ELA

The Giver Analytical Essay

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     Lois Lowry, the author of The Giver, once said, “We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others.” She’s describing a society that appears to be a Utopian, but turns out to be a Dystopian. A 12-year old boy named Jonas inherits an important role as the Receiver of Memory, receiving many memories, such as colors, feelings, and topography. But Lowry saves the memory of music last for Jonas and the baby Gabriel. Music has historically been written by the most progressive members of any society. Lowry saved the memory of music for last because it could potentially have a huge impact on Jonas’ and Gabriel’s lives.

 

     We all need to experience hope. Hope is a feeling or desire that someone has. Do you ever want something? If yes, you are hoping for that something. This is a feeling of expecting or a desire for something to happen. Do you ever give anyone hope? That means you trust in that person. Lois Lowry’s The Giver is a great example of hope. Towards the the end of the book, Jonas and the baby Gabriel escaped. For the sake of Gabriel’s safety, Jonas leaves his home and community to save Gabriel’s life. Before this, the Giver and Jonas had a talk about the possibility if Jonas left. “The Giver was still deep in thought. After a moment, he said, ‘If you floated off in the river, I suppose I could help the whole community the way I’ve helped you. It’s an interesting concept’.” (pg. 145). When they escaped, Jonas and Gabriel both needed hope or they might have died. Lowry gives them hope through the sound of music in the climax.

 

     When you hear the word, ‘music,’ what do you think of? Probably, someone singing or an instrument. Well, that is basically what music is. Music is vocal or instrumental sounds that produce a harmony, sometimes it’s a way of expressing an emotion or telling a story. I think Lois Lowry saved music as the last memory, because it’s shows something modern. In Jonas’ community, there isn’t much modern day things. But when he ran away, he heard music, and hearing sound that had to be music. “For the first time, he heard something that he knew had to be music. He heard people singing … he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo.” (pg. 180)

     

     Hope and music. They both impact on Jonas. As I said, Jonas and Gabriel left the community. Imagine leaving your home, running away from your parents as a children. No one is there, besides strangers. This is the biggest fear and risk you should ever had in your lifetime. Jonas and Gabriel are kinda tired and stressed at the end. They felt they needed a little hope or joy, to make them cheerier. As to the climax of the novel, Jonas and Gabe reach to a point, they hear a sound like music behind them, it was singing, people were singing. This made Jonas have a touch of music, a feeling of joy and joy.

     

     In conclusion, through this novel Jonas, the Receiver of Memory, have received many memories, from snow, to sunshine, sled rides, a birthday party, being burned, to hunting and battling. But the author, saved the best for last. The memory of music. After leaving the community, he heard something that he hoped to give him and Gabe a little joy, the sound of music, people singing. As you can see, Lois Lowry saved music for last, because music is important; it can help impact a big part of your life. Music can potentially impact on Jonas and Gabriel’s life.

 

“Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo.” [ch. 23 - pg. 180]