Imagine living in a world where major decisions are being made for everyone. Being a unique individual is not existent. The government controls how a person looks, the career chose of a person, and what and how a person thinks on the daily basis. Sounds terrible. Unfortunately, these societies exist in the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and The Giver, a novel by Lois Lowry. Both societies’ governments force equality on all citizens and believe that the society is a utopian, however, what is being created is a dystopian society. Both also deal with the death of individuality and suppressing a person’s true self. In “Harrison Bergeron”, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. shows the trying to be equal in beauty, intelligence, and strength
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It is basically a place where people are devoid of any emotions. Growing old is not even important after a certain time. For example Jonas’ Father tells Jonas that “After Twelve, age isn't important. Most of us even lose track of how old we are as time passes” (Lowry 17). This community creates sameness by erasing the aspects of being a human with feelings. Birthmothers give birth but also have no contact with the newborn after. Anything sexual is forbidden also. The government or controllers in The Giver are called The Elders. Similar to the agents of the United States Handicapper General in “Harrison Bergeron”, they control all of the choices of this society. Birthdays are celebrated in groups and there is no variety in clothing or hairstyles. The Elders even designate jobs, children, spouses and names to their citizens. The Chief Elder decides jobs based on personality traits of each citizen at the age of 12. They receive the job during the Ceremony of Twelve. Ironically, there is a job where one citizen holds all memories of the past life with emotions and feelings, The Giver. The main character, Jonas, is honored with the job as the Receiver of Memory and has to receive the emotions and feelings from The Giver.
Jonas and Harrison both have similar characteristics as well. The protagonist of the story, Harrison …show more content…
However, The Giver is the most effective with connecting the issue of sameness to young adolescent audience because it explains the harsh realities of what can happen when striving for a utopian. Like Jonas, many children are protected from pain and normal troubles. Students relate to him more because just as he is shocked from the new feelings and emotions, so are they. As Jonas receives the bad feelings he also experiences the good aspects of the human life. The Community exterminates all of these feelings. Lastly, young adolescents are coming into their own and want to be the same as the others they see. They idolize celebrities and models. Fitting in is their main goal and The Giver puts in perspective how the society can be without any uniqueness or
It is basically a place where people are devoid of any emotions. Growing old is not even important after a certain time. For example Jonas’ Father tells Jonas that “After Twelve, age isn't important. Most of us even lose track of how old we are as time passes” (Lowry 17). This community creates sameness by erasing the aspects of being a human with feelings. Birthmothers give birth but also have no contact with the newborn after. Anything sexual is forbidden also. The government or controllers in The Giver are called The Elders. Similar to the agents of the United States Handicapper General in “Harrison Bergeron”, they control all of the choices of this society. Birthdays are celebrated in groups and there is no variety in clothing or hairstyles. The Elders even designate jobs, children, spouses and names to their citizens. The Chief Elder decides jobs based on personality traits of each citizen at the age of 12. They receive the job during the Ceremony of Twelve. Ironically, there is a job where one citizen holds all memories of the past life with emotions and feelings, The Giver. The main character, Jonas, is honored with the job as the Receiver of Memory and has to receive the emotions and feelings from The Giver.
Jonas and Harrison both have similar characteristics as well. The protagonist of the story, Harrison …show more content…
However, The Giver is the most effective with connecting the issue of sameness to young adolescent audience because it explains the harsh realities of what can happen when striving for a utopian. Like Jonas, many children are protected from pain and normal troubles. Students relate to him more because just as he is shocked from the new feelings and emotions, so are they. As Jonas receives the bad feelings he also experiences the good aspects of the human life. The Community exterminates all of these feelings. Lastly, young adolescents are coming into their own and want to be the same as the others they see. They idolize celebrities and models. Fitting in is their main goal and The Giver puts in perspective how the society can be without any uniqueness or