Examples Of Individualism In The Giver

“Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?”(Confucius). This quote explains that without feelings we are no different than animals. Feelings and choices are the major differences between men and animals. Lois Lowry is an inspiring author with her books The Giver and Number the Stars. She is from Hawaii and wrote The Giver in 1993. The Giver has many themes, which include the importance of feelings, individualism and importance of choice, and rebellion. One major theme of The Giver was the importance of feelings. Feelings are something that everyone experiences...at least in our universe. But in The Giver feelings are restricted to the Receiver of Memory. “‘But I want them!” Jonas said angrily. “It isn’t fair that nothing has color!”(97). This quote explains the desire, the feeling to want something because you like it. Jonas early said that he thought the color red was beautiful, and others don’t

Individualism is abouting creating yourself through choices. In The Giver this cannot happen because you can’t make your own decisions like what your job will be, or who you will marry, or even your children’s names. “‘...what if we could hold up things that were bright red, or bright yellow, and he could choose?’”(98). This quote is explaining how we can become more individual by choosing for ourselves what color to choose. “Now, for the first time in his twelve years of life, Jonas felt separate, different”(65) Jonas is feeling different because he has become more of an individual by being the only Receiver of Memory. If there were more than just him he wouldn’t feel separate...different. “‘Were any of the Elevens disappointed, your year?” Jonas asked”(16) If you could choose for yourself your career then you couldn’t put the blame on anyone else for your disappointment, just yourself.To be an individual through personal choices is a necessity to be a complete