The Giver Blog Post Discussion 4

Freedom and Choice

Time and again in human history numerous wars have been fought and lives have been lost due to struggles for freedom and choice. People have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of expression, speech, freedom to live, among other basic rights. Freedom has worked for society and at times has worked against it. Too much freedom can destroy a community by giving the people a sense that they have the right to break even the most needed and fundamental rules and thus would cause disruption to the law and order of everyday life. If there is no freedom in a society, then the people are deprived of creativity, change, individuality, expression, and the ability to advance in life based collective opinion of the general people. Freedom has to be balanced wisely.

Freedom is such a strong word in our current society. Freedom is a strong force to deal with. It is supported by its allies and therefore is not something to be reckoned with. The argument of freedom is a prominent theme in The Giver by Lois Lowry. The Giver revolves around Jonas and his community, whose wings of freedom have been clipped. Whether the people's lack of freedom contribute in the success of their community or their failure, is a tough question. When thinking of this so many observations have to be considered. The Committee destroyed a huge part of the lives of the people of Jonas's community. They had to control emotion, memory that can trigger emotion, opinion, weather, color, and choice, in order to ensure that the community had no freedom at all. And when Jonas is given memories of weather, color, choice, feelings, and opinions, he develops an idea of freedom and he questions why no one else has this choice and freedom. Throughout chapters 16-18, we have been given a moment to ponder on the subject of freedom and multiple quotes have influenced our thoughts on this matter. Multiple times in these chapters the author emphasizes the fact that freedom is an issue in Jonas's community. Since freedom and choice are such vast subjects, it takes a steady exploration to truly explain this concept through writing. There are various quotes in the book that express the importance of freedom and choice.

"Gabriel's breathing was even and deep. Jonas liked having him there, though he felt guilty about the secret. Each night he gave memories to Gabriel: memories of boat rides and picnics in the sun; memories of soft rainfall against windowpanes; memories of dancing bare-footed on a damp lawn.

'Gabe?'

The new child stirred slightly in his sleep, Jonas looked over at him.

'There could be love,' Jonas whispered.

(Page 128 and 129 of The Giver by Lois Lowry)

The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill. Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away."

Now that Jonas has experienced memories of freedom and choice, he is starting to apply expressions of freedom to his life and does not take his pill as an act defiance of the rules. Jonas begins to wonder why his community lacks of the freedom he yearns. Why can't everyone have emotion, color, and weather that can influence their choices? Why can't they make decisions based on their previous experiences and their feelings?

The Committee took away freedom and choice, in order to create a safe and orderly community. But was it really worth the losses? The people of the community were deprived of so much when they transitioned into Sameness. What is life without freedom? Is it worth living, if you cannot decide how you want to live? Does life have meaning without the ability to make choices on your own? Without choice it is not your life that you are living, it is someone else's. If the life we are living is not our own then what is the point of living it? If you take choices away, what are you left with? A life with no aim, but to fulfill other people's decisions. Freedom is can be a gift that shapes a person's personality and thoughts.

When you read the quote displayed from the story, you can see that Jonas's community does not have love, which the Committee demolished. Withdrawing love is taking away one of the most important emotion in our lives. Love is so connected with freedom and choice, that extracting love was also abolishing a huge part of freedom. We have the choice to pick who to love and who to hate and the freedom to love whoever we want. Love affects our choices builds relationship and makes a community . It puzzles Jonas why people cannot have love, which leads us to believe it is so because love can encourage freedom.

The quote from the story also expressed Jonas's new understanding of freedom. Now that he has been in contact with memories, emotion, color, and weather, he has a knowledge of what freedom is. Through the memories, like the one of the war he witnessed, he is able to find out more about the people who lived before him, when Sameness was not incorporated. Jonas has seen how people can make choices and have the freedom to express them. This leads Jonas to make his own choice of not taking the pill, which goes against everything he has been taught, and this showcases the true greatness of freedom. It had the power to change Jonas's mind, even though Jonas has lived in an environment that does not support freedom.

" 'There are so many good memories,' The Giver reminded Jonas. And it was true. By now Jonas had experienced countless bits of happiness, things he had never known of before.

He had seen a birthday party, with one child singled out and celebrated on his day, so that now he understood the joy of being an individual, special and unique and proud."

(Page 121 of The Giver by Lois Lowry)

Jonas is exploring how being an individual can be a joy. To be an individual requires difference, which Jonas's community does not include in their systematic way of life. Individuality also involves freedom, for you need the freedom, in order to be able to express your individuality. Making choices helps in the growth our identity and makes us who we are and how unique and different each individual is. Without freedom we cannot make choices and without choices, how can our identities advance? How can we learn from our mistakes and thus become better people? How can you prompt talents and advancements in life, if you are being held back by the obliteration of freedom? People cannot express their identity if there is lack of freedom. By deducting freedom the Committee discouraged individuality and without individuality in Jonas's community there is a stunt in the improvement of the society. A great thinker, Albert Camus, once said, "Freedom is nothing else, but a chance to be better."

