The Giver Final Reading Response

            A phase that happens when kids come of age if that a kid's false view of the world turns to a correct and more accurate view.  I finished reading The Giver by Lois Lowry.  It's about a boy named Jonas who gets selected to be the next Receiver.  He receives memories from the Giver of the past.  He receives memories of love and family, but also receives memories of pain and death.  Jonas' view of the world changed as he received memories and saw what the elders really did to release people.  His view of the world changed to be more accurate.
            Children have a false view of the world because they are young.  Parents and adults influence the view of little children.  They try to protect them by giving them a false view of the world.  They try to make the world seem like a perfect world full of peace.  In The Giver, the Childcare have strict policies to keep children from misbehaving and learning the correct view of the world.  A quote from the text is "The Childcare specialists were trained very carefully in the discipline methods."(54).  Sometimes strict policies are needed to keep children from learning the correct view just like the government in the Giver.
           As children come of age they go through many experiences that show them the correct view of the world.  The children who learn the correct view feel betrayed by their parents because they try to protect their children from drugs and violence.  Sometimes children are misunderstanding their parents who try to protect them, but they feel betrayed by their parents.  A quote from the text that shows how Jonas feels betrayed by his father because he lied to him.  "He killed it!  My father killed it.  Jonas said to himself stunning at what he was realizing."(150).  Later on in the book during the family talk at dinner time.  "Mother and Father making their customary comments (and lies Jonas knew) about the day."(164).  Jonas was betrayed because his dad told him release was that the person would leave the town but they actually kill the person.  But maybe Jonas' father was only trying to protect him by lying.
           Some experiences can change the view of children.  Gossip at school can change the views of how they see the world.  Also curiosity can lead children to find out their parents lied to them.  Also how their parents lied to them about their childhood views.  A quote from the text is " 'Giver,' Jonas asked the next afternoon.  'Do you ever think about release?"(139).  Later they are about to watch a release.  "They're in the Hall of Closed Records.  Do you want to see this morning's release?"(147).  After Jonas' dad kills the baby.  "The Giver turned to him. 'Well, there you are Jonas.  You were wondering about release,' he said in a bitter voice."(151).  It shows how curiosity to find out his father lied to him.
           In conclusion as children come of age their view changes to be more correct and accurate.  In the Giver Jonas thought that his town was nice and peaceful , nothing can go wrong in his life.  But then when he finds out what they really do during release and felt betrayed by his parents and his town.  His view of the world changed and felt betrayed by his community.  I can connect because when I was young, I thought the world was peaceful.  As I come of age my view of the world changed because the world is full of bad things and good things.