The Giver A Dystopian Society

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Is it possible to achieve true happiness without experiencing deep despair? The Giver, by Lois Lowry, presents a society that in some respects is a utopia, but also contains elements that make it a dystopia. Ultimately, the book addresses the larger question whether one really can exist without the other. The Giver describes a society with strict rules that are deemed necessary to maintain a utopian culture. Jonas, the main character, is selected by the Chief Elder at the Ceremony of Twelves to inherit the position as the next Receiver of Memory. That job entails him meeting with The Giver every day until The Giver has transferred all of humanity’s memories. This experience makes Jonas both value and doubt the structure of his society. In …show more content…
In Jonas’s reality, everyone possesses the same skin color. The Giver reveals, “‘there was a time - you’ll see this in the memories later - when flesh was many different colors. That was before we went to Sameness. Today, flesh is all the same…’” (94). In our society, the fact that people have different skin colors leads to racism. Some people feel that they are superior to others based solely on the color of their skin. This is avoided in The Giver because everyone possesses the same color skin. The people also retain emotional Sameness because they have similar opinions and depth of emotion. They avoid an immense amount of strife in a society caused by differences of opinions. Everyone in Jonas’s world bears similar emotional responses, and they do not feel deep sadness or deep happiness. One of the numerous benefits of not being able to experience deep emotions is that it spares people from feeling sorrow or pain. One gives up joy and pride to avoid utter darkness and despair. But the serenity that comes from Sameness makes it a …show more content…
They cannot experience love because they think that it is a danger to their predictable lifestyle. Even Jonas admits, “‘I liked the feeling of love… I do understand that it wouldn’t work very well. And that it’s much better to be organized the way we are now. I can see that it was a dangerous way to live’” (126). They have no memories of love, Birthmothers are unable to have a loving relationship with their children, and romantic love is not allowed. They even give the citizens medication to prevent them from developing romantic feelings. The inability to love may take away emotional risk of disappointment or heartbreak, yet it restricts them from feeling depth of emotions. Although the people of the society in The Giver are content, they never experience joy. Joy is such an intoxicating emotion that when Jonas experiences it, he is willing to sacrifice his life for a chance to live in a world with love. Any society in which the people cannot experience deep love is a
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