Chapter 12 — The Giver by Lois Lowry

Chapter 12 — The Giver by Lois Lowry

Chapter 12 of Lois Lowry's The Giver explores Jonas's journey as he begins to experience emotions and perceptions beyond his community's controlled environment. In this chapter, Jonas grapples with the concept of 'seeing beyond,' which allows him to perceive colors and deeper feelings, particularly during his interactions with his friend Fiona. The narrative highlights the tension between conformity and individuality, as Jonas yearns for the beauty of color and emotion in a society that has chosen sameness. This chapter is essential for understanding the themes of memory, choice, and the human experience in a dystopian setting. Readers interested in character development and thematic depth will find this chapter particularly engaging.

Key Points

  • Explores Jonas's awakening to emotions and colors in Chapter 12 of The Giver.
  • Highlights the concept of 'seeing beyond' as Jonas perceives color for the first time.
  • Examines the conflict between individuality and societal conformity in a dystopian world.
  • Features significant interactions between Jonas and Fiona, emphasizing friendship and discovery.
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Chapter 12
"You slept soundly, Jonas?" his mother asked at the morning meal. "No dreams?"
Jonas simply smiled and nodded, not ready to lie, not willing to tell the truth. "I slept very soundly," he
said.
"I wish this one would," his father said, leaning down from his chair to touch Gabriel's waving fist. The
basket was on the floor beside him; in its corner, beside Gabriel's head, the stuffed hippo sat staring
with its blank eyes.
"So do I," Mother said, rolling her eyes. "He's so fretful at night."
Jonas had not heard the newchild during the night because as always, he had slept soundly. But it
was not true that he had no dreams.
Again and again, as he slept, he had slid down that snow-covered hill. Always, in the dream, it
seemed as if there were a destination: a something—he could not grasp what—that lay beyond the
place where the thickness of snow brought the sled to a stop.
He was left, upon awakening, with the feeling that he wanted, even somehow needed, to reach the
something that waited in the distance. The feeling that it was good. That it was welcoming. That it
was significant.
But he did not know how to get there.
He tried to shed the leftover dream, gathering his schoolwork and preparing for the day.
School seemed a little different today. The classes were the same: language and communications;
commerce and industry; science and technology; civil procedures and government. But during the
breaks for recreation periods and the midday meal, the other new Twelves were abuzz with
descriptions of their first day of training. All of them talked at once, interrupting each other, hastily
making the required apology for interrupting, then forgetting again in the excitement of describing the
new experiences.
Jonas listened. He was very aware of his own admonition not to discuss his training. But it would
have been impossible, anyway. There was no way to describe to his friends what he had experienced
there in the Annex room. How could you describe a sled without describing a hill and snow; and how
could you describe a hill and snow to someone who had never felt height or wind or that feathery,
magical cold?
Even trained for years as they all had been in precision of language, what words could you use which
would give another the experience of sunshine?
So it was easy for Jonas to be still and to listen.
After school hours he rode again beside Fiona to the House of the Old.
"I looked for you yesterday," she told him, "so we could ride home together. Your bike was still there,
and I waited for a little while. But it was getting late, so I went on home."
"I apologize for making you wait," Jonas said.
"I accept your apology," she replied automatically.
"I stayed a little longer than I expected," Jonas explained.
She pedaled forward silently, and he knew that she expected him to tell her why. She expected him to
describe his first day of training. But to ask would have fallen into the category of rudeness.
"You've been doing so many volunteer hours with the Old," Jonas said, changing the subject. "There
won't be much that you don't already know."
"Oh, there's lots to learn," Fiona replied. "There's administrative work, and the dietary rules, and
punishment for disobedience—did you know that they use a discipline wand on the Old, the same as
for small children? And there's occupational therapy, and recreational activities, and medications,
and—"
They reached the building and braked their bikes.
"I really think I'll like it better than school," Fiona confessed.
"Me too," Jonas agreed, wheeling his bike into its place.
She waited for a second, as if, again, she expected him to go on. Then she looked at her watch,
waved, and hurried toward the entrance.
Jonas stood for a moment beside his bike, startled. It had happened again: the thing that he thought
of now as "seeing beyond." This time it had been Fiona who had undergone that fleeting
indescribable change. As he looked up and toward her going through the door, it happened; she
changed. Actually, Jonas thought, trying to recreate it in his mind, it wasn't Fiona in her entirety. It
seemed to be just her hair. And just for that flickering instant.
He ran through it in his mind. It was clearly beginning to happen more often. First, the apple a few
weeks before. The next time had been the faces in the audience at the Auditorium, just two days ago.
Now, today, Fiona's hair.
Frowning, Jonas walked toward the Annex. I will ask The Giver, he decided.
The old man looked up, smiling, when Jonas entered the room. He was already seated beside the
bed, and he seemed more energetic today, slightly renewed, and glad to see Jonas.
"Welcome," he said. "We must get started. You're one minute late."
"I apologi—" Jonas began, and then stopped, flustered, remembering there were to be no apologies.
He removed his tunic and went to the bed. "I'm one minute late because something happened," he
explained. "And I'd like to ask you about it, if you don't mind."
"You may ask me anything."
Jonas tried to sort it out in his mind so that he could explain it clearly. "I think it's what you call
seeing-beyond," he said.
The Giver nodded. "Describe it," he said.
Jonas told him about the experience with the apple. Then the moment on the stage, when he had
looked out and seen the same phenomenon in the faces of the crowd.
"Then today, just now, outside, it happened with my friend Fiona. She herself didn't change, exactly.
But something about her changed for a second. Her hair looked different; but not in its shape, not in
its length. I can't quite—" Jonas paused, frustrated by his inability to grasp and describe exactly what
had occurred.
Finally he simply said, "It changed. I don't know how, or why.
"That's why I was one minute late," he concluded, and looked questioningly at The Giver.
To his surprise, the old man asked him a question which seemed unrelated to the seeing-beyond.
"When I gave you the memory yesterday, the first one, the ride on the sled, did you look around?"
Jonas nodded. "Yes," he said, "but the stuff—I mean the snow—in the air made it hard to see
anything."
"Did you look at the sled?"
Jonas thought back. "No. I only felt it under me. I dreamed of it last night, too. But I don't remember
seeing the sled in my dream, either. Just feeling it."
The Giver seemed to be thinking.
"When I was observing you, before the selection, I perceived that you probably had the capacity, and
what you describe confirms that. It happened somewhat differently to me," The Giver told him. "When
I was just your age—about to become the new Receiver—I began to experience it, though it took a
different form. With me it was ... well, I won't describe that now; you wouldn't understand it yet.
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FAQs of Chapter 12 — The Giver by Lois Lowry

