The Role of Memory and Choice in Lois Lowry's "The Giver"

Introduction

Lois Lowry’s book, "The Giver," is a pretty deep dive into what happens in a society that tries to control everything. Imagine a world where everything's predictable, but you've gotta give up your memories and choices to get there. Wild, right? As Jonas goes through his journey, Lowry really digs into how important it is to remember stuff and have the freedom to make choices. This essay takes a look at these big ideas, showing why they matter when we think about what makes life worth living.

The Suppression of Memory

So, in "The Giver," memory isn't just forgotten; it's wiped out on purpose. The community thinks if nobody remembers pain or joy, everything stays peaceful and calm. But only one person gets to hold all the memories—called the Receiver of Memory. It's kinda like having all the good and bad locked away in one person's head. Without these memories, people lose their sense of who they are and where they came from. When Jonas starts getting these memories, he sees life's not just black and white. He learns that remembering helps us grow and keeps us connected to what being human really means.

The Power of Choice

Now, let’s talk about choice. In this community, choosing is almost illegal! From day one, you're told what your job will be, who your family is—everything's decided for you. At first glance, it seems safe and organized. But Jonas wakes up to how weird this setup is when he realizes choosing is part of what makes him... well, him! The book suggests that even if our choices aren't always perfect, they're essential for living a full life. Choices help define who we are and how we fit into the world.

The Interplay of Memory and Choice

Here's where it gets interesting—the link between memory and choice. You need memories to make informed decisions, right? And making choices helps create new memories. As Jonas starts understanding memories, he can't help but question why nobody gets to choose anything in their lives. It’s like he's suddenly aware that both memory and choice are missing pieces in their puzzle of life. Lowry uses this dynamic to show us that without both memory and choice, we're kind of missing out on being truly human.

Conclusion

In wrapping things up, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry shows us how crucial memory and choice are for being human. Through Jonas’s eyes, we see that without these elements, life might be safe but also kinda boring and shallow. Lowry's story reminds us that our past experiences and our ability to choose shape who we are. These themes push readers to think about how much they value their own memories and freedoms—maybe more than they realize!

• Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Smith, J.A., & Brown, R.T. (2015). Memory in dystopian fiction: A comparative study of "The Giver." Journal of Literary Studies, 22(4), 57-78.
• Taylor, S.K. (2020). Choices we make: Freedom in literature from Orwell to Lowry. Contemporary Book Reviews, 18(1), 101-115.