Sanjida Nourin Jhinuk; Student, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka.
The Giver is a powerful story of self-discovery and awakening, as Jonas learns that living a life without the depth of human experience without love, without pain, without choice is no life at all.
“What if they were wrong?” This chilling question hangs over Lois Lowry’s “The Giver”, a novel that takes readers into a world where everything is controlled, and even emotions are carefully regulated. At first glance, the society in The Giver seems perfect, a place without war, hunger, or conflict. But as the story unfolds, we quickly realize that perfection comes at a price.
Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, is selected for a highly important role in this carefully structured community, the “Receiver of Memory.” It is a position that will allow him to hold all the memories of the past, a burden that no one else in the community carries. What happens when a society takes away the ability to choose? As Jonas begins to experience memories of snow, color, and even the deep sorrow of loss, he discovers that the world he has always known is not what it seems.The simple life of Sameness hides something far darker beneath its surface.
Lowry’s writing is both simple and profound, drawing readers into a world that feels both familiar and eerily strange. Through Jonas’s eyes, we see a society where everyone is assigned a role and everything is predetermined. It is a world where “Sameness” has eliminated the complexities of human life, and in the process, has removed the beauty that comes with both joy and pain. In this haunting, thought-provoking tale, Lowry challenges us to consider the importance of memory and choice in shaping our identity and our humanity.
The Giver is a powerful story of self-discovery and awakening, as Jonas learns that living a life without the depth of human experience without love, without pain, without choice is no life at all. It’s a timeless novel that encourages us to reflect on our own world, asking the uncomfortable yet essential question : What would we sacrifice for the sake of peace and perfection?
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