Dienstag, 29. März 2011

Development of Jonas

The old Receiver of Memory called "The Giver" has the same pale eyes like Jonas, wrinkles on his face and looks tired an very old. He explains that his job has wearied him, making him look older than he really is. The job is very exhausting. The Giver needs to devote his remaining energy to training Jonas. He will give him not his own memories, but the important memories of the whole world. The real past of the world and other things that Jonas didn't know before. He will give Jonas all those memories from the Receiver before him. The Giver can't explain him the memories, Jonas has to see them with his own eyes. The Receiver puts his hand on his back. He transmits a memory in which he drives down a hill ( he didn't know what a hill is )on a sled throught the snow. It is a liberating feeling. He feels great in this new memory. A place of peace. In the second memory he notices the sunshine from the sky. From time to time he feels a pain. A sharp pain. A sunburn. This is his first kind of pain in his life.

One day Jonas sees Fionas hair changing. The hair changes like the apple. The Giver explains the change with the colors. His first color is red. In the future he will see more colors. As time passes, Jonas learns the names of colors through the memories. The Receiver gives him a memory of a rainbow. So he can see all the colors.

Jonas gets a new view of the world. His opinion changes. He can't understand the sameness in his community. The people makes the decision of this kind of society a long time ago. But why? Was it really a good decision for the peolpe? Jonas is frustrated. He wants that the citizen gets the same chance to see the real. The beautiful color, the hills, the sunshine, the snow... He tries to change it. But he fails. Once, he tries to transmit to Asher a memory of the color red, but Asher can't understand, becoming uncomfortable with Jonas's touching him. In the community, it is rude to touch someone else who is not within one's family unit.

My own Comment:

I imagine that jonas will change the community. He is more and more frustrated. He will share his memories with the people. The lovely colors and the great feelings. He notice that the people have not the chance to decide about themselves. They all lives in a illusury world. Maybe he will start to change the world and will make a revolution in the future?

1 Kommentar:

  1. Sophia,

    your posts shows that you have been reading the last chapters very carefully. You caught the most important aspects and already interpreted the meaning of the memories to Jonas.
    I especially like that in addition to your general remarks on Jonas that you base on the content of the chapters, give an own comment on the issues. We'll see whether there will be a kind of revolution... Interesting thought in a world of Sameness! I really enjoyed reading your post.

    Some words on grammar:
    - The Giver can't explain the memories TO HIM
    - he is in pain / he feels (some) pain
    - Fiona's hair; Jonas touching (genetive marker=> apostrophe)
    - Check the tense with "The people makes"
    - Pay attention to 3rd pers. sg. -s: (the citizen gets, He notice, They all lives
    - Preposition: decide FOR themselves

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