"The Giver" Chapters 1-5

Summary:

The Giver is an amazing and interesting book from what I have read the first five chapters. They give an introduction about the theme of the book and the structure and organization of the community. Jonas, the protagonist who is an Eleven soon to be a Twelve is introduced by trying to describe his feelings, regarding the upcoming ceremony of Twelve, since he would be given his assignment. Anyway, thinking about his feelings he remembers about a time a year ago when a jet flew over the community and he felt frightened, in which the pilot was released. Finally, he decided he was feeling apprehensive. When he got home his family unit performed the night ritual which is a ritual in which each family member describes his or her feelings. Its explained that Jonas has a sister Lily, and that his father is a Nurturer and his mother is a judge of law. His father confesses on peeking a baby´s name who he was nurturing because he was not growing well. So, he thought that if he called him by his name, the baby will feel in a safer environment and in comfort zone; his name was Gabriel but Father called him Gabe.  Father has broken two rules; peeking Gabe´s name and teaching his little sister when he was young how to ride a bicycle before she turned nine, which was prohibited. Father and Mother comforted Jonas about the situation, they assured him that the Committee of Elders will give him a great assignment.After, Lily appears ready to go to bed demanding her comfort object which is a stuffed animal; an elephant. Father brings Gabe home during the nights to take good care of him. Jonas notices that unlike the rest of the community, Gabe and Jonas have a main characteristic in common, they both have light eyes. Instead, the rest of the community has dark eyes. Lily points out that they both have funny eyes, but she gets called attention because it is considered rude to point out another citizen´s difference. Lily is happily intrigued with the new baby, she mentions that she would like to be a birth mother when she grows up. But, her mother tells her that it is a position of terrible honor, and that after they have 3 babies in 3 years and get pampered, they become laborers for the rest of their lives. Jonas remembers when a message was communicated trough the speakers of the community directed to him about not taking food home, since he had taken an apple home. Nevertheless, he took it home because while playing catch with his best friend Asher using the apple as the object, Jonas realized that while the apple flew across the air it changed in a way he could not describe. But, on a closer look it was the same shape and size. Anyway, a couple of days after Father brought Gabe home, Jonas was trying to decide where to do his volunteer hours. Jonas really likes volunteer hours because he feels he has freedom and also because the rest of the days hours are regulated. He notices Asher´s bicycle parked in the House of the Old. He goes inside and finds Asher and Fiona, a classmate he is fond of, in the bathing room.  Jonas bathed an elder named Larissa who related to him about that morning in which the Elders celebrated the release of an elder named Roberto. During Roberto´s release his life was related, there was a toast, speeches from friends and from him, and finally the moment he went through the door who no one knew for what it was. Finally, the next day Jonas wakes up and it is time for the morning ritual. The morning ritual is a ritual each family unit performs every morning to describe the dreams they had that night. Lily starts off with telling that she had a scary dream in which she was caught riding Mother´s bicycle. Then, Mother explains that she had a dream about being scolded about something she did not understand. Father states that he did not have any dreams. Finally, Jonas narrates that in his dream he had a desperate wanting feeling to bathe Fiona in the House of Old, however Fiona was laughing in disagreement. After he relates his dream, Mother tells him he got his first Stirrings, so she gave him pills that help the Stirrings go away.

Text Responses:

During these few chapters many situations and phrases have called my attention.
"There were only two occasions of release which were not punishment. Release of the elderly, which was a time of celebration for a life well and fully lived; and release of a newchild, which always brought a sense of what-could-we-have-done. This was especially troubling for the Nurturers, like Father, who felt they had failed somehow. But it happened very rarely." (7)

Release is described as a punishment of failure. Anyhow, it called my attention that when an elder is released it is very much celebrated, and when a newchild is released it is sad for the community. I wish I knew why the elders are released. What is required for an elder to be released? Does he have to be a certain age or does he need a requirement of a certain amount of positive accomplishments in his life? Then again, I inquire about the newchildren. Does something need to go wrong in their newborn children phase to be released? Do they have to have a certain problem to be released?
I have a desperate feeling about these two types of non-punishment releases. But especially, I am desperate to know where they are sent on the release, where are they taken. Also, on the punishment release I question what is the punishment. Is it going to some place very far away? Or is it being killed?

Another text to which I would like to respond to;
"Stirrings. He had heard the word before. He remembered that there was a reference to the Stirrings in the Book of Rules, though he didn´t remember what it said. And now and then the Speaker mentioned it. ATTENTION. A REMINDER THAT STIRRINGS MUST BE REPORTED IN ORDER FOR TREATMENT TO TAKE PLACE." (37)

From this reading, what I infer is that Stirrings are viewed as a terrible feeling or as a disease, since it requires treatment. It is very much understood that the treatment is the pills for the Stirrings to go away. But what most calls my attention is that they have to remind the community, to tell them over the speakers. I believe there must be a specific reason to remind the community often to take pills so that Stirrings go away. Meaning that Stirrings are harmful in some way. Why is it so important for the rulers or governors to keep their citizens away from Stirrings? Can Stirrings affect the community in a negative way?
This is the event where an elder is released.

Final thoughts: 

This community in which they live in is extremely regulated, strict, and potentially equal. It is rude and disrespectful to point out somebody else´s differences or to joke about being released. When a citizen  breaks a rule a certain amount of times or commits a terrible action, he is released. Nevertheless, the release of elders and newchildren is not considered a punishment. Another disturbing event is that while Jonas was playing catch with an apple, while it was in the air it changed in a way hard to describe. Also, it is extremely important to keep Stirrings away, which we do not know why. I believe that soon in the next few chapters a secret of the community will be revealed, and Jonas will be involved. A secret which first of all reveals the unknown world of animals, but also reveals the importance of feelings. Feelings have definitely something to do with the bizarre way the community is.