As Jonas progresses through his training as Receiver, he learns more and more about how freedom and choice can affect daily life and contribute in the enhancement of the society. As I read through the book I am able to compare and contrast my world to Jonas's and often I find evident differences. One of those being the magnitude of freedom. The Giver provides us the opportunity to explore the words freedom, rights, emotion, and choice. This book gives us a way to appreciate what our world has that Jonas's does not and also examine the good characteristics of Jonas's community that we do not have. The Giver by Lois Lowry is a moral guide of positive and negative enforcement of freedom in community. In our world today freedom is desired and this is seen through unrest caused by people craving for their rights across the globe in countries like Egypt and Libya. Freedom is a treasure that we should all cherish, because we are lucky enough to be presented with the right for freedom.

"Liberty is the right to choose, freedom is the result of that choice." Unknown Source

Sources:

http://en.proverbia.net/citastema.asp?tematica=492

http://quotations.about.com/cs/inspirationquotes/a/Freedom1.htm

http://umattr.info/

The Giver Blog Post Comments Discussion 3

I commented on Dhabitah's blogposts for The Giver Reflections 1 and 2.

Her blogpost is amazing, so you should check it out- http://dzailani17.blogspot.com/

The Giver Blog Post Discussion 2

Of all God's gifts to the sighted man, color is holiest, the most divine, the most solemn.~John Ruskin

High in the sky, arching above me, was a long, strip of color. Red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo, and violet were all streaked in that line across the sky. Serving as a magnificent background, was the vast blue sky, dotted with fluffy, white clouds. And there below it was what seemed to be an endless meadow of green grass, speckled with pink flowers. There were a few dark green leaved- trees that were supported by brown trunks. Color. What was before me was a colorful landscape. It would not be as fascinating without the color.

Imagine a world without color... What could that mean? What would be the advantages and losses?

Color brightens our world. It engulfs us every day in our lives and has immense psychological impact on our minds. Color can provoke our emotions and they cause our brains to stimulate and process what we are seeing, so we are able to identify the sights we glance at. Multiple colors can catch our eye and can make the environment around us more appealing. Color compliments our sensitivity to our surroundings. Our reactions and perceptions of life are influenced by color.

Having no color is normal for Jonas, a boy who lives in a constricted community, but as he explores the numerous abilities that comes with being the Receiver, he begins to question why his world does not have color. He has grown up in a world devoid of any color all his life and this new look of life is overwhelming. All these different hues popping up in various places excites Jonas.

"The Giver told him that it would be a very long time before he had the colors to keep.

'But I want them!' Jonas said said angrily. 'It isn't fair that nothing has color!' "

(Page 97)

This statement of Jonas's was provoked by his opinion and thoughts. Jonas says this for a myriad of possible reasons.

Jonas's community does not have freedom of expression or emotion, both of which are evoked by color. Several unique colors are in contact with our emotions and have the ability to make us feel a certain way. Non-primary colors are more calming than primary colors. Yellow invokes cheeriness and orange has a calming sense about it. People have different opinions to go with different colors. Every individual color has its own set of evident influences and meaning, which can be used to help better understand our world and our behavioral patterns.

Jonas must have a liking for colors for they enable him to express himself, something he is not very familiar with, because of the rules of the community where he resides. When the Committee took away color, they removed an essential part of people's expression. Color forms the pathway for expression to follow. They are only a limited number of ways to express yourself and when the Committee diminished color, they withdrew one of these few ways.

Colors can provide choices. In our world, you can pick what sort of color you want to wear or single out a color you particular like such as shade of blue, red, etc. Jonas realizes this in the story:

" 'Well...' Jonas had to stop and think it through. 'If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up 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 it's all the same always.'"

(Page 97)

I could feel the pain in Jonas's tone. He is not able to make choices for himself, because they are all predetermined by the Committee in Jonas's community. Jonas wants the responsibility of making his own decisions and I would to. No choices means no freedom. What is a life without freedom? Taking away color was the Committee's way of manipulating the thoughts of the people in the community. Along with color they also extracted their freedom of choice and opinion.

Just as colors can be pleasing and nice, they can be used for negative purposes. For example, people have associated black or dark colors with something mysterious or evil. White is often portrayed as a pure, angelic, or virgin color. In some instances around the world, people were treated differently by the color of their skin. For example, ancient India had caste system based on color or varna. The Committee in Jonas's community decided to diminish color, because it created differences. And when there is a difference, people usually disagree, because they do not think the same way. Although in our current society, people have learned not to use color as a negative tool against others.

