Different people will probably take away different messages from The Giver. I will share the one that I have gleaned, and perhaps others will share theirs, too. You will need to decide what messages you have absorbed from this story.
The message that I take away is that it is only possible to have a completely safe society if we take away peoples' choices, individuality, and emotions. These are what make us who we...
Different people will probably take away different messages from The Giver. I will share the one that I have gleaned, and perhaps others will share theirs, too. You will need to decide what messages you have absorbed from this story.
The message that I take away is that it is only possible to have a completely safe society if we take away peoples' choices, individuality, and emotions. These are what make us who we are, and it is a terrible tradeoff, in my opinion. The people of the community do not get to choose their housing, their work, their spouses, or their children. They must all even dress according to the rules. Even what color ribbon a child wears is decided by the community, so there is absolutely no expression of individuality. Emotions are repressed by medication, and so is sexual desire. All of this promotes the safety and productivity of the community, but the cost is too great for its denizens; they have given up their humanity for safety.
I also think that this message has particular resonance in today's world, where people in some countries want to shut down their borders, spy on their populaces, and impose some sort of religious conformity, all in the interest of "national security." There are no doubt some who think a dome, such as the dome that is in The Giver, would keep everyone safe. The message of the book is one that we should attend to, though, the idea that perfect safety comes at the cost of our own humanity. For me, that is too high of a price to pay.
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