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The Giver Sameness

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Sameness in “The Giver” by Lois Lowry

This essay will analyze the theme of sameness in Lois Lowry’s novel “The Giver.” It will discuss the dystopian society’s pursuit of uniformity at the expense of individuality and emotions, and the protagonist’s awakening to the broader realities and complexities of life. The piece will explore the implications of sameness for personal freedom and societal development. Also at PapersOwl you can find more free essay examples related to Emotion.

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Would you like to live in a community that has sameness? Sameness is when everything in the community is exactly the same. Lois Lowry wrote the book The Giver. The Giver is about a boy named Jonas. He lives in a society that is controlled by strict rules by The Elders. Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories. When he starts receiving memories he starts feeling sadness and love. None of the people in the community are able to experience feelings.

Jonas is taught by The Giver. The community has chosen to implement sameness so that all citizens will be treated equally. There are both positive and negative effects of this.

The Giver creates an environment of sameness by making the people in the community not see color. Everyone in the community sees black and white and no one sees color. A quote from the book The Giver says “We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and done away with the difference. We gained control of many things. But we had to let others go.” (95) That will be one of the ways that The Giver creates an environment or sameness.

Another way that The Giver creates a community of sameness is by not letting the people have any emotions. They can’t love, care or feel anything like that because everyone is the same in the community. Another quote from the book says “ He felt such love for Asher And Fiona, but they could not feel it back without the memories. And he could not give them those.” (135) That would be another thing that The Giver creates an environment of sameness.

Lastly, The Giver creates an environment of sameness when people have no choices. All choices are made for the people such as who is your family and also what your job will be. In The Giver Lowis Lowry, a man wanted a choice and now when he got the choice but he made the wrong one. “Then, when he had had a choice, he had made the wrong one: the choice to leave. And now he was starving.” (174) That is why in the community people have no choices, and with no choices, it eliminates problems and other things.

The Giver creates a community and environment where there is sameness. Sameness is when people have no emotions, no choice, and they don’t see color instead they see black and white. The paragraphs above explain basically all of the sameness. Those are just a few ways there are plenty more. This is also one way the giver creates a boring environment. Now imagine a world where everyone is the same and does everything the same.

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In Jonas's community, no one makes choices. All choices about the community were made in the distant past when Sameness was created, and any additional changes involve painfully slow bureaucratic procedures. Without choice, no one suffers the consequences that come from making wrong choices, but they also don't experience the joys that come with making right ones. By sacrificing the freedom of choice, community members are guaranteed a stable, painless life. Consequently, the people lead pleasant—but robotic—lives.

When Jonas discovers memory, he realizes that choice is essential to human happiness. Choice, he learns, is power. He makes the first real choice in his life when he decides to escape from the community and take Gabriel with him. In making this significant and dangerous choice, he gives a windfall of pleasure and pain to the people he leaves behind, and gives the freedom of choice back to the community.

Freedom and Choice ThemeTracker

Freedom and Choice Quotes in The Giver

Sameness in The Giver Essay Example

Sameness is everyone sharing the same things and having the same personal beliefs. The community went to sameness in order to try and reduce conflict. But they were unsuccessful. In The Giver by Louis Lowery, sameness can be shown through ceremonies and rules while Jonas’s conflicts with sameness show how sameness is not something society can achieve and that they need diversity.

