Notes

In The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas is courageous, insightful, and loving. Jonas shows courage when he is willing to sacrifice himself for the community by leaving a place he is comfortable with and going on a journey that he is not completely prepared for. Insight is another quality shown in the way he, with the help of the Giver, can see that life that eliminates pain and choice is not living a real life. He can see past the comfort and protection that the life he has known provides. Finally, Jonas is loving. Being able to love is an anomaly. Through his insight, he achieves the ability to love. He shows unconditional love for Gabe when he chooses to rescue him instead of waiting to be fully prepared to leave the community. Loving Gabe was the difficult choice to make, but he let that love prevail over logic, which saved the baby’s life. Because of these characteristics, I would choose to be friends with Jonas. Even though I may not have had the knowledge to be the way he was, I feel that people who are willing to be different when it is necessary are the type of people I want to surround myself with. Jonas and I would have made great friends.