In Jonas's community, I suspect, that their surroundings are no longer beautiful. Color creates the effect of beauty. Diverse colors make the world pretty. Colors give character to life. The serene green of the trees, the thrilling blue of water, and the fiery red of the sun burning in the sky. All of these are exquisite colors that we usually see everyday. Picture all that gone. What is left is a world that has been sucked of all its choice, opinion, expression, attractiveness, and beauty. Jonas does not want that, because he has experiences seeing color and how it could affect his opinions, choices, expression, and the beauty to the world and this is why he states that it is unfair that his world does not have color.

Color is around us so often, that most of the time we do not appreciate the true significance of color. We take it for granted, for we are born with the ability to see all the colors around us. Color should be valued for it is one of our pathways to connect with our emotion and expression. The ability to see color is a gift and everyone should cherish it.

The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. ~Hans Hoffman

Picture from:

http://express.howstuffworks.com/exp-rainbow.htm

Quotes from:

http://thinkexist.com/quotations/colors/

http://en.proverbia.net/citastema.asp?tematica=202

http://www.artquotes.net/quotes-color.htm

The Giver Blog Post Discussion 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a fascinating book that deals with views on freedom and this invokes my interest. This science-fiction novel revolves around a world where people are bound to a predetermined future, confined to a specific lifestyle, and trapped in an emotionless state without knowledge of anything, but the rule of their utopian society. It is a complex concept to grasp, but I am beginning to understand, just as Jonas is starting to realize that everything is not what it seems. In our world we have much more freedom than in the community Jonas lives in, although we still have rules that set us in order. Multiple questions are brought forth from this book such as the one I am willing to answer: Why is interdependence fostered in this community?

From a young age people of Jonas's community are taught to depend on one another. Everyone looks out for each other. For instance, in this community, children button each other coats and jackets from the back gaining a confidence that they have someone who would aid them when they were in need. No one is to point out differences that they notice and they cannot brag about their accomplishments and skills, thus not provoking problems. The Ceremony of Twelve is when the people are beginning to feel a little more independent, as they are given various occupations and welcome their sole talent, although they still feel dependent with others. The job of the Receiver is solitary and is the one position where the person is to be independent. Everyone else is of a mutual understanding that they remain supporting each other.

This sense of interdependence is fostered in this community, probably because the Committee enforces this. If everyone depends on each other, then there is less chance of wars and disruption. Everything would remain the same and thus be balanced and organized. No one would turn against another, or disagree, and peace would reign. A bond of trust is created between everyone and there is a feeling of reassurance. If the community trusts and respects the Committee then the Committee is able to do whatever they please to ensure a successful community and the society would go along with this. The community would feel safer, for you would know that anyone would offer their protection and defense. Younger children would hold adults in high regard, and have faith that whatever they do is right and will behave identically. The people of this community respect and depend on the Committee. This interdependence establishes a stable, trusting community who would respect the Committee in time of need.

Though interdependence should be fostered in a society, so should a comprehension of individuality and independence. For if the Committee were to make a wrong decision, then the community would unquestioningly follow, also making a mistake. If everyone depended on one leader in charge, then there would be no choice and no opinion. The voice of the people would not be heard. The people just go by their schedule and what the Committee tells them to do, because they have formed an interdependent relationship with them. These people do not have the liberty of exploring and inventing new ways to enhance society, because they are restricted by the predetermined future the Committee has set for them. Their futures would be predetermined and set by the leader, without any say in what will happen to them. Even if the leader does choose a fair future, there would be no alteration if the person did not like the decided future. Being independent and having the freedom to make your own decisions is not available in this community, due to its strong dependence with the commanding person and confinement in rights. People should have the right to decide what they think is justified and be able to help themselves if there was no one they could depend on and they should in turn respect each other's differences, as others, too, have rights. The Committee itself depends on the people of the community. If someone were to step out of order it would disrupt the run of the society, for everyone has a specific job that assists the community in some way. Independence should be treasured, for it is an advantage and enables you to be able to make your own decisions and not have to depend on someone, entirely.

This question drew me to ponder about our current society. In The Giver the community depends on each other. In our world, people depend on our elected presidents or people to finalize decisions, but only after taking the opinions of the community. We have the right to vote and speak against situations that we do not agree with. In most places there is a freedom of opinion, which I think is essential in a community. If it was not for our freedom of opinion, there would be no positive change brought to the world from great people like Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. In this way we do have our independence and are able to make our own choices. Although an interdependence between the community has its advantages, I am glad that in my world, for the most part, we are not completely dependent on someone, because I am an individual person and deserve to have my say in what happens to my world and so does everyone else.

Change starts with an independent ripple, which evolves into an interdependent wave that can improve humanity and all its worth.