The first seven chapters of the book set the foundation for the story and gives the reader insight into Jonas's life in his planned community. In the first seven chapters, we learn a lot about Jonas and get a sense for the role that the planned society has in controlling everything about a person's life. We are introduced to most of the important characters in the story, including Jonas and his family, as well as the baby Gabriel.
Although it is never stated explicitly, we learn how different the community is from our own. For instance, in the first chapter, a mistake made by a pilot in training causes panic in the streets and makes people run into their homes for shelter. Jonas notes that he
had seen no people...who usually populated the community at that time of day. He saw only the abandoned bikes here and there on their sides...He had been frightened then...He had trembled."
This response seems like an over-reaction to a plane flying overhead when it is not supposed to. We begin to get...
(The entire section contains 3 answers and 1110 words.)
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