The community in The Giver promotes sameness through civilization and community. The first rule introduced is how the characters in the story are required to take a daily medication. At the beginning of the story Jonas has a dream called a sturing. These dreams are not allowed because they can not have emotional relationships and feel love and attraction. Everyone in the community has to take these pills. If everyone in the community has no emotion they can not love different people and love people of different or same sex. This way everyone is the same and they do not have the ability to feel and love because the community wants equality. Along with rules there are also ceremonies. In the middle of the story after a baby named Caleb dies, the community chants his name at the ceremony and the family that lost the baby gets a new baby also named Caleb  to replace him. This ceremony is controlling the people's will to create life, and how they replace it. They are controlling how children are born and how to replace children in order to remain normal and equal. They are making humans into objects. Another rule is Toward the end of the book after Jonas gets to know the giver, a rule is that he cannot apply for release. The reason he can not do this is because the past receiver of memory applied for release because she could not handle the pressure and grief after living her whole life without it. This rule controls the right to their own lives and the right to end their life. The community decides when it is time for them to be born and when it is time for them to die. They take life and death into their own hands. All of these ceremonies and rules define how the community runs and how they control their citizens.

In addition to rules and ceremonies the story The Giver is characterised by the relationships and lifestyles of the stories characters. In the community people do not get to choose their own families. In the middle of the story when Jonas finds out more about the community, Lily wants to adopt a sick baby named gabe. Jonasas parents tell Lily that they can not adopt the baby because it is against the rules. They cannot have more than two children, one son and one daughter. The community's ability to create life in the traditional sense is gone because of how the chief elders run the community. They have birthmothers, babies, and name replacements. They are only allowed two children so that everyone is the same and has the same amount of children. Along with the relationships there are different lifestyles. In the end of the book they see that the community's chief elder uses all of these rules to make sure that the community does not remember the trauma of the past. She makes them take medicine and live according to her rules to try and keep them safe. The community archives sameness by living the same lives from day to day. They eat the same diet, have the same homes, ride the same bikes, and have the same education levels. They are controlling the right to be independent and think for themselves. Along with livestyle another relationship is present, in the middle of the story the giver and jonas bond. The giver shares his past with Jonas and tells him of how the past receiver of memory applied for release and was his daughter. Jonas is confused by the community once he finds out what is going on and the giver helps him to try and make a difference in the community by awakening the people and saving gabe. Jonas and the giver relate and are similar, they both need to deal with the grief and happiness, and boredom of the past. The giver sees himself in jonas. They represent sameness by being different, they choose not to be the same as everyone else and are told not to be. This relationship is controlling whether or not the community gets back their memories. The giver can be defined by its relationships and lifestyles.

While relationships show sameness and community, Jonas’s conflicts show how people can overcome unfair societal standards. In the beginning of the story Jonas is assigned his job, his new set of rules makes him worried He is assigned the job of receiver of memory. The giver introduces him to the color red and the feeling of snow. Jonas is overwhelmed and wants to be able to see more. The giver puts his hands on Jonas's bare back and feeds him the memories. He starts to see the color red in Fiona's hair and in an apple. He wonders why the world is the way it is now and begins to want to change how the community sees it. Jonas decides to keep on looking at his community in a different way and starts to notice things he finds unfair. Later in the story, Jonas watches the kids in the neighborhood playing games, he remembers war and sees the children. He realizes that the game they are playing is based on something that really happened and that people died in war. He knows the game is wrong. He feels upset and frightened because he knows what the game represents, he wants the kids to stop playing the game and realize that what they are playing really happened. A third conflict in the story is, In the end of the story Jonas is told that Gabe is going to be released, By this point he knows what that means so he plots to leave the community with gabe in order to save his life. The giver and him come up with a plan to distract the chief elder and they leave, The giver stays behind to aid the community once they get their memories back. Jonas is scared but brave, he took gabe to help and change something horrible that happens in his community. He wants to prevent a child from being killed. He knows that people are different from each other and values that people should have the chance to live. Jonas holds Gabe and they have the memory of snow to keep them from the heat. The cold over takes them and they hear music from over a hill and see light. Jonas and Gabe are together and don’t know what the future holds.

