The Giver : Quote analysis and summary of chapters 1-5

In the last few chapters Jonas has described his life style and how organized and controlling community he lives in. Every one in this community is given an assignment. Jonas has a sister named Lilly, and he has two parents. Jonas's Father works at the nurturing center where he takes care of newborn children. Father is currently taking care of a new born baby Gabe. Gabe is a bit special because he cannot develop as fast as a baby should and that worries Father because Gabe can get released. When you get released that means that you will never be part of the community again.  Jonas's Mother is a sensible and rational woman who has a honorable  position in the  Department  of Justice. Mother always takes her job seriously and always gives Jonas good advise. Lilly is a very bright and vivacious girl who always is talking and she doesn't quite know when to keep her mouth shut.  Every night there is a ritual. In this ritual all the members of the family share all the emotions they felt that day. Jonas started feel a bit concerned and uncertain about the ceremony of twelve. He was feeling this way because he wasn't sure what will the elders would assign him.  Jonas was also concerned about what the elders would give to Asher. Asher  is Jonas's best friend and he is a bit clumsy and a distracted boy. To keep the community in order there are various announcements made during the day to give people reminders and to reassure people of certain things. Jonas remembered this one time that he was playing with Asher to throw a apple to each other. During the game Jonas was surprised by something, the apple had changed in a way that Jonas

couldn't describe. Later that day he took the apple by accident which was forbidden but he had to examined it better. When Jonas got home the speakers reminded the citizens to not take food away. Jonas liked the freedom to choose were he will like to spend his hours volunteering. While he was riding his bike to the house of the old he saw Asher's bike and also Fionna's too. Jonas liked and appreciate very much Fionna. When he went to the House of the Old he went to bathe Larissa were both had a pleasant conversation. Later that night had a dream with Fionna, Jonas wanted to bathe Fionna in the dream. In the morning there was also a ritual were they shared their dreams. When Jonas told the dream he was interrupted by his mother and father. Mother told Jonas that the dream he told meant that he was ready for a treatment. This treatment was to prevent stirrings. 


" ATTENTION. A REMINDER THAT STIRRINGS MUST BE REPORTED IN ORDER FOR TREATMENT TO TAKE PLACE." (37) 

I find it unusual how stirrings or feelings of love towards someone should be reported and treated as it is a kind of sickness. I wonder why  people in the story think that  stirrings or feelings love towards someone is bad or it can cause problems. In our world feeling love towards someone isn't bad and it is  normal.  Why do you have to have a treatment for stirrings and why is it so important ?  


To conclude I think that Jonas's world has no life and it is very strict. There are various rules the community must follow, and if it someone breaks them there is always a punishment or consequence .  Nothing can be different. Every thing that is different causes problems in their world. I predict that Jonas will have a assignment that he would like and that he will enjoy.


  

How much control should goverments have over their citizens?

Governments shouldn´t control too much their citizens.Governments should not have control over a persons emotions or feelings. Every one as a human has the right to to feel and to love or to care about someone. Governments don´t need to choose who your family should be or who you should marry.Also governments shouldn't take other citizens free will, or to make the citizens decisions. 

In the Truman show, Christoff makes Truman´s decitions for him. Christoff chooses who will Truman will marry , who should he love, he also chooses his family and friends. Truman most of the time didnt had control of his life, Christoff even controls his emotions. Christoff was taking Truman´s free will and he was taking Truman´s emotions away. Governments shouldn't follow this example because this will take a human´s essence and the chance to make their own decitions.

In conclusion I think governments should have some control over their citizens but not absolute control. If the government has too much control over their citizens this might lead to strikes, or people that disagree with the government might rebel against them. The government should not have control over the citizens personal things such as: their feelings or emotions. The governments shouldn't be like Christoff in the Truman show, hypothetically Christoff would be the government and Truman would be the citizens , everything about Truman is controlled by Christoff.