The First Memories

Summary

         The chapters after the ceremony, chapters 9 through 11, we can view the day before training and Jonas´ first day of training. 
        After the ceremony, Jonas felt different, as he rode back with Asher to their dwellings.  All the Twelves passed by, happy and holding on to their folders, which they had received after receiving their Assignment.  But Jonas wasn't as happy as everyone else, and he was afraid that he might disappoint the Community, just like the previous Twelve assigned to be Receiver of Memory.  She was picked, but she let the Community down in a terrible way, in such a bad way, she was never seen again and her name can never be used again for a newchild nor can never be spoken again!  Later, Jonas went to his sleepingroom, where he opened his folder to see what was in it.  Inside, there was only one sheet of paper with strict rules about being Receiver of Memory.  Those rules made Jonas feel surprised, he knew that this would change his friendship, his life, his family time; but most of all, he was stunned about the last rule, "you may lie", since no one was allowed to lie, not even as an expression or if it was a small accident. 

The eight rules which surprised Jonas 
a lot, specially the last one

 The next day, Jonas rode to his training session with Fiona, and when he got there he saw something that he hadn't seen in the community: a door with a lock (probably to have more privacy than the rest).  As they let him in, Jonas kept observing the dwelling of the Receiver, it had so many books and other, new couches; it was definitely NOT like all the other dwellings in the community.  Then, the Receiver appeared, a man with light eyes and a greyish beard.  They both sat and the Receiver told Jonas that his training would consist in giving him memories and stories from past generations of the whole world.  Then, the Receiver passes Jonas' first memory: snow; Jonas lays down bare on a bed with a sheet, and the Receiver places his hands on his back. At first, Jonas only felt the hands of the Receiver in his back; but then, he felt cold, and soon, he saw snow.  It was as if he was part of the memory, he was amazed, and then, he went for a sled ride, which he enjoyed deeply. Once the memory was over, Jonas kept asking a lot of questions about the snow, and why was there no snow anymore.  Then, just like he did for the memory of snow, the Receiver gave Jonas the memory of sunlight and sunburn.  Jonas wanted to call the Receiver something other than Receiver, and then the old man gave Jonas the option of calling him the Giver.

Text Responses

This book was very interesting and had many moments that surprised me and got my attention.

"He leaned back, resting his head against the the back of the upholstered chair.  'It's the memories of the whole world,' he said with a sigh.  'Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and the generations before him'.  

Jonas frowned. 'The whole world?' he asked.  'I don't understand. Do you mean not just us? Not just the community? Do you mean Elsewhere, too?' ".  (77, 78).

I don't understand why do they need to pass memories to other generations, if it is just the past.  Maybe they pass old memories to other generations to make sure other generations don't make same mistakes like past generations. But their community, their society is already perfect for them.  Have they been perfect because the Receiver, knowing the mistakes from previous generations, made this community perfect? Also, I keep wondering about this community, how I think it is somewhat unfair for its citizens not to know other parts of their world, just their community and a few other communities, too.  Why can't they explore the outside world? Does someone, besides people that have been released, know what is Elsewhere?

" 'But what happened to those things? Snow, and the rest of it?'

'Climate Control.  Snow made food growing difficult, limited the agricultural periods.  An Unpredictable weather made transportation almost impossible at times.  It wasn't a practical thing, so it became obsolete when we went to Sameness.' ". (83, 84).

Jonas' first memory, snow, along with
the fun of sleds and hills

What does the Receiver (Giver) mean when he says Sameness? Does he mean....... they just got rid of it, of snow and hills? They just wanted life to be easier and more simple? It may be practical, to get rid of things that made living a little challenging, but isn't that part of life? Challenging obstacles and learning to live life? Maybe, just like the quote above, they transmit old memories so that citizens are thankful of what they have, and not question so much about their conditions of living. Or maybe, about Sameness, they get rid of things to make sure everyone views their life as perfect.  

A description of Jonas' perfect society,
once Sameness got rid of hills, snow and sunlight.

Final Thoughts

As a final thought, I think that Jonas may like his job and think it's better than what he expected, though he knows that their will be a lot of pain.  Maybe, with such curiosity Jonas has now for knowing the past memories, he will change things, in the community.  What will Jonas' next memory be? Will it be painful, or cheerful? I would also want to know what did the Receiver (Giver) mean, though it was in previous chapters, the quality Jonas already has, The Capacity to See Beyond.  Will Jonas finally know what it means during his training? Or will the changes he has seen so far - the apple and the people - be exposed to him again in another visit to train with the Giver?