Jonas learns that the community once had colors, and The Giver explains to him that they gave up too much for Sameness.
The Giver teaches Jonas about the Capacity to See Beyond, which means in his case that he can see the color red. Color was one of the things the community gave up in the switch to Sameness.
The Giver chuckled, suddenly. "We've never completely mastered Sameness. I suppose the genetic scientists are still...
Jonas learns that the community once had colors, and The Giver explains to him that they gave up too much for Sameness.
The Giver teaches Jonas about the Capacity to See Beyond, which means in his case that he can see the color red. Color was one of the things the community gave up in the switch to Sameness.
The Giver chuckled, suddenly. "We've never completely mastered Sameness. I suppose the genetic scientists are still hard at work trying to work the kinks out. Hair like Fiona's must drive them crazy." (Ch. 12)
The community does not allow anyone to be different. People have the same skin tone, and the same hair color. They even have the same eye color. Everyone in the community has the same dark eyes, but Jonas’s are light-colored. The Giver and baby Gabe also have these light eyes.
The Giver shows Jonas the memory of the sled again, which is the color red. Jonas says that the color red he saw was beautiful, and The Giver agrees. He tells Jonas that getting rid of colors was part of the choice to go to Sameness, which meant gaining control, but also giving up a lot.
"Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness. Before my time, before the previous time, back and back and back. We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with differences." He thought for a moment. "We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others." (Ch. 12)
It is clear that The Giver does not completely agree with the choice the community has made. Sameness meant everyone feeling comfortable all of the time, but it also meant giving away beautiful things and pleasant things along with the terrible and unpleasant ones. He explains to Jonas that it took him years to come to the same conclusion Jonas did, that Sameness was not all it was cracked up to be.
Jonas is told that he will acquire wisdom with the memories. The Giver explains to him that part of that wisdom is in understanding the community’s faults. Until now, he has done nothing but accept unquestionably the community’s rules. As he experiences the memories, he learns that the community is not the perfect world he thought it was.
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