The Giver
Utopia is definitively more cerebral than Dystopia. Dystopia primarily engenders contemplation of fearful extremes, while Utopia always goes a step further, inspiring contentment in and acceptance of those fears. The Giver by Lois Lowry emphasizes the cerebral feel even more than contemporary works, with the main character experiencing a cerebral revelation that mirrors the reader’s.
As the idiom goes, ignorance is bliss. The philosophical debate surrounding this phrase is unending, but the prevailing theory is that everyone is entitled to truth, as consciousness is a core trait of humanity. Within the society of The Giver, there are many positive elements. Futuristic medicine has made pain an ancient relic, and violence is inconceivable. But in order to avoid violence, choice is heavily restricted, with all getting assigned their roles in society. The main character, Jonas, was assigned the coveted role of the Giver’s apprentice, training to one day become the most important member of the community. The process of becoming a Giver is a slow transference of memory, as you become a living catalog containing the experience of many lifetimes. This leads to a powerful iteration of dramatic irony (Dramatic irony is when the reader is aware of something that a character is not). The reader constantly reassesses aspects of daily life in response to the awe that Jonas experiences. Concepts as simple as hot and cold confuse him to the point that he experiences great delight over simple sensations. But then, he experiences true pain for the first time.
Memories of sickness and war nearly drive him to insanity, and the only way he resists the void of despair is by anchoring himself in memory. This demonstrates the very reason that this particular utopia is disturbed; with no anchor, value has no meaning. The average citizen does not have any standard by which to quantify experience, so they have life but do not live, and they cannot see time as valuable. This results in the actions of the people that drive Jonas to extreme action. The society kills old people, not understanding that even time spent at a slow pace is priceless.
Thus, as Jonas is called to action, so are we. Jonas seeks to spread his perspectives to foster thought, reflecting Lois Lowry's encouragement for us not to hoard knowledge. She wants all to rejoice and commiserate as a corporate body, stimulating complex and delightful personality through interaction. The novel ends with Jonas clinging to a particular memory, drawing enough strength to overcome the fear of death.
The Chase Verdict is that Jonas inspires empathy, strengthens our hope in humanity, and encourages all readers to seek a wider variety of experiences. In the same way, The Giver is a unique experience that deserves the time invested to enhance all temporal value.