Chapter 14 - The Giver

Jonas gets some painful memories such as hunger or fracture from the Giver and he wondered why The Giver and Jonas should contain all the memories and why those memories are not allowed to share with others. The Giver explained that they need to keep them in order to advise the committee of Elders. In addition, other people don’t want to know about pain and that’s why The Giver and Jonas were selected to carry the entire burden. On the other hand, Jonas got to experience an amazing thing. He’s failed to transmit his memory to another but this time, he seemed to make it with Gabriel.

Indeed, are the Giver and Jonas greatly honored to become the Receiver? On the surface, it can be true since all the people in the community say so and are told so. However, it’s obviously a white lie. People merely need one victim for everyone. They force the victim to sacrifice everything in order to give away all the pain and the burden. How selfish human being is!  

However, in another way, it could mean to have power or authorities as much as the Giver and Jonas carry all the memories. As Jonas asked the Giver to apply for a change of rules, what if they try to change the community using their memory; power?

The sled moved forward, and Jonas grinned with delight, looking forward to the breathtaking slide down through the invigorating air.
in·vig·or·at·ing [invígərèitiŋ]
to make somebody feel healthy and full of energy
They felt refreshed and invigorated after the walk.

But the runners, this time, couldn't slice through the frozen expanse
ex·panse [ikspǽns]
a wide and open area of something, especially land or water
a wide/vast expanse of blue sky

They skittered sideways and the sled gathered speed.
skitter [skítər]
[VERB] If something skitters, it moves about very lightly and quickly.
The rats skittered around them in the drains and under the floorboards

Jonas was jarred loose and thrown violently into the air.
jar [dʒaːr]
[VERB] If an object jars, or if something jars it, the object moves with a fairly hard shaking movement.
The ship jarred a little.

His face scraped along jagged edges of ice.
jagged [dʒǽgid]
with rough, pointed, often sharp edges
The mountains are jagged.

In his agony he perceived the word "fire"
agony [ǽgəni]
[NOUN] Agony is great physical or mental pain.
She called out in agony

There was always a daub of anesthetic ointment, or a pill; or in severe instances, an injection that brought complete and instantaneous deliverance.
daub [dɔːb]
small amount of a substance such as paint that has been spread carelessly
a daub of lipstick

anesthetic [ӕnəsθétik]= anaesthetic (NOUN)
a drug that makes a person or an animal unable to feel anything, especially pain, either in the whole body or in a part of the body.
We forget what life must have been like without anaesthetics and painkillers.

instantaneous [ìnstəntéiniəs]
[ADJ] Something that is instantaneous happens immediately and very quickly.
Death was instantaneous because both bullets hit the heart.

deliverance [dilívərəns]
the state of being rescued from danger, evil or pain.
The opening scene shows them celebrating their sudden deliverance from war.

Limping, Jonas walked home, pushing his bicycle,
limp [limp]
[VERB] If a person or animal limps, they walk with difficulty or in an uneven way because one of their legs or feet is hurt.
I wasn't badly hurt, but I injured my thigh and had to limp.

But this ache lingered.
linger [líŋgər]
[VERB] When something such as an idea, feeling, or illness lingers, it continues to exist for a long time, often much longer than expected.
The scent of her perfume lingered on in the room.

Again and again he dreamed of the anguish and the isolation on the forsaken hill.
forsake [fərséik]
[VERB] If you forsake someone, you leave them when you should have stayed, or stop you helping them or looking after them.
I still love him and I would never forsake him.

The agony of the fractured leg began to seem no more than a mild discomfort.
fracture [frǽkʧər]
[VERB] If something such as a bone is fractured or fractures, it gets a slight crack or break in it.
She fell and fractured her skull.

a brisk sail on a blue-green lake
brisk [brisk]
[ADJ][usu ADJ n] A brisk activity or action is done quickly and in an energetic way.
Taking a brisk walk can often induce a feeling of well-being

It was not enough to assuage the pain that Jonas was beginning, now, to know.
assuage [əswéidʒ]
to make an unpleasant feeling less severe
To assuage his wife's grief, he took her on a tour of Europe.

the hunger had caused excruciating spasms in his empty, distended stomach.
excruciating [ikskrúːʃièitiŋ]
extremely painful
The pain in my back was excruciating.
spasm [spæzm]
[NOUN][oft into N] A spasm is a sudden tightening of your muscles, which you cannot control.
The injection sent his leg into spasm.
distend [disténd]
[VERB] If a part of your body is distended, or if it distends, it becomes swollen and unnaturally large.
starving children with huge distended bellies.

before your birth, a lot of citizens petitioned the Committee of Elders.
petition [pətíʃən]
[VERB] If you petition someone in authority, you make a formal request to them.
She's petitioning to regain custody of the child.

Now it was ominous. It meant, he knew, that nothing could be changed.
ominous  [άmənəs]
suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future
There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone

hugging his hippo placidly in the small crib
placid [plǽsid]
not easily upset or excited/not moving much : calm and steady
a person with a sunny, placid disposition

He ruffled Lily's hair.
ruffle [rΛfl]
[VERB] If you ruffle someone's hair, you move your hand backwards and forwards through it as a way of showing your affection towards them.
She ruffled his hair affectionately.

Larissa's life Elsewhere would be quiet and serene as befit the Old
befit [bifít]
[VERB] If something befits a person or thing, it is suitable or appropriate for them.
He lived in the style befitting a gentleman.

If no one goes to tend Gabriel," she pointed out, "he gets very loud.
tend [ténd]
to care for somebody/something
Doctors and nurses tended the injured.

The newchild was turning under his cover, flailing his arms, and beginning to whimper.
flail [fleil]
[VERB] If your arms or legs flail or if you flail them about, they wave about in an energetic but uncontrolled way.
His arms were flailing in all directions.

Sometimes that was all it took to lull him back to sleep.
lull [lʌl]
to make somebody relaxed and calm
The vibration of the engine lulled the children to sleep.

and above him the white sail of the boat billowing as he moved along in the brisk wind.
billow [bílou]
to fill with air and swell out
The curtains billowed in the breeze.

He no longer had any more than a wisp of the memory
wisp [wisp]
a small, thin piece of hair, grass, etc
She smoothed away a wisp of hair from her eyes.