The Giver Research Paper

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A New Classic In 1994, The Giver won the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children ("1994 Newbery Medal and Honor Books”). Although Lois Lowry’s novel was written twenty-one years ago, the novel is still read in many classrooms despite it being banned and not being an official classic. Other utopian novels such as 1984 by George Orwell are often read in later years because Winston’s society is so relatable to ours today. Both novels have won awards and our popular in today’s media, but how realistic is The Giver? Is it as relatable as 1984? Genetic engineering, medicine, and weather manipulation all play a role in The Giver and are not as out of reach as thought. George Orwell published 1984 in 1949, but the concept of Big Brother and censorship are quite real…show more content…
Some memories cause post-traumatic stress disorder which can cause people to freeze in fear or panic at any association with the painful memory. Fireworks often trigger war veterans during the Fourth of July. Erasing memories in rats with proteins has been an effective method to reduce emotional reactions and anxiety to traumatic memories (Lehrer). In Jonas’ community, the citizens are capable of forming memories, but they cannot remember past events unlike the Giver. The people receive the memories of the Receiver if they leave or are Released, and the Giver helps the Community cope with the new memories (Lowry 104). Somehow the memories of the first generation in the Community were passed onto the Giver. The protein experiment may be leading to memory reconsolidation, not the transference, yet passing memories have been occurring for generations. The phobias of heights, spiders, snakes, and the dark have been passed down to protect humans from the threats to early humans (Kase). Rats have also had memories passed down so their descendants would avoid aromas they were trained to fear

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