Mastery Reader Response
"Frightening, isn't it?" The Giver said.
Jonas chuckled. "Very frightening. I can't even imagine it. We have to protect people from wrong choices."
"It's safer."
"Yes," Jonas agreed. "Much safer." (124, Lowry)
I picked out this particular quotation. I have my reasons for choosing this quotation. For instance, the first and far most crucial one is the fact that the author conveys the theme while using this quotation.
I want to start by stating the theme this quotation is connected to. "Ability to shape your future is defined as freedom and freedom means taking risks while making a decision.”In the quotation, The Giver and Jonas were talking about what kind of outcome letting the citizens do as they want would have. As known, since there is no place for imperfection in this community, the idea of letting the citizens have a sense of freedom disturbs the Elders. As we all know from the examples of real life, people make their own decisions. While determining a plan for the welfare of these lives, there is a chance that we might take on the wrong action. In many to some cases, those choices are not as important and don't have a significant impact on others' lives but in some other cases, there may be some consequences. The author emphasizes the oppression of the committee of elders as a way of showing the Elder’s will to have full control over the lower community to turn the society into a so-called “perfect society”. To do that, they needed to prevent curiosity. And therefore the Elders didn’t let the people grasp control over any of their actions, such as choosing their spouses or jobs. The sentence “He found that he was often angry...that they were satisfied with their lives which had none of the vibrance his own was taking on.”(99, Lowry) demonstrates the obliviousness and the incuriosity in the society and Jonas’ frustration towards this obliviousness. Although we can't say that everything can or will be perfect, the use of the word “Sameness”(106, Lowry) on page 106 is to show that everything is identical is perceived as mere perfection. Though, the reality is completely contrasted. From my point of view, the ideal world is a place where everyone can make their own choices without making severe impacts on others' lives. If we view the world we call our own, it is very less likely to see these suitable developments in a small amount of time but I can’t say that an ideal world has one stable definition. Summarizing this view of mine all of this can be done by saying that a perfect world would renew according to the time and its requirements as well as common sense.
Another thing I want to talk about is the connection between The Giver and the book 1984 by George Orwell. Overall, I can clearly say that those two books are similar to each other in many ways but now I want to focus on the quotation. In the book 1984, we can see that there is also an oppressive government. For instance, "Big Brother is watching you."(3, Orwell) This sentence shows that whatever sin or anything that is considered “inappropriate” by the government will be informed to them as you are under supervision at all times and this restricts the freedom of the citizens. As well as The Giver, in 1984 people in the community do not have the right to make their own choices and it is believed that it is for the greater good.
In conclusion, The Giver interprets that people attempt to reach perfection by making everything identical, and so any possible problems would be prevented. From our understanding of the book, this will only lead to a place where people are not allowed or given any freedom.