Skip to main content

What do girls' hair ribbons stand for in The Giver? Where and when do they appear in The Giver?

The hair ribbons girls wear are an indication and symbol of their youth.  They reinforce conformity.  Girls wear them until age Nine.  Girls must wear them at all times, and they are specifically mentioned in Chapters 2, 3, 6 and 13.


Lily complains about the hair ribbons.  When her mother fixes them, she tells her she can tie them herself.  Lily’s ribbons are always untied.


"I know that," Mother replied, straightening the hair ribbons on...

The hair ribbons girls wear are an indication and symbol of their youth.  They reinforce conformity.  Girls wear them until age Nine.  Girls must wear them at all times, and they are specifically mentioned in Chapters 2, 3, 6 and 13.


Lily complains about the hair ribbons.  When her mother fixes them, she tells her she can tie them herself.  Lily’s ribbons are always untied.



"I know that," Mother replied, straightening the hair ribbons on the little girl's braids. "But I also know that they constantly come loose and more often than not, they're dangling down your back by afternoon. Today, at least, we want them to be neatly tied and to stay neatly tied." (Ch. 6)



There are several symbols of a child’s age, and everyone is alike.  For example, the clothes the children wear vary by year.  As they get older, the community symbolizes the children’s growing independence with hair and wardrobe changes.


Hair indicates a child’s age for boys too.



Jonas never found the Ceremony of Ten particularly interesting- only time-consuming, as each child's hair was snipped neatly into its distinguishing cut: females lost their braids at Ten, and males, too, relinquished their long childish hair and took on the more manly short style which exposed their ears. (Ch. 6) 



With everyone looking alike and dressing alike, the community reinforces Sameness.  Sameness means that no one is different, so no one is uncomfortable.  Everything is carefully regulated so that there are no choices about anything.  If children chose whether to wear hair in ribbons or not, then some would look different.  Therefore, there are rules that everyone wears ribbons.  They also must be properly tied. 


Not complying with the community’s rules or not being neat results in public shaming.  For example, if Lily’s ribbons are untied the Speaker may make an announcement to the whole community.  Even if Lily is not mentioned by name, everyone will know who the speaker is talking about.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...