final draft

in the book the giver by Lois Lowery there are many different things that can be focused on for an appreciation essay. there is the idea that the community being a metaphor for Communism. there's the idea of different levels of brain wash in the community. but i don't really understand what is so evil about communism. and i don't really see what it is so extremely cool about brain wash, and i can't really connect to either of those. there is one thing though that i can connect with that isn't necessarily present until mid way through the book. it's the idea of jonas' struggle. his struggle for the truth, during life,and for explanation.

in the beginning of the book Jonas is just like every one else. confused and lied to. he doesn't really care about the truth. he does all the rituals everyone else does. but he still does struggle with every day life. he doesn't really start caring about the truth until the giver starts transmitting the memories to him. the thing is the community doesn't tell it's citizen much. Jonas doesn't know what animals are. the community has a climate controller and so no one in the community has experienced snow. i can't figure out though why the community would do this.

i think through out the book Jonas starts learning about the truth. he learns about colors and about animals. he learns of war and death. he tries to tell his best friend Asher about colors but for some reason Asher can't see them. there is also these things called releases. the community kills people but covers it up and doesn't tell the citizens. the community doctors inject people and some times babies with a poisonous substance. they kill people when they reach a certain age and if babies are not a certain height or weight they "release" said people.

in the final chapter jonas' struggles to face the truth. he realizes there is no reason to stay behind in the community. the gravity of the situation that he been in finally sinks in. he knows if stays behind he will be brought to death. he needs to leave and leave fast.i appreciate the entire final chapter jonas' struggle is totally present. there are planes going after him. he is facing harsh weather conditions he has never faced. with the addition of baby gabriel this is true evidence of jonas' struggle.

in conclusion, this book has many wonderful aspects of it, and is truley one of the only things i remember from fifth grade. i must have read this book so many times, because when i opened it again in eighth grade this year i already knew the first line.i understand jonas' struggle. i can relate, i try to do things right in school, but i just don't and it just starts to pile up. eventually it will fall in the same way it happend to jonas. i really do love this book and i get this feeling every time i open it. thank you for reading this apprecation.