Thursday, March 31, 2011

Chapter 16 ---> My favorite part!

Jonas starts to think back to his childhood. After the sad, frightening and painful memory of war he's sure that he did not want to go back to the Annex room. As well he didn't want the memories equal if they are full with happiness or pain. He starts to hate the honor and wisdom. But most he is sick and tired of the pain. But the choice was not his. He returns every day to the Annex room, but the Giver is gentle with Jonas at this time. Jonas experiences countless memories full with happiness. Also things he hadn't known before.

Jonas attends a birthday party. He starts to understand the joy of being an individual, special and unique and proud. He is able to see all the different colors.

In one memory Jonas goes riding a horse across a field.
He perceives the strong bonds between animal and human. He has already learned about the pain of loss and loneliness, but in another memory

he sits at night beside a campfire and understands the feeling of solitude and its joy.

He attends a family who is celebrating Christmas together. There is snow outside, a room full of people, there are colored lights and candles, the smell of cooking, there are many packages, there are sitting young and old people together smiling filled with happiness. The children sit on the lap of the old and they hug each other.
Jonas feels warmth, happiness and family. He learns something about the relation between children and grandparents.
After this memory Jonas apprehends that he will not have a time together with his parents in the future. When he and Lily will become a full adult, they will leave their parents. His father and mother will live with the other Childless adults and they won't be a part of Jonas' life anymore.
Furthermore, there is one feeling which describes the whole memory of Christmas which Jonas received. But he can't find the right word for such a strong feeling.

The Giver tells him that the word is called "Love". That's a word and concept new to Jonas. And at this moment Jonas desires that love would still exist in the community. But he knows that it's too dangerous.
Jonas is back at home. They are eating and he has a special question to his parents. "Do you love me?" His father says amused: "Jonas. You of all people. Precision of language, please!" Jonas' parents explains that he used a word, so meaningless, that it's become almost obsolete. Jonas is stunned. He doesn't understand how someone could call a strong feeling like love just meaningless. When his parents asked, whether he understood why it's inappropriate to use a word like 'love', he answers with "Yes, thank you,I do". This is the first lie to his parents.
Gabriel sleeps in Jonas' room for a while. He develops very well and the Nurturers are optimistic about his future. Every night, Jonas gives nice memories to Gabriel, although it's forbidden. And at this night Jonas tells him that "Things could change," "Things could be differnet and everybody would have the memories." At the end he says: "There could be love." in a low voice.
This is a first sign that Jonas wants to break free from the community.
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4 comments:

  1. Laura,

    I can perfectly understand why you liked this chapter best. It's so much nicer to talk and write about the nice memories!! But still, they wouldn't be as nice if there weren't memories of a different degree.. such as pain.
    Contentwise, a good overview and with the help of the pictures one can easily grasp the point you want to make.

    Languagewise, some advice:
    - things he hadn't known before
    - there is no progressive in the future with (to) leave: they will leave
    - they won't be a part of Jonas' life anymore. (apostrophe to mark the genitive)
    - sth is new TO sb
    - to break FREE from the community.

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  2. I corrected the mistakes. Thanks for your comment.

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  3. thanks needed this to cheat off my book report >:)

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