Essay

Memories and emotions help people to shape themselves. Jonas is a dynamic character because at first, he was somewhat selfish. He would only worry about himself, basically. He would mention others but he would mostly worry about him and what he got. When Asher mentioned someone applying for Elsewhere, Jonas shrugged because it did not involve him nor did it worry him - "Jonas shrugged. It didn't worry him." (48). Also, when mention a Three, he remembered himself - "Jonas did too. Although, he had been a Three at the time himself." (54). He did not know pain. He knew nothing about anything. Therefore, he wasn't able to feel pain. At the end of the book, Jonas has all these memories and emotions. He has all of those under control. He cares about others more than himself to the point where he had left the community in order for everyone to get the bad memories but following up with the great ones - "If he stayed, he would have starved in other ways. He would have lived a life hungry for feelings, for color, for love. And Gabriel? For Gabriel there would have been no life at all. So there had not really been a choice.” (174). It said that he wept because he couldn't save Gabriel, he no longer cared about himself - “He wept because he was afraid now that he could not save Gabriel. He no longer cared about himself” (174). That is love. He transferred love to Gabriel. He was able to because after everything he went through, he still had something strong within himself, just for Gabriel. Jonas saw war and death. He went through all that pain. But through it all, he found something brighter. He saw the beauty of having memories.

To find love, you need to go through hardships. That is what Jonas went through. He saw all the terrible things that had been taken away. And, he saw all the great things that had been taken away - color, laughter, animals etc. With all the terrible memories that had been expose to him, he chose to focus on the greater good. He focused on what could be good for himself and the community, memories, feelings, love, and nature, colors. With the hardships (bad memories - pain), he found love. He was given the opportunity to love and to care. He found love for those he surrounded himself with, especially Fiona, "...female Eleven named Fiona. Jonas liked Fiona." (28), The Giver, You may stay here tonight. I want to talk to you. But you must be quiet now, while I notify your family unit...notify the new receivers family unit that he will be staying with me tonight..."and Gabriel, "And he had taken Gabriel, too." As he shared fondly bonding with the people he loves and cares about, he found love.