The Giver

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Set in a utopian community governed by Elders who set and maintain rules of sameness, The Giver tells the story of a twelve year old named Jonas who finds himself selected for the job of receiving the memories and experiences of the world. Through Jonas' enlightenment of elements that have been removed from his world of sameness (color, pain, love, family, etc.) while he trains for his position as Receiver of Memory, Lois Lowry poses questions of morality and its construction. The Giver and Jonas are the only two members of the community who have access to past events, books, and experiences that go beyond what is allowed within the community. It is through the absolute control of all elements of life and construction of rigid rules of life that the Elders maintain a world of sameness. Through this dichotomy of sameness and difference, as experienced by The Giver and Jonas, that Lowry raises important questions about morality. This moral questioning is evident when we finally find out what "Release" means in the story. We are told throughout the novel about Release  happening to those who break the rules 3 times, infants who fail their test of maturity, and the old, but this idea is vague until Jonas is able to see his father complete a ceremony of release for a twin baby who weighs slightly less than his identical twin brother. It is through Jonas' viewing of this ceremony that we are enlightened to the fact that Release is equivalent to death, and more importantly murder. Jonas' reaction to this ceremonial practice of the community is that of horror and immediate anger towards his father for killing an innocent child. Jonas "felt a ripping sensation inside himself, the feeling of a terrible pain clawing its way forward to emerge in a cry" as he sees what his father has done (189). He is quickly reminded by The Giver that his father does not know any better, and is simply performing the job he has been trained to do; he does not have any other experience or the knowledge that right and wrong may be different than what the rules state. The giver says, "Listen to me, Jonas. They can't help it. They know nothing" (191). Through the juxtaposition of the rules of the community and the experiences Jonas and The Giver have of the past, Lowry poses the question of whether or not we can construct a code of rules and adhere to morality, or if morality is something we discover through our experiences and choices; is morality something out there in the world that we must navigate and decipher for ourselves? Was it wrong of Jonas' father to perform his duty of releasing the child? If it is, then what is it that makes Jonas' father morally responsible for his action? It appears that knowledge and experience lies in the power of moral code and responsibility, and the choice to act in the way that is ethical and moral. Choice is not an option in the world of sameness, so does morality still exist beneath the surface of the rules imposed on its citizens? It appears that Lowry argues through The Giver and Jonas' experiences that knowledge is power, and it is through making choices, good and bad, that these values exist. Morality is a separate entity than rules, and it is through choices, experiences, etc. that we can discover and construct a moral code.

Comments

  1. TashaTOnlineApril 7, 2017 at 10:35 AM

    Your discussions of the questions raised in this text are on point. Morality is often dictated, even in our own society, and more so in distopian settings. It is definitely a form of and a need for control. Have you read Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale?" We may have discussed it when we met, but it would be well worth your time to read. I agree with you that the key to constructing an individual moral code should come from our own experience and responsibilities, but one cannot ignore the limitations and restrictions of society. Thankfully, Lowry gives us hope that Jonas will find a way. Happy Reading!

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