Editor's Choice
Does Lily's character evolve in The Giver?
Quick answer:
Lily's character in The Giver does not evolve significantly. She remains a static character, portrayed as straightforward, talkative, and innocent. Lily is depicted as accepting societal norms without question, unlike her brother Jonas. Her interactions provide insights into the community's structure and values, but she lacks the depth or insight Jonas possesses. Despite brief moments of interest in different roles, her character does not undergo any meaningful transformation throughout the novel.
Lily is the younger sister of the protagonist, Jonas. We know that they share a warm bond and that Lily loves children. She hopes to be a Birthmother initially, but her parents tell her that this is not an honorable profession. They steer her toward becoming a Nurturer, which she appreciates. Jonas comments on Lily’s casual attitude toward detail, including her braids, which are forever unkempt.
Through this, we learn that Lily is a typical young child and one in need of parental reminders regarding societal expectations. Lily’s favorite comfort object is her elephant, which her father cautions that she will soon have to relinquish to the Newchildren due to her age. A bit later in the plot, Jonas tries to give Lily the memory of actual, living elephants. Lily is unable to understand what he is trying to do and thinks the idea is silly.
Lily accepts...
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the society around her without question and does not possess the insights of her brother, to his dismay. She is a static character in this novel and does not undergo any significant character change.
In The Giver, Lily experiences little development as a character. Throughout the text she is straightfoward, talkative, and innocent. Because she is so direct, her dialogue is often expository to the setting of the novel; for example, she provides the reader with insight into what childhood and education are like in this society when she describes her feelings about visiting another childcare center and meeting a boy who visits hers. Additionally, her parents' angry reaction to her interest in being a Birthmother and encouragement for her to be a Nurturer instead provide insight into the relative social position of different jobs. However, Lily herself is not insightful and only provides direct and literal descriptions of her experiences. Lily is uninterested when Jonas talks to her about the Giver and tries to give her a memory, and she fails to receive the memory he tries to give to her. Lily, unlike her other brother, is not a dynamic character and does not undergo any changes in the story.