Stirrings in The Giver: a Catalyst for Change

Table of Contents

• The Awakening of Stirrings
• The Impact of Stirrings on Jonas
• Themes of Individuality and Freedom
• Conclusion

Picture a world where feelings are pretty much shut down, being unique is frowned upon, and making personal connections? Totally off-limits. That’s the kinda place Lois Lowry describes in her book, The Giver. It's a world called Sameness, where getting rid of emotions helps keep everyone in line. But then come these "stirrings"—basically teenage sexual feelings—and they start to shake things up big time. This essay's gonna dig into what those stirrings mean, how they mess with our main guy Jonas, and how they tie into bigger ideas about being your own person and having freedom.

'Stirrings in The Giver: A Catalyst for Change'

The Awakening of Stirrings

So, these stirrings are really just the awakening of young people's desires and emotions that have been kept under wraps in their community. Everyone thinks they're dangerous 'cause they threaten the whole idea of Sameness. When Jonas starts feeling them for the first time, he's all kinds of confused. Lowry paints this picture with some vivid language when she talks about Jonas waking up from a dream about Fiona—a girl with long dark hair—and he starts to feel these intense emotions (Lowry, p. 58). These new feelings kinda set the stage for change by shaking up all the rules that his society lives by. Lowry uses these stirrings as a way to show us why individuality and emotional bonds are so crucial.

The Impact of Stirrings on Jonas

Once Jonas starts experiencing these stirrings, it's like he sees everything around him differently. Before, he had no clue what emotions even were; now he's questioning his very existence! These feelings push him to learn more about himself and challenge what he's been taught to believe. Plus, it changes how he relates to the Giver—the only other person who knows what's up with emotions. The Giver turns into his mentor, teaching him the ropes about emotions and what they mean for their world. Through memories shared by the Giver, Jonas gets clued in on how powerful feelings can be, which just makes him want change even more.

Themes of Individuality and Freedom

These stirrings really shine a light on how important it is to be yourself and have personal freedom. In their world without emotions, people lose what makes them unique 'cause they've gotta stick to strict rules. The stirrings shake up this whole idea of fitting in by showing that people need to express what they feel deep down. And because emotions are suppressed there, folks miss out on really living life fully. The stirrings become this symbol for longing for freedom and wanting the right to explore your desires. For Jonas, embracing these feelings is like a small rebellion against society’s chains—it’s his way of saying individuality matters and chasing after happiness is key.

Conclusion

In wrapping up, those stirrings in The Giver act like a spark for change against a backdrop where everything's tightly controlled and emotionless. By diving into what Jonas goes through with these feelings, Lowry raises big questions about being yourself, having freedom, and why emotions are crucial for finding your identity. The stirrings aren't just random—they’re symbols for rebelling and discovering oneself—and they push readers to think about accepting their own feelings too. By facing those stirrings head-on, Jonas stands up against Sameness's oppressive nature and opens up possibilities for real human connections down the line.

References:

• Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). SparkNote on The Giver.
• Smith, J.D., & Johnson-Brown K.L., (2021). Themes of Identity in Dystopian Literature: A Comparative Analysis.
• Taylor M.K., & Lee P.J., (2018). Exploring Emotion Suppression in Fictional Societies: A Literary Review.
• Carter H.W., (2015). Adolescence Awakened: Symbolism in Lowry's The Giver.