Skip to main content

What happened when Jonas's number should have been called and how did Jonas react in The Giver?

When Jonas’s number is called, he is skipped.  Jonas thinks he has done something wrong and is embarrassed. 

The Ceremony of Twelve is the most significant day in a child’s life.  It is the day he takes the first steps to becoming an adult, because he receives his assignment.  Children in Jonas’s community do not choose their own jobs.  The community chooses for them. 


Jonas has no idea what his assignment is going to be.  The children are closely watched by Elders for the years leading up to the ceremony.  The Elders review their volunteer hours and talk to their teachers.  They base the assignment on each child’s abilities, intelligence, and interests.  Jonas has not concentrated his hours in one place. 


When it is Jonas’s turn at the ceremony, something extraordinary happens.  All children born in a year are assigned a number.  Jonas is number 19.  However, the Chief Elder calls number 20 after number 18. 



She skipped me, Jonas thought, stunned. Had he heard wrong?  No. There was a sudden hush in the crowd, and he knew that the entire community realized that the Chief Elder had moved from Eighteen to Twenty, leaving a gap. (Ch. 7) 



Jonas is embarrassed and confused.  The only case where a student would not be called is if he did not complete his volunteer hours, and this would be a cause of great shame for the child.  Jonas does not think this is the case, and he is horrified.  In a community where standing out is considered the worse thing possible, attention has been called to Jonas in front of the entire community. 


Jonas hopes that she has made a mistake as she continues to all of the other students.  After the last one, she acknowledges the unease in the crowd by apologizing.  She also apologizes specifically to Jonas for causing him anguish.  Then she makes an extraordinary announcement. 



"Jonas has not been assigned," she informed the crowd, and his heart sank.


Then she went on. "Jonas has been selected."


He blinked. What did that mean? He felt a collective, questioning stir from the audience. They, too, were puzzled.


In a firm, commanding voice she announced, "Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory." (Ch. 8) 



This is a puzzle to Jonas.  He is only vaguely aware of this job, and has no recollection of anyone being selected for it.  He is told it is a great honor, and he was chosen because he has special traits the community needs, such as intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond.  He does not really know what that last one means, but is aware that he does have it because he has strange visions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more