Sasha Looby

2 Period Class
8/28/16
nd

Argumentative Essay
The Giver is a book that explores the consequences a young teen named Jonas must face
when he decides to completely disregard the expectations people have for him and make his own
future. A utopia is often an imagined society in which everything is perfect and desirable, while a
dystopia is the complete opposite. A dystopia is a society where everything is terrible and the
citizens have little to no freedoms. The community in The Giver is most definitely a dystopia due
to the elimination of basic rights, in inability to experience feelings, and the harsh punishments
given to the citizens for small and silly things.
Throughout the novel, the characters have it drilled into their brains that when they make
an honest mistake, they will face some form of punishment. For example, in the text it states,
Desperately the Pilot had been trying to make his way back before his error was noticed.
Needless to say, he will be released, the voice had said, followed by silence. There was an iconic
tone to that final message as if the speaker found it amusing (Lowry 3). Later in the novel it is
revealed that being released is the equivalent to being killed. It is outrageous how, in that society,
someone is put to death for simply flying over the wrong place. That puts the notion in their
minds that they can never make accidents. Another example includes No one had mentioned it,
not even his parents, because the public announcement had been sufficient to produce the
appropriate remorse (Lowry 29). When Jonas had stolen the apple, an announcement singled
him out in front of all his peers. This is no way to treat a growing adolescent because he might,
in return, become incredibly self-conscious. Overall, although the committee may think their
announcements are constructive criticism, they actually prevent the children from making
mistakes and taking proper steps to learn from what they did wrong.
Their community deems feelings shameful and bad, but that doesnt hold Jonas back
from wishing he could experience them for once. In Chapter 16, it says, 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! (Lowry 159). Jonas just wanted his parents to love
him, which is certainly not an outrageous request. The reason they couldnt say that they do love
him is because it had been permanently input in their brain that they cant express things like
feelings of love to other people. Another example of this is, Jonas nodded. I liked the feeling of
love, he confessed. He glanced nervously at the speaker on the wall, reassuring himself that no
one was listening. I wish we still had that (Lowry 158). Because Jonas like experiencing
feelings, the other citizens most likely would appreciate them, too. It is unfair that they have no
idea what they are missing out on. The fact that these feelings are kept a secret from the general
community and deemed a taboo, further proves the point that the community is definitely a
dystopia.

In their lifetime, seldom decisions are their own. They arent allowed to choose their job,
spouse, or even have the opportunity to keep their children. For example, in the text it states
Unlike his Father, he had no idea what his Assignment would be. But he knew that some would
disappoint him (Lowry 20). They have no power to do what they enjoy as a career. Surely the
committee makes mistakes while assigning and then the citizen is expected to live out the
remainder of their life miserable with their assignment. Another text example states, He
remembered climbing the steps to the stage with his parents, his Father by his side that year
instead of with the Nurturers, since it was the year that he would be given a new child of his
own (Lowry 16). Birthmothers have to give birth to these children only to have them ripped out
of their hands and given to another family. The parents bond with their children will likely be
less strong since the child is not truly their own. Overall, the fact that their life is determined by
others, makes the citizens become trapped in their situation with not even a possibility of escape.
Their lives are never their own. They are handed to someone else the minute they are
born into this world. The committee makes all of their important life choices and eliminates all
opportunities for freedoms the citizens may have enjoyed. One day they might be free from this
simple, predetermined life. Until that day comes they are forced to sit back and watch as other
people determine the entirety of their lives.