The Giver Group

Question:

plzhelp
plzhelp
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of "sameness" in "The Giver." 

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Posted by plzhelp on Friday January 4, 2008 at 6:47 PM and tagged with advantages, disadvantages, sameness, the giver, themes.

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  1. asorrell Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    At one point in the novel, Jonas and the Giver are discussing Sameness.  Jonas says that he would like to have a choice in some thing for example he would like to choose the color of the tunic he wears (remember he can see color and others can't).  They discuss a few other fairly trivial things.  But then the scoff at the idea (and the chaos it would cause) of people being able to choose their mates or their jobs!

    The community chooses Sameness because they believe that if everything is the same and people don't have any choices that bad things won't happen.  Now obviously the whole point of the book is to question this and as Jonas learns more and more, he comes to realize that his community is a disaster. 

    The advantages would be that if everyone is the same, there won't be prejudice, etc.  But of course on the flip side of that is that there is no diversity. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/giver/summary

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    Posted by asorrell on Friday January 4, 2008 at 7:50 PM


  2. brendawm Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    In The Giver, Lowry presents the reader with the idea of Sameness, which is just as the name suggests, the same for everyone.  The residents of Sameness are told who to marry, what to wear, how many children they can have, where to live, what to feel, and what job they will have; no matter how tempting it may sound to have all of these decisions made for you, and believe me, as an adult, it would sometimes be easier to have them made for you, I can not begin to imagine a society where I had no choice in any part of my life.  Think about it in terms of your own life; how would you feel in this situation.  As a teenager, life would be devastating to be controlled by others.  No video games, no color, no choice!  Surely the disadvantages are evident; the advantages are not as readily evident, other than the fact that you don't have to worry about the judgements of others about your clothes, shoes, etc.  Sameness would take many of the stressors out of everyday life.  It could reduce anxiety due to social differences and probably reduce prejudices, as well as certain social stigma. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/giver/

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    Posted by brendawm on Saturday January 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM