Another Take on the Giver

THE GIVER

          Why do we learn about the past? Why do we have emotions? Sometimes people ask themselves these questions. They ask ‘What’s the use?’ I think this book was written to remind us of those answers. Humans and animals are alike; however we have the capability to learn, to learn beyond our own life, to learn from the past. We also feel things animals don’t. We have emotions and memories, that’s what makes us special, that’s what makes us human. In the book nobody had emotions or memories, except for one, because they are too scared of the pain. However I think that the painful emotions are worth it for the fun emotions. Those characters never got to live happy emotions like love happiness etc... I think it’s sad not to have the emotions that are worth living for. If you don’t have emotions, what’s the point of living?

          Choices. In this book people couldn’t have their choices; the chiefs would decide everything, their jobs, clothes, bicycles, hair etc... The chiefs are like the government, they decide everything. However they still let us have choices, like our jobs. They still make world guidelines (rules) so it doesn’t get out of control; the whole world has the same rules like no murder; the countries have different rules, like slavery in Canada is not permitted; provinces have their own rules, law 101 where you have to have special permission to go to an English school in Quebec; cities also can have simple different laws, like you have to have one type of roof. However our society lets us have some freedom unlike the government in the book. The sad part was that everybody had to be as smart and all the same as everybody. The problem is that everybody learns differently and is different. If a baby wasn’t learning right, then they would kill him. A society shouldn’t have the right to do that. It’s prejudice, just like the holocaust. The Nazi party thought that people had to be like them (not Jewish) or they would kill them. Everybody is person and has the right to live no matter how we are. Difference isn’t bad either. Differences attract.  

         Change, when you want change you have to do it yourself. Don’t wait for others to do it. Jonas wanted people to feel and learn what he had known because he had the job to keep the memories and the past. People hadn’t known what love is and he wanted that to change. He sacrificed himself so other people could learn what he had. Jonas had sacrificed himself for a whole year because he had to endure all of the pain possible on his own. He left so that it could be a life we have now (2013) with some joy in life. The people could not see the color, which represents not having joy in life. Jonas made a change because he wanted to. If we don’t want war, or something else, we can change that

                      

You say people are different,

You’re different

You call people names,

I can call you names

You say people have to be like you,

I say they don’t

You say we don’t need emotions,

I say what’s the point of living?

You say we don’t need to learn,

I say then let’s just forget the past!

You say it’s too hard to make choices

I say choices make us who we are

You say what’s the point of living?

I say to have fun, accomplice everything you want and have fun

- Malorie Dion