The Giver: The Instruction About Lying

Recently, in class we finished our second literature circle, on the book The Giver, by Louis Lowry. In this book, Jonas has just been selected to become the new Receiver of Memory. Jonas actually lives in a over safe community, where pretty much everything you have is chosen for you, your job, your spouse, the day you die, your child, your name, your house, your appearance, and, well, everything. Every year, on December, there is a Ceremony. At this ceremony, you turn older, and you get something new depending on your age. When you are twelve, you get your job. The Elders choose the job for you. The Elders have observed you to make sure you get the right job. Jonas, a peaceful, calm and intelligent boy, who usually stands out because of his lighter eyes, he just got selected to become the new Receiver. This in fact, is the most honored job in the community. The job keeps the current Receiver distinct from the others. The career also includes a set of rules for the trainee:

" 1. Go immediately at the end of school hours each day to the Annex entrance behind the House of Old and present yourself to the attendant.

2. Go immediately to your dwelling at the conclusion of Training Hours each day.

3. From this moment on you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. You may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.

4. Do not discuss your training with any other member of the community, including parents and Elders.

5. From this moment you are prohibited from dream telling.

6. Except for illness or injury unrelated to your training, do not apply for any medication.

7. You are not permitted to apply for release.

8. You may lie. " (Page 68)

Jonas was startled by most of the rules, but he seemed to be highly disturbed by the last rule. Members of the community were taught since early age, not to lie. It was a rule that was well respected, and if it wasn't followed, then like all the times mistakes are made, some was to give you a chastisement. This rule kept the citizens trustworthy and honest. No one would turn betray one another, or hide anything from them, and the community would be organized and in order. This last rule disturbed Jonas exceptionally.

Jonas finds this particular thought disturbing, for all his life, he had strictly taught NEVER to lie. It makes him wonder what might be happening during his training that would be so secretive, or why would there ever be a purpose in his ever-so safe community to lie? Even before, he was starting to question the protection of his community. When the plane flew over the community, the apple, and now the instruction that allows him to lie. This thought almost frightened him, since he was positive no one lied. Asher didn't lie, Lily didn't lie, and obviously he was certain that he hadn't lied in his twelve years of living. He didn't think there ever was a time where was even tempted to lie. At thinking this thought, he wondered if his parents lied, or if any other elders did not tell the truth. Maybe every citizen, when they have become a Twelve, received the same alarming sentence in their set of instructions.

"He had never, within his memory, been tempted to lie. Asher did not lie. Lily did not lie. His parents did not lie. No one did. Unless...

Now Jonas had a thought that he had never had before. This new thought was frightening. What if others -- adults -- had, upon becoming Twelves, received in their instructions the same terrifying sentence?

What if they had all been instructed: You may lie? " (Page 71)

As I had mentioned before, why would there ever be a need to lie? In a community so safe, so ordered, so perfect (or so he thinks), so trustworthy. Well, could all that be a lie? Adults might lie, but there is no way of finding out if they do so. But then again, there would not be anything in their community to lie about. Their life there is so ordinary and upright; there are no secrets to hide or crimes to hide. For the committee can see everything you do, for example when Jonas took the apple room with him from the Recreation Center to examine why it changed.

"It had happened during the recreation period, when he had been playing with Asher. Jonas had casually picked up an apple from the basket where the snacks were kept, and had thrown it to his friend. Asher had thrown it back, and they had begun a simple game of catch.

There had been nothing special about it; it was an activity that he had performed countless times: throw, catch, throw, and catch. It was effortless for Jonas, and even boring, though Asher enjoyed it, and the catch was a required activity for Asher because it would improve his hand-eye coordination, which was not up to standards.

But suddenly Jonas had noticed, following the path of the apple through the air with his eyes, that the piece, that the piece of fruit had --- well, this was the part that he couldn't adequately understand --- the apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed in mid-air, he remembered. Then it was in his hand, and he looked at it carefully, but it was the same apple. Unchanged. The same size and shape: a perfect sphere. " (Page 24-25)

All in all, Jonas did not feel comfortable with that instruction. The main reason was that, all his life he has been taught not to lie. Never in his life. He had been scolded into doing so and there really wasn't any reason to lie about. No conflict in his life, or secret to hide or anything. Like I remarked before, life in the community is very ordinary, simple, and honest.