Interesting to note that Jonas' mother is in the elevated position of judge. She comes across as being empathetic and actually agonises over the decisions she has to make for those appear before her in court. She was with the Law and Justice.
Jonas' father without a doubt is empathetic which explains his role as a Nurturer. He is seen as a shy and quiet man. He was with the Nurturing Centre.
Ironically, they are in positions to determine whether an adult in the case of the mother or a child with the father gets released or not.
This I believe helps Jonas' development as a Receiver of Memories which calls for a high degree of empathy. However, his ability to see beyond is something that is unique to him and not seen in his parents.
Small discretions - Father finding out the name of Gabriel, children learning to ride a bicycle before the official age of nine.
Rules were very hard to change.
The Receiver was regarded as the most important Elder and would be consulted for interpretation or changing
of a rule.
1st - Naming and assigning to a family
8th - The comfort object would be taken away and recycled to the younger children.
9th - to be allowed to ride a bicycle. Girls got to remove their hair ribbons.
12th - Ceremony of Twelve. Seen as the most important where the Assignment is given which is a secret and done so by the Committee of Elders. They would closely scrutinise the Elevens in school, recreation time and during voluntary hours; meeting with the instructors. If the Twelve is disappointed with the Assignment, there is an appeal process.
You are seen as an adult upon receiving your Assingment. He then spends his time with his Assignment group as opposed to his friends of the same age.
Yoshiko - Doctor (Japanese)
Andrei - Japanese (Greek)
Chapter 3
The arrival of the newchild, Gabriel who has the same pale eyes as Jonas. This feature marks them as different though this is not too much an issue in Jonas' community.
Actually, Jonas is intrigued with Gabriel which foretells their special relationship later on in story.
We learned about how reproduction takes place in the community. Through Birthmothers who over three years would be expected to give birth to three offsprings.
There is an episode where Jonas indulges in picking out the types of assignments suitable for Lily like being a Speaker. Here is the mark of a good writer where Lowry uses this to hint at the changes to the community as experienced by Jonas.
She uses this as a pretext to bring in the incident of the apple where it had changed for an instant (turns out it was colour - does it have anything to do with his pale eyes, a genetic defect so to speak where the others have dark eyes?) (24)
It is common for minor infractions and to refrain from committing them annouced over the PA. In this case that objects are not to be removed from the recreation area and snacks (i.e. apples) are to be eaten, not hoarded (23)
The chapter ends with the family doing what they have done in all previous evenings - reflecting, quiet, a time for renewal and preparation for the day to come.
It was different only in the addition to it of the newchild with his pale, solemn, knowing eyes
I can't help but think that this can refer to Jonas with his pale, solemn and knowing eyes both literally and metaphorically.
Chapter 4.
They enjoyed freedom to a degree which they regarded as a luxury (26) This refers to where they would like to spend their volunteer hours at. Completing their required number of hours was taken seriously at the risk of having their Assignment delayed (28)
The rule of not bragging (27) seems in keeping with this concept of equality. Benjamin's obvious talent in developing devices for rehabilitation,
Jonas' parents, Asher and Fiona do not seem to fit the mold of what a model member of community should be. They took liberties to break the rule in their own fashion. Asher was probably due to forgetfulness. Fiona was described to have a sense of fun. (28)
This was an interesting tour (somewhat like Lowry's time in Japan) - Nurturing Centre, Food Distribution Centre and the House of the Old. (27) - This was
Here is where the reader comes to know what Release is about as far as the Community knows.
As a side note, Jonas had done his hours in a variety of places so that he could experience the differences (29)
We see now why Lowry had written into the story the type of parents Jonas had, his penchant for the marginalised (Asher and the Old) He bathed Larissa with gentleness and care.
If one was assigned as a BIrthmother, one cannot be part of a family unit which is ironical in one sense. One is instrumental in bringing a life into the world but one is denied the opportunity (or in our world, the right) to raise these children.
Larissa answered Jonas' question about what happened to those who are Released which in this case was Roberto -(31-32)
There is a Releasing Room for this ocassion
Jonas wished that he could be there to see the Release. This foreshadows the Release of the twins later in the book.
Chapter 5
Jonas rarely has dreams but he has one about Fiona which is known as the Stirring.
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