Conformity of the Book The Giver - Essay Example

Question 4: In an effort to enforce rules, conformity is highly prized. Compare and contrast conformity in the book with the real world. Conformity,while very highly prized for enforcing rules and discipline is certainly not a cure all and actually may have many detrimental effects. Indeed , many communities would prefer that everybody follow rules. What could be better than that? Everybody would behave properly and exactly in the same way. There would be no crime and there would be nothing which would be unexpected. But is that really the best way? When one reads the book “The Giver” one gets an idea of a community, so ordered, so systematic that it really appears, that it lacks for nothing. When there is no creativity , when there is no love and even joy seems programmed, these might as well be ants in a ant hill. Even ants are ordered, systematic and conforming. But what makes human beings different from other animals is that we are individuals and it is our innate tendency to be our own self , not a clone of anybody else. A community like Jonas’s would be suffocating to most people who have seen or known what it is like to be human. Are there communities like the one in the book in the modern day world? Indeed there are. China, North Korea, Iran all of have such societies to a varying degree. But just like in the book , the only way these societies are able to keep a grip on people is by restricting their freedom and keeping control over the information which is available to these people. Indeed there was and is little crime in such communities and nobody ever starves. But that is true even for a prison , but human beings are not meant to be caged. The free societies have their problems. Crime, populism perhaps even decline in morals. But however imperfect and chaotic that might be, those are the systems in which Human beings thrive and prosper. Since the fall of the Soviet Union , there has been a return , at least in a little way to the old iron rule in Russia. This , many say is evidence that people want stability and protection. People do want stability and protection . This is true , even in the bastions of freedom in U.S and other democracies. But this stability and protection is not wanted at the cost of freedom. You just have to see what happens when conformity is forced on people who have already enjoyed freedom and individuality , like Prohibition in the U.S. or Emergency in India. It is simply not possible. Question 5: Diminishing pain and suffering is a goal of the community. What is lost or sacrificed in this strategy? There is an old saying which states that those who don’t know history are condemned to repeat it. Pain and suffering while uncomfortable and horrifying are extremely important. They tell us what consequences can be. The innocent pretend battle in the recreation ground in the book , showed it clearly. For Asher and the rest of the kids , they were just playing a game . For Jonas , fresh from the memories of what a battle is and knowing , how horrifying a real battle is , it was much more than a game. Pain and Suffering , have to be diminished or eliminated . It is heartbreaking for some one to see a recently orphaned child in a Bangladeshi Flood or remains of victim of torture in Somalia. Why would anyone want to wish this on anybody? It is not that pain and suffering are essential , but their memories are. When a Country goes to war against another country , perhaps a little recollection of what happened the last time it was at war would be helpful to them in making a decision. When somebody has been burnt , they are careful the next time they are around fire. Somebody not knowing pain or suffering is severely compromised in making decisions. And this is true in two ways. In the first way , that a decision would involve pain and suffering perhaps may result in that action not being taken . But there is also courage which comes into picture here. In the second way , the action would be taken even if it involved potential pain and suffering, like trying to save somebody from a burning house or other dangerous situations. Protecting someone from pain and suffering will take it all away from them. In the book “The Giver” , the community goes through a great extent in protecting everybody from pain and suffering. And clearly at least apparently, they have a happy community. But a community which is ill prepared to deal with any effects of pain. When Rose Mary is released ( or rather executed) , the community took some time to come to grips even with the amount of pain which was in Rose Mary’s memories which was less than a months worth. Rose Mary herself could not handle the pain , choosing to be released rather than be in a position of great honor. Jonas’s encounter with pain , despite his courage was excruciating for him. While nobody seeks pain and suffering , the inability to deal with it can be a very serious problem Pain and suffering also show character in some instances. Indeed Jonas could have had a position of honor and have all his needs met, if he was back in the community. However he knew that he had to leave the community, despite the suffering he would have to endure and be a fugitive. Pain and suffering , are sometimes linked to character. A human being is lesser for not knowing what it is. Nobody should seek out pain and suffering, and nobody should wish it on anybody and indeed if they see some one suffering , they should do whatever to alleviate it. But everybody does need to know, what pain and suffering is and how it happens. Because if that happens there will no poverty, no war and pain and suffering will be reduced in the world just by people knowing what these things can do. Read More