The Giver Reflection #4

How does this quote " 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." and chapters 16-18 relate to the theme of freedom and choice?

Firstly, I think these chapters relate to freedom because at the end of The Giver, Jonas becomes free and comes to a town where it is full of music, color, love and feelings. Though through this journey, Jonas has had to make some decisions that have been hard, but this means that he had the freedom to choose which decision he wanted. When Jonas decided to go to Elsewhere with Gabriel, he used his freedom to choose to be free. From previous knowledge, he knew that Elsewhere was full of what everybody in his society doesn't have and he feels that he deserves to have that. When he arrived at Elsewhere, Jonas was free. Free from his rule-full society, free from his parents, free from everything.

Finally, I think these chapters are related to choice mostly because of the same reasons as freedom. Jonas had to make a very hard decision at the end of the book, he had to choose to leave his society to go to Elsewhere, or stay and live the rest of his life in his society, that was full of rules. Though he knew that getting to Elsewhere was a hard journey, he chose going to Elsewhere because he knew it was the right choice. Elsewhere was full of what he could dream of! Love, music, color and feelings! All of which aren't visible in Jonas' current society. Making the journey even harder, Jonas had brought Gabriel, a Newchild his father had been taking care of. This special person is way more sensitive than anyone else and could die easily. Jonas had to be careful. He did not have a lot of experience of nurturing so it was basically a life or death route for Jonas and Gabriel. But still, Jonas takes the risk because he knows the right choice. Sometimes people make weird decisions, but they do it because they know it is the right choice.

This is how choice and freedom was related to those 3 chapters and the quote above.

The Giver Reflection #2

Why does Jonas find the instruction of lying so disturbing?

I think Jonas finds the instruction of lying so disturbing because of 2 reasons. One reason is that because he is in such a structured society, lying would be against the rules so he has not experienced it before. the second reason as to why Jonas finds instruction of lying so disturbing is because he feels it is a terrible crime to do it. Though he has never experienced it before, it is a sin to lie. For example, lying would probably be the equivalent to murdering someone here in Malaysia. You can get in a lot of trouble. In the novel, The Giver, Jonas has been raised to not lie. 'Finally he steeled himself to read the final rule again. He had been trained since earliest childhood

, since his earliest learning of language, never to lie.' (Page 70)

The first reason as to why I think Jonas finds lying disturbing is because he lives in such a united and structured society. I would rather not call it a perfect society because they are a lot of things about it that are not perfect. In Jonas' world, they have many rules and one of them would be to never lie. I think we can all agree that lying is bad. Even the slightest lie can change someone's future. For example, if someone is going for a college interview and you don't want them to get in so you call the interviewer and act as that person and tell him/her you're sick. You have just ruined that person's future. That person could have been successful, but now they won't be because you lied. All Jonas knew was that lying is bad because that is the way he was raised. Jonas also might've thought that there would be nothing to lie about in his world because they seem to b

e the "best society". I agree with Jonas as to how lying is bad. I have to admit, I have lied before and I regret lying, but if I hadn't lied, I might not be what I am today.

The final reason is that Jonas thinks that lying is a crime. I believe that lying is a crime, it just doesn't have the same punishments as murdering someone or being accused of a crime you didn't do. In our society, we have laws. If we don't follow them, it's either jail or death. Because you have been warned as you

didn't listen. Jonas' community must also have laws like this, but they are still different from ours. As I said earlier, lying to them might be murdering to us. We all have different levels of severe and minor. For us, it might be okay to lie sometimes but for Jonas' society, you can even get killed because they know it wasn't the way they were raised.

In conclusion, I think Jonas finds lying so disturbing because it's against his rules and he believes it is a crime to do it. We all think this, but I don't think, we classify it as important. Since Jonas has no intention of doing it, I think he will be safe from the law!

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The Giver Reflection #1

Would you want your future to be decided by others ? Why or Why not?

I chose this question because though it seems like an easy question, if you really think about it, it's very hard to think. Both sides have their pros and cons and it's a very hard decision. Sometimes people will not need guidance in their life but others do. Sometimes it's hard to make some decisions and you need someone to help you make it, maybe even make it FOR you. You probably know what you want so you go with your choice, but occasionally it will be the wrong choice. People might think that having people choose for you is a good thing because it requires less work of you. But those are the kinds of people who never get far in life.

I have decided that I would like my future to not be decided by others because I recommend people should have some sort of freedom in their life, but not too much freedom that would get me wild and crazy. I realized that everyone should have guidance in their choices and advice but would not like them to make the entire decision for them. I would get my family to help me out with my choices or my friends to give me advice on which choice to make. If I disagree with what they say, I still have the right to follow my own opinion. You would still have someone who has your back but you would't be controlled by them. For example, in the novel The Giver, Jonas starts to wonder about his society because he starts to think deeper into the decisions the Elders make. He suddenly realizes that he can't make any choices for himself. Jonas worries about the assignment he has been selected for and is questioning why he can't choose his own assignment. I think Jonas has suddenly realized that he is being controlled.

Though I am gestalt, I still feel I have a little bit of logic in my brain, and as a "logic", I like things to be in order while gestalt people like to look at the big picture first. Though I like things to be in order, I figured I wouldn't like that to imply with the decision of me not having my future decided by others because there are 2 completely different things. Having someone control you is having no freedom and when we can get a list in order, you can either choose to follow it or to not. It's entirely your choice. I think Jonas feels the same as most people do. Nobody would like their future to be decided by others. For example, slaves have their "future" decided for them, but it's not their choice. They grew up in poverty and would want to do anything in order to get wealth.

In conclusion, I would not like my future to be decided by others but I like guidance and advice for the choices I make. I have the choice of following or not following it. I also believe that Jonas would not like his future decided by others but he can't help it. Would YOU want your future to be decided by others?