What does Jonas begin to experience in Chapter 12?
In Chapter 12 of The Giver, Jonas starts to experience 'seeing beyond,' which allows him to perceive colors and deeper emotions. This awakening is significant as it marks a departure from the monochromatic world of his community, where such feelings and perceptions are suppressed. Jonas's first experiences include seeing the color red in Fiona's hair and in the sled from his memories. This ability to see color symbolizes his growing awareness of individuality and the richness of human experience, contrasting sharply with the enforced sameness of his society.
How does Jonas's relationship with Fiona develop in this chapter?
Jonas's relationship with Fiona deepens in Chapter 12 as they share their experiences at the House of the Old. Fiona's dedication to her volunteer work reveals her caring nature, and Jonas admires her. However, Jonas is unable to share his new experiences of seeing color with her, which creates a subtle distance between them. This dynamic illustrates the challenges of communication and connection in a society that discourages emotional expression. Their friendship serves as a crucial element in Jonas's journey toward self-discovery and understanding of the complexities of human emotions.
What is the significance of color in Chapter 12 of The Giver?
Color in Chapter 12 symbolizes the richness of human experience that Jonas begins to uncover. As he starts to see colors like red, it represents his awakening to emotions and the beauty of individuality, which are absent in his community's pursuit of sameness. The Giver explains that color was relinquished when society chose control over freedom, highlighting the sacrifices made for uniformity. This newfound perception of color not only enhances Jonas's understanding of the world but also sets the stage for his eventual rebellion against the constraints of his society.
What theme is highlighted through Jonas's experiences in this chapter?
The theme of individuality versus conformity is prominently highlighted in Chapter 12 of The Giver. As Jonas begins to see colors and experience emotions, he realizes the limitations imposed by his community's choice for sameness. This awakening leads him to question the values of his society and the sacrifices made for the sake of control. The contrast between Jonas's emerging individuality and the collective conformity of his peers underscores the importance of personal freedom and the richness of human experience, setting the foundation for his journey toward self-discovery.

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