family unit in order to reach the river for his escape plan. Lastly, it symbolizes compassion as Jonas showed compassion towards Gabriel by attempting to save him.
In conclusion, Jonas demonstrates the impact a compassionate nature and truthful disposition can have on an individual’s life. In my viewpoint, The Giver’s recollections hold great significance as they impart lessons on happiness, suffering, and sorrow. These illustrations effectively depict the importance of empathizing with others and disclosing genuine emotions. A valuable takeaway from this novel is that even in a society where conformity is the norm, one can still assert their uniqueness by embracing their own distinctiveness.
