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" Gabriel's breathing was even and deep. Jonas liked having him there, though he felt guilty about the secret. Each night he gave memories to Gabriel: memories of boat rides and picnics in the sun; memories of soft rainfall against windowpanes; memories of dancing bare-footed on a damp lawn.
"Gabe?"
The new child stirred slightly in his sleep, Jonas looked over at him.
"There could be love" Jonas whispered.
The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill. Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away"
(PAGE 128-129~ The Giver By Lois Lowry)
After I had thought thoroughly about the pill, I think I know what it does. Like it says on page 129 of the book: " 'There could be love' Jonas whispered.". He takes the pills, because he likes Fiona, I'm guessing a lot, and the pills stop him from really falling in love with her. Jonas wanted to love, so it was his choice to throw it away. When he threw away his pill he had the feeling that it is preventing him from falling in love, and in the real world, Jonas would love Fiona by now. Love, is the very reason that brings people together, but it is also love that tears brothers and sisters apart. No, I don't mean DNA-related, I mean as if everyone in the world were brothers and sisters. As if they were family.
Love is the very reason war is created, but in the end, people forget why. All the bloodshed, and the loss. The hunger and the deaths of who they care about. Nothing like that matters in war. Power and greed, murder the essence of the innocent tries of love and peace. War is where even the purest person, can loose sight about who or what they are fighting for. I don't understand why, anymore. Is there a reason besides from love? Not everyone creates war for love, or do they? Could it be that they enjoy war? Those crazy people in the past, Adolf Hitler, for one. He was power-hungry, greedy for destruction, and, he even wrote a book about it. This is what happens, when freedom gets released into the world. Chaos.
"Gradually, when nothing happened, nothing changed, the children looked at each other nervously, and went away. He heard the sounds as they righted their bicycles and began to ride down the path that led from the field.
Only Asher and Fiona remained.
'What's wrong, Jonas? It was only a game,' Fiona said.
'You ruined it,' Asher said in an irritated voice.
'Don't play it anymore,' Jonas pleaded.
'I'm the one training for Assistant Recreational Director,' Asher pointed out angrily. 'Games aren't your area of expertness.'
'Expertise,' Jonas corrected him automatically.
'Whatever. You can't say what we play, even if you are going to be the new Receiver.' Asher looked warily at him. 'I apologize for not paying you the respect you deserve,' he mumbled."
(PAGE 134~ The Giver By Lois Lowry)
You see? Sometimes freedom isn't too "swell". Sometimes, it creates happiness. Sometimes, like I have mentioned before, it creates destruction. You loose your friends, because of who you are, and what you know. To me, the definition of freedom is to follow what YOU believe in, not anyone else. To make your own path towards the future, not letting destiny or fate control you. It is what you make your life to be. The problem with my definition, is that in real life, not all that is possible. I mean, there is war, and not much peace. The people who are trying to create peace, are the ones who are following the harmful people that threaten the outside world. Well, you must admit that they are a little bit crazy. Like what's happening in Libya. NATO, and the rest of the world, is trying to end Qaddafi's rule and plot to taking over Libya, and maybe the world... Yes, that does sound very much like a mad scientist to me, but it might be true, you never know.
I do realize that the above quotes and paragraphs have been about freedom, so I, will carry onto choices. On pages 126-127, the question about love pops up.
" 'Father? Mother?' Jonas asked tentatively after the evening meal. 'I have a question I want to ask you.'
'What is it Jonas?' his father asked.
He made himself say the words, though he felt flushed with embarrassment. He had rehearsed them in his mind all the way home from the Annex.
'Do you love me?'
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle.' Jonas. You, of all people. Precision of language, please!'
'What do you mean?' Jonas asked. Amusement was not at all what he had anticipated.
'Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete,' his mother explained carefully.
Jonas stared at them. Meaningless? He had never before felt anything as meaningful at the memory.
'And of course our community can't smooth function smoothly if people don't use precise language. You could ask, 'Do you enjoy me?' The answer is 'Yes,' ' his mother said.
'Or,' his father suggested, ' 'Do you take pride in my accomplishments?' And the answer is wholeheartedly 'Yes.' '
'Do you understand why it's inappropriate to use a
word like "love"?' Mother asked.
Jonas nodded. 'Yes, thank you, I do,' he replied slowly.
It was his first lie to his parents."
(PAGES 126-127~ The Giver By Lois Lowry)
Jonas chose. Well, thats a first. Jonas chose to do that, Jonas chose to the this. Wow. By reading the book, I think, that is one of the most ridiculous sentences referring to anything related to The Giver. But, Jonas did choose to ask his parents about love, and if there really was love in the community. I know that he didn't really know what to expect, like myself in many situations, but he really didn't assume the reply would be amusement. Another thing Jonas chose, was to lie to his parents. In the real world, lying would get you into trouble, and it would too, in Jonas' world. But in Jonas' case, he is allowed to lie, as it says in his instructions to be the Receiver, so now, his parents don't know if he is telling the truth, or speaking a lie. That's what Jonas chose.
Graphic Sources: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NNTbeoaZ0Nc/TH5oKok6QhI/AAAAAAAAAAU/YNe_AoUP8ng/s200/_wsb_184x161_the%2Bgiver22.jpg
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