In the story the giver Jonas’s conflict shows why diversity is important.The rules control the right to their own lives and the right to end their life. The community decides when it is time for them to be born and when it is time for them to die. They take life and death into their own hands. The elders control everything about their lives. All of these ceremonies and rules define how the community runs and how they control their citizens. If everyone in the community has no emotion they can not love different people and love people of different or same sex. This way everyone is the same and they do not have the ability to feel and love because the community wants equality. In addition to ceremonies and rules, lifestyle and relationships also promote sameness. In addition to ceremonies and rules, lifestyle and relationships also promote sameness. Jonas and the giver relate and are similar, they both need to deal with the grief and happiness, and boredom of the past. The giver sees himself in jonas. They represent sameness by being different, they choose not to be the same as everyone else and are told not to be. This relationship is controlling whether or not the community gets back their memories. The giver can be defined by its relationships and lifestyles. The community archives sameness by living the same lives from day to day. They eat the same diet, have the same homes, ride the same bikes, and have the same education levels. They are controlling the right to be independent and think for themselves.

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Sameness In The Giver Essay

The idea of a perfect society might sound appealing, but would a perfect society include Sameness? In the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowery, Jonas, the main character, lives in a society where everyone portrays Sameness. Sameness is where everything is equal. For example, every family has four people: a mother and a father, one boy and one girl. Jonas is assigned the job of the Receiver of Memory. The Receiver of Memory holds all the memories, so that the members of the society don’t have to feel pain, or happiness. The Giver, the old Receiver of Memory, and Jonas can have feelings since they have memories.

The Sameness portrayed in the novel would be a negative way of life because it would eliminate choice, there would be a lack of individuality, and it would limit feelings. By depriving citizens of choices, the creators of Jonas’s society eliminate agency. Agency is the ability to choose. If the ability to choose was taken away from today’s society , then nations would cease to develop. Agency allows people to choose to develop and become better. For example, in Jonas’s society, the members are not permitted to choose their job.

Jonas has a friend named Asher, who is free spirited. Jonas tells his mother he is concerned that Asher might not get an assignment because he has no serious interest. “‘The Elders know Asher,’his mother explained. ‘They’ll find exactly the right Assignment for him,” (21). Elders carefully observe the children and then choose a job for them. A citizen’s life is planned out for him or her. He or she don’t get to choose how to live their life and what to make of it. People’s everyday small choices to the bigger life changing choices, like choosing a career, make up who they are.

By taking away choice, the creators of Jonas’s society prohibit the members of his society to choose who they become and what they develop into. A lack of individuality is the second reason why sameness would be a negative way of life. Individuals in today’s society are honored, but in Jonas’s society, if someone is not the same as everyone else then he or she can apply for release (61). Different individuals bring different perspectives. With different perspectives come new ideas and more options on how to solve a problem.

The Giver is the only person in Jonas’s society who can tell people his ideas and offer advice, because he has memories. The Giver asks Jonas if he remembers the day a plane flew over the community. Jonas replies that he does remember the plane and he was scared. The Giver then continues, “So were they. They prepared to shoot it down. But they sought my advice. I told them to wait… I used my wisdom, from the memories. I knew that there had been times in the past- terrible times- when people had destroyed others in haste, in fear, and had brought about their own destruction,” (141).

The Giver is the only one who could have known this. The reason the creators of Jonas’s society eliminate individuality is so the individuals would not have different ideas. The creators figured it would be easier to control one person’s ideas rather than a whole society’s. By doing this though, Jonas’s society cannot develop and become better. Third, having sameness would be a negative way of life is that citizens would be deprived of feeling deep feelings such as sadness and pain, but also happiness and love.

It might sound nice not to feel pain and sadness, but without them, people would not be able to experience true happiness and love. In Jonas’s society, the members are taught that love is an inappropriate word. One scene that best illustrates this is when Jonas had just received his first memory of love. When he returned home he asked his mother and father “Do you love me? ‘ There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle. Jonas, you of all people. Precision of language, please! ” (159). Jonas is confused and wonders what his father means.

