Blog Post 2- The Giver

These are the blog post questions given:
1. When Jonas learns all about colors, he claims "it isn't fair that nothing has color". Why does he say this?
2. Why does Jonas find the instruction about lying so disturbing?
3. Why does The Giver say that making choices would be frightening for people?

I chose question three: Why does The Giver say that making choices would be frightening for people? I chose this question as I was able to relate more to it. I could relate to my life and the life of others in our world, as choices are a very big part of life on Earth. We can try to avoid them but they'll always be there. Blocking us until we make the choices, then we can pass through and continue our lives!

First of all, what are choices? They’re decisions that we make on our own or with the help of others to determine lives. Choices, they can be good and bad, liberating and sometimes binding. You can’t get through life without making a couple of choices. It shows the world what type of person you are. If you make one bad choice or mistake it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person. Its part of the process, we thrive on bad choices, that we make or others make. It allows us to know not to make that choice again. A bit like falling off your bike, or falling while ice-skating, it’s always better to take the chance and learn about it. If you skate and hold onto the railings- like I do, it doesn’t allow you to take that chance, maybe fall a little and learn how to ice skate. If we all could apply that in our lives- especially me, I think that we could surprise ourselves with all the things that we could do.

I think I have surprised myself with all the things that I could do, even though I thought I couldn’t. I know what you’re thinking- what does taking chances have to do with choices? Well, when you take chances you’re making the choice or decision to try it out. In March and last December there were these huge slides that plunged downwards, I was so afraid of doing it. I even backed out on riding one of the smaller slides! After, I saw my sister slide down courageously, so I decided to go. It was very thrilling. There have been sometimes when I don’t make good choices- like staying in bed all day and missing out on the fun, not listening to my parents and not being nice to my siblings. But I’ve decided to change that, by making good choices. So whenever there’s a chance to do something, I take chances and do it. I’m glad to see how far it has gotten me in life.

In the Giver, they don’t allow or encourage choices. It isn’t part of their lives, even though it’s an essential part of growing up! When you learn to make choices, it shows growth and maturing. Now, in our young lives we have begun to make more choices. Before, we could get away by shrugging and saying: I don’t know, you choose! In the Giver they don’t have the chance to make those choices. I think that the closest they get that is falling off their bikes, or hurting themselves in any other way. Though even through this, they still have relief-of-pain. When you make choices it makes life so much more interesting!

In their "Utopian Community" nobody makes choices. Only the Committee of Elders make the choices. They believe that they have more experience and know what's right for them. In fact, nobody knows what's right for you except you and the parents who actually love you- even more than you know. Since their parents don't love them really, only they know what's right, and they refuse to make those choices. They're assigned jobs, spouses and children. Never have they really made choices that affect their lives. The citizens of the community are like puppets and the Committee holds the strings, and without any will they just follow- no questions asked because they don't know what else to do. They're protected from wrong decisions, but in the process don't make any decisions.

The Giver said that it would be frightening for the people of the community to make their own choices because as said before they are in fear of bad decisions. They believe that it's too risky, and will follow the lead of Committee of Elders who seem to know the difference between right and wrong. Truthfully, nobody can, unless all of their decisions made were bad and they know fully about all of the wrong decisions people can make. That is completely impossible. Knowing absolutely nothing about the choices they can make, they can't make any difference in their lives, and agree with sameness. To them, SAMENESS is safe, and they don't think it's dull or boring as they've never been introduced to anything else. They don't and aren't willing enough to learn about choices so they can't make any rules for themselves.

Jonas is completely different. As the Receiver of Memory, he learns about choices. He's becoming more and more like a normal teenage boy in our world- or in Elsewhere. He's at the point when choices are really important to people, and they want to make their own choices just for the sake of it. You're independent and your parents don't make choices for you and it's very exciting. Jonas doesn't have that chance so that leaves him upset and confused. You can see this when Jonas protests and wants to choose a different colored tunic.-Page 97. The Giver reveals that it doesn't have to do with the colored tunics- it has to do with making his own choices -Page 98. For a moment Jonas seems almost human, but the Giver tells him about bad choices, and Jonas switches back to his narrow "Utopian" mind frame- Page 98 and 99. Though he is still not satisfied with the conversation afterward, he is still frustrated with the fact that they can't make choices. Believe it or not, Jonas wants to change the rules! The rules prevent choices and free expression. SAMENESS limits Jonas and causes him to have higher intellect then friends, family, teachers and even the Committee of Elders; because he knows deep inside that it isn't right for everything to be the same-Pages 97-100.

Thanks!
*Cindy*