Giver Essay

            Literature has a lot of exceptional role models, especially Jonas from The Giver. Jonas shows extreme character growth and bravery. He’s also responsible and intriguing. I enjoyed reading, and feeling the story right along with Jonas. Lois Lowry made it feel like Jonas was my friend. All of these qualities make Jonas a joy to read about, and a great role model

            In the beginning of the book, Jonas is just another robot member of The Community. But throughout the course of the story he is molded into a thinking feeling human being. Basically what The Community is saying,”Don’t get attached”. As soon as you grow up and move out to start your own family unit, your parents go to the house of the childless adults. And as soon as your kids grow up and do the same, you no longer see them. Also, family units never really TALK to one another; they just sit and share “feelings”. But despite all of this, Jonas is actually able to grow and learn about what love really is. Jonas develops love for the newchild named Gabe that his father is taking care of at night. He is actually able to form a connection with the new child, maybe because Gabe is so young, that he doesn’t understand the rules of The Community yet, and therefore doesn’t resist love. Other than the Giver Jonas is the only member of the community that is able to love. Throughout the book, Jonas is also able to form his own opinions about The Community and life itself, instead of just thinking what The Community wants him to think. For example, all the other kids are still immersed in their schooling, while Jonas believes that his training is more important. Also Jonas is able to form his opinion on the game that the other kids play called “War”. He’s actually seen what war is, and thought it was horrific. The other children chastise him for not enjoying the game, but he continues to believe in his opinion. Also unlike the other Community members, Jonas is actually able to feel real emotion as the book goes on. He feels deep sadness and grief when exposed to the war memory, but extreme happiness and joy when he experienced the memory of the sled. These emotions and emotions stay with him for the rest of the story, and help his character grow and change. By the end of the novel, Jonas is an opinionated, loving, wise person.

     The bravest person in the entire story is easily Jonas. In the end of the book, Jonas must get Gabe away from The Community before he is released. He does this with no preparation, or supplies. He simply must leave The Community without knowing what’s beyond.  Of course there are many obstacles; but Jonas keeps at it, while always putting Gabe BEFORE himself. He has very few many memories of the sun to keep them warm, and he gives them all to Gabe, even though that means he could freeze to death in the chilly nights. Also when The Community sends planes to look after them, he makes sure to hide Gabe before himself, and always hides Gabe in a more secluded area.