He realizes that his father has never truly experienced love because he has never felt pain. Later that night Jonas whispers “There could be love,” (162). Because Jonas has memories of pain, he can feel true love and happiness. Deep emotions are needed because they allow us to feel true joy and happiness. The opposition may argue that Sameness would be positive way of life because people wouldn’t have to worry about making the wrong choice . However, it is commonly said in our society to learn from our mistakes. By making mistakes we learn what to do next time the problem arise .

Also the opposition might point out that there would be no jealousy in Jonas’s society since there is Sameness. While this may be true, jealousy can motivate people to want to work harder instead of just being content with mediocrity. Ultimately, in Jonas’s society, the members are deprived of choice, individuality, and feelings. Choices and individuality allow people to grow and become better. Feeling deep feelings allow people to feel true happiness and love. Sameness limits what the citizens can do. Obviously, it would not create a “perfect” society.

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The Giver Sameness Essay (706 words)

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Your Choice is No Choice.

You DecideEveryone has the right to choose so, what if that right was taken away? Would anyone be happy? What if everyone was the same, that wouldnt be fun. Those two sentences described Jonas community. In the novel, The Giver, Lois Lowry suggests that sameness and conformity have a negative affect on societies. We take freedom of choice for granted but, what if that was taken away? Most people would be bummed but not those in Jonas community because they had never been able to choose.

We dont dare dont dare to let the people make choices of their own. Not safe? The Giver suggested. Definitely not safe, Jonas said with certainty. (93) To maintain their utopian community the people in it have decided to rule out choosing because it can cause some problems like doing something wrong.

In our world we need choices because we learn when we make wrong ones. No choices means that we cant really express who we are it is similar to sameness. In our world everybody is different; nobody and nothing are the same. In Jonas community as he is gaining more memory from being the Receiver he is learning about color and choosing. But I want them! Jonas said angrily.

It isnt fair that nothing has color! Not fair? The Giver looked at Jonas curiously. Explain what you mean. Well Jonas had to stop and think it through. If everythings the same, then there arent any choices! I want to wake in the morning and decide things! A blue tunic, or a red one? He looked down at himself, at the colorless fabric of his clothing. But its all the same, always. This quote shows Jonas frustration of having sameness.

It would probably be the same reaction of all other people if we were in his position. Lowry shows that sameness in communities is not right through her characters emotions. Her characters act sad and mad like I would be if I lived in that community. If sameness was in our communities there would be no diversity. Difference is important because it makes you feel special.

It also shows who one is. Sameness though is good is some ways because there is no racism because there isnt any color. Also kids cant get in trouble for wearing something wrong or be bullied for what they are wearing. Most importantly they cant be judged by how they look. Sometimes choices and sameness are related. In public schools some say uniforms cut out kids freedom to choose and uniforms make them wear the same thing.

One primary argument espoused by opponents is that uniforms interfere with students’ right to choose their dress-a violation of students’ First Amendment right to free speech. This article describes selected constitutional issues related to the use of school uniforms with a focus on the First Amendment and concludes with implications for uniform policies in public schools. (Mitchell, Harold W. , Knechtle, John C, 5-1-04). Choices are very important to our society that is why there is a First Amendment. They show who one is.

Only you should be able to change your own life. Coopied paper from oppaper. com Lowry in her Newberry Award Acceptance speech said, Somehow, by shutting her out, we make ourselves comfortable. Familiar. Safe. The other girl was different from Lowry and her friends by shutting her out they caused sameness among their group.

The quote shows how sameness is caused by choices. In The Giver Sameness Essay was their decision, to shut out the other girl in the private home was a result of a decision. This proves choices are important for your comfort, your happiness and that is important. Person choe to cheat do not give them A but F. Any body should have the power to choose because we should be responsible forour life not someone else!Choices and a non-same community is a good community. Choices are obsolete in Jonas community because it brings change which wouldnt work in a sameness community.

Choices let you control your life and sameness lets you control somethings but then you lose control of others. This matters because you dont want to live in a sameness community and .

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