As I was reading and after I had read this book, the strongest emotion that I felt was sympathy. I felt sympathy for the community, for Jonas, for the Giver and for all the other Receivers of Memory.

I sympathize with the community because the lives they were living were just like that of robots. They did whatever they were ‘programmed’ to do, and did not have the freedom to make decisions and choices on their own. They simply followed the community rules strictly and played the roles they were assigned without even questioning why. As I was reading the book, I was imagining a world without colours, without warmth, without love, without twins, without the freedom to choose what one wanted to do, without… The community really did not know what they were missing out.

I sympathize with Jonas, the Giver and the other Receivers of Memory as when they were at such a young age, they already had to carry such a great burden of holding the memories of the true pain and pleasures of life. In our current society, everyone has been through pain -different kinds of pain, be it physically, mentally or emotionally- but there are always people around us who are willing to go through these times with us. And even though many of us have not been through (for example) wars, we still understand the destruction, pain and suffering it brings about. However, in that community, the Receivers of memory are the only ones who know and understand ALL of these, and worst still, they have to go through it alone.

Reading this book has really made me think a lot and think in depth. As a child, I used to think that if everything was organized and under control, without pain, fear and worries, and with everything taken care of, then that country or community would be a perfect place to live in. Think of it, a world where everything is fair, where no one has more than another and without having to make tough choices, sounds good doesn’t it? But my perception of a ‘perfect’ world has changed greatly. If everyone was the same, if everyone had the same things, if SAMENESS was practiced, where would the word ‘special’ come into the picture? And to maintain that sameness in the community, what would happen to all those children born different? If we carried out whatever we were told to do, without having to make any choices, what would be the meaning to life? Hence, I feel really glad that we’re living in a country where differences are accepted, unlike the community where Jonas was living in. Think of all the innocent lives that would have been lost if our country practiced sameness!