Monday, July 16, 2012

What are some internal or external conflicts that occur in The Giver? Please state the page # if possible and what kind of conflict.like jonas...

Jonas faces many conflicts.  His first conflicts are Jonas vs. society, in which he questions the world he lives in.  Jonas' first conflict can be found on page 95, when he begins to question the community's decision to go to Sameness.  He decides that he disagrees, though at this point he doesn't have the knowledge he needs to back up his opinion.  For the first time in the book, Jonas has an opinion that differs from what he has been taught by the community.  These types of conflicts continue and deepen as Jonas learns about decisions (p. 97-99), different races (p. 100), grief and death (p. 100), and pain (p. 107-108). Jonas finally comes to the conclusion that there should be no Giver or Receiver, and that Sameness should no longer be (p. 112-113).  These are all examples of conflicts between Jonas and the society in which he lives.


Jonas also has conflicts with himself.  His first one in the book comes when he gives away a memory to Gabriel.  He struggles over whether to tell the Giver and finally decides not to because he feels that it might somehow be wrong (p. 117).  He also struggles with not wanting to be the Receiver (p. 121) and frustration at not having a family that knows "love" (p. 127).  He tells his first lie as well (p. 127).  After learning about what "release" means, Jonas feels rage and doesn't want to return to society (p. 154).  Jonas' final big conflict in the book comes when he and the Giver make plans for Jonas to leave the community and he carries out those plans.  He struggles with whether or not he is making the right decision, and whether or not to bring Gabriel, but finally decides that yes, he is making the right decision and goes forward.


The page numbers given are from my copy of the book.  It's the Dell Laurel-Leaf Reader's Circle edition, copyright 1993. Your book may have different page numbers.

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