Overcoming Adversity in "The Giver" by Lois Lowry

Adversity can manifest itself in every single one of our lives in countless different ways, like a non-discriminate occurrence. Though through these adversities we can have the opportunity to better ourselves and the outcome itself, depending on our levels of perseverance and determination, qualities that define us as a human race. In Lois Lowry’s Novel “the Giver” this theme of Overcoming adversity is explored in several respects when we view the Utopian society created by Lowry’s insightful writings. As we look at the maturation of the protagonist Jonas we discover that he himself realized that there is more to life than what his Utopian environment is supplying him with, and how the adversities he faced helped him to shape the future of his community and hopefully the world around him in its entirety. A story that truly redefined the Science fiction genre.

Firstly, the concept of overcoming adversity is constantly represented by Lowry throughout The Giver, a particular focus of this would be the Sameness, and the restrictions it places on the lives of Jonas and the Giver himself, an adversity that has been accepted by the Giver but yet to be by Jonas. An example of this would be when Jonas and the Giver are planning their escape from the confines of their utopian prison. “ There’s nothing. There’s nothing we can do. It’s always been this way. Before me, before you, before the ones before you. Back and Back and Back.” This excerpt of dialogue helps to illustrate the continuous suppression of the joy and knowledge brought about from the possession of memories and the extensive efforts to maintain this culture stemming back five hundred years or more. It also shows us that the stagnant characteristics of the community are frustrating for Jonas and the Giver, as they are the only ones aware of what they are missing out on as a whole.

Another example of an adversity induced by the suppression of differentiation otherwise known as the sameness is when Jonas is exclaiming about the lack of difference and independent thought. “ It isn’t fair that nothing has colour, there aren’t any choices, I want to decide things, but it is all the same - always”. This quote alone shows us the anguish and lack of self-image that Jonas has, and his growth as a person. Though it does depict the fact that Jonas has obtained the gift of independent thought, a gift that is truly a curse in such an environment.

Also, throughout the duration of this novel Lowry depicts the pain and adversity faced with possessing emotions and memories, such pain that is even worsened by the fact that no one but the Giver or himself are experiencing it, the conflicting thoughts and emotions, and most importantly the yearning for the day that others will feel what he is feeling. This is represented when Jonas asks his parents if they feel any love for him, “Do you love me? … precision of Language, please!”. This short piece of dialogue clearly depicts Jonas’ pure desperation for knowing if his parents feel anything, particularly love, for himself, and even if they possess any human traits at all. This shows the isolation and severe sense that he is truly alone in a world that others, including his own parents, will never understand. A world where no feeling of emotion is reciprocated, an adversity that heavily weighs on Jonas. A further example of adversity induced by the emotions and memories possessed by Jonas is when he tells how he feels possessing the memories, “I feel so weighted with them”. He states clearly that the burden that comes with the memories he has is becoming harder to bear, particularly the ones of sadness and violence and poverty. This shows how he feels that it’s almost too much to bear, despite this it does strengthen his resolve to share the memories with his community, despite at the time it being more than a curse than a gift.

In addition to this, Lowry portrays the power of hope and determination when faced with adversity in numerous ways throughout the duration of the novel, most notably when he and Gabriel are on the last leg of their Journey to elsewhere,“ Yet, he felt it, that elsewhere was not far away… his hope diminished further when the sharp cold air began to blur and thicken with swirling white…”. Here, Lowry depicts the struggle and particularly the adversity Jonas is facing trying to get to elsewhere. Especially how harsh the conditions are outside the confines of the community. Despite his determination and hope that elsewhere was close fuelled him to keep going, he lost that hope soon after. Another depiction of this strong prominence of hope within Jonas is when he uses the power of one of his memories, supplied by the Giver to restore his hope and determination. “Warming himself ever so briefly had shaken away the lethargy and resignation and restored his will to survive”. This shows us how Jonas uses the power with himself combined with the warming memories to restore his hope and in particular his will to keep on fighting.

Finally, throughout Lois Lowry's The Giver (1993), we learn that overcoming the adversities we are faced with no matter what the severity is essential to the maturation of oneself and more importantly a whole community. This theme explored through numerous angles and aspect conveys the same simple message, it is not the adversity we face, it is how we handle it that is integral to the outcome. This quality that allows us to overcome adversity is a quality that truly defines and shapes us as human beings, because adversity can strike anyone at anytime, clearly depicted by Jonas’ determination to restore the qualities that make us human, no matter what he faced.