the Chief Elder and the community. "I don't understand it yet. I don't know what it is. But sometimes I see something. And maybe it's beyond." (ch 8, p. 64)

Because of these special qualities, Jonas is selected Receiver of Memory.  Only one person at a time is able to take on this role, so it is a very important one.  Jonas does not know it yet, but he is instrumental in keeping the community in sameness by holding the memories of the past, back and back and back.  Witht the memories, his life is about to change forever. He will never look at the community the same way again.

Lowry, Lois (1993-04-26). The Giver (Newbery Medal Book). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

In The Giver, the four qualities the Chief Elder says the Receiver of Memory must have are intelligence, integrity, courage, and wisdom. In addition, the Receiver of Memory must have the “Capacity to See Beyond." It is not clear what this capacity is exactly, but based on discussions with the current Receiver, the Chief Elder believes that Jonas has this.

Jonas himself questions his ability to fulfill the requirements the Receiver of Memory must have to be successful. At the Ceremony when Jonas is named to be an apprentice to the Receiver and learn how to be a Receiver himself, “for a moment he froze, consumed with despair.”

He believes that he does not have the required characteristics. He is intelligent, as evidenced by his performance as a top student in school. He has integrity. The Elder notes that Jonas has committed some minor transgressions as most people have, but when he has transgressed, he has always presented himself for chastisement promptly, which shows his integrity.

The position of Receiver requires courage, in part because the apprentice will experience a lot of pain during the training. Moreover, in addition to the physical pain, many of the memories the apprentice will experience will spark feelings that will be difficult.

The Elder explains to Jonas that he will have to deal “with pain of a magnitude that none of us here can comprehend because it is beyond our experience.” The Elder and the current Receiver both feel that Jonas is brave enough to endure the physical pain, even if he does not feel brave at the Ceremony.

The fourth essential attribute is wisdom, which is different from intelligence and comes with time. Jonas has not yet acquired wisdom, but the Elders and the Receiver are confident that he will acquire wisdom in time through his training.

The Capacity to See Beyond is more difficult to understand and probably refers to the ability to look beyond the superficial and understand deeper meanings.

On page 62 (in the Laurel-Leaf paperback edition), the Chief Elder is talking about why Jonas was skipped as assignments were being announced at the Ceremony of Twelve.  She has returned to Jonas, number 19, and he is on the stage as she says that he was not assigned, but selected.  She informs the audience that his job will be Receiver of Memory.  Jonas isn't sure yet what this means, but he listens as she lists the four important qualities the receiver must have and why the elders consider him to have them:

1. Intelligence.  She says that Jonas has been at the top of his class throughout his school days.

2. Integrity.  She cites the fact that when Jonas has made mistakes, he has presented himself promptly for chastisement.

3. Courage. She does not give a specific example, but says that the elders are certain that he is brave.

4. Wisdom.  She says that the elders are certain that Jonas will acquire wisdom as he goes through his training.

She also lists one final attribute that the Receiver must have - the Capacity to See Beyond.  She tells the audience that she cannot explain it to them.  However, she says that the current Receiver knows that Jonas has it.  

After the Chief Elder is done speaking, the audience begins to chant Jonas' name, showing their acceptance for his new role.  Jonas doesn't know what to expect yet, but he feels proud.

Technically, there are more than three rules that the Receiver of Memories must follow. In Ch. 9 Jonas receives one sheet of instructions that gives him eight distinct rules. However, there are three rules that Jonas seems to focus on the most because he can really foresee how they will affect him.

Rule #3 "startled him" because it exempted him from "rules governing kindness." He no longer had to worry about what he was going to say to people, which he had grown accustomed to his entire life.

Rule #6 "unnerved him" because he had only experienced brief pain and when he had, he was immediately given pain medication and didn't feel it any longer. But for that short time, the pain was excruciating. This made him think about if or how he may need it again and if his pills for the "stirrings" qualified as being prohibited; he realized they did not.

Rule #8 simply said, "You may lie." This was literally inconceivable to Jonas because he had never intentionally lied nor did we get the impression it had ever crossed his mind. He then wondered if other twelves might have also received this same "rule" in their instructions and if so, how many members of the community might not be telling the truth.