Unfair Restrictions

Unfair Restrictions

Alanna Stephens

The book The Giver describes a small community where citizens are unable to

make their own choices. Jonas, the main character was chosen to be the new receiver

of memory for the community. He is very excited about his chosen job until he discovers

the real truth behind sameness in the community. Other citizen unaware of things,

ideals, love, or even colors outside of the community are unspoken. This irritates Jonas

but he doesn't understand the community leaders real reason for relinquishing color,

personal freedoms, or even the feeling of love in their community.

One important reason the community relinquished color was in order to assure

sameness throughout the community. The elders of the community made a choice to go

to sameness along time ago. Before the givers time, before the previous time, back and

back and back(pg.95). Due to this decision all citizens only see in black and white,

except Jonas. This is because he is the receiver of memory and has those memories

from before color was relinquished.

Another importance is that the community also decided the personal freedoms of

the citizens. This gave them the disadvantage of choosing what they wore daily, their

jobs for when your a twelve, and even to conceive children or their names. Or another

example, for them to enjoy the breathless glee that will overwhelm you. The speed, the

clear cold air, the total silence, the feeling of balance and excitement and peace(pg.82)

But this choice also gave them the privilege of never having to worry about making a

mistake. Not making mistakes prevents failure, illness, and benefits the community as a

whole. The community`s leaders had these privileges in mind when deciding on whether

to have personal freedoms for each citizen.

Equal importance is that love in the dwellings is unheard of. For example the

giver explains his love for Rosemary is just as he loves Jonas now. Unlike others, The

Giver and Jonas are capable of feeling "love”(chpt.17). Others do not know of this word

because of the fact that they have never had true love feelings due to the stirrings. The

stirrings are what the citizens describe as emotional feelings. Since they don`t believe in

these stirrings they prevent it daily by taking a pill that prevents it. Love is abstract so i

believe that the community leaders had this in mind when decided on the pills to extinct

the stirrings.

Thus, having read about the community`s ways and their daily lives. I feel that

the community leaders done only what is best for their citizens in the long run. But

having personal experience first hand of seeing color, gratefulness of personal

freedoms, and feeling love. I have sympathy for the community, because they do not get t

o experience that wonderful feeling. For this I am grateful I can see a bright

blue sky, vote for who I like, and love for my family.