The Giver Rules and Order Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Everyone had known, he remembered with humiliation, that the announcement ATTENTION. THIS IS A REMINDER TO MALE ELEVENS THAT OBJECTS ARE NOT TO BE ROMOVED FROM THE RECREATION AREA AND THAT SNACKS ARE TO BE EATEN, NOT HOARDED had been specifically directed at him, the day last month that he had taken an apple home. No one had mentioned it, not even his parents, because the public announcement had been sufficient to produce the appropriate remorse. He had, of course, disposed of the apple and made his apology to the Recreation Director the next morning, before school. (3.20)

The community relies on embarrassment to enforce its rules; we see that laws themselves are not enough, but require the collective support of those they are controlling.

Quote #5

And the nakedness, too. It was against the rules for children or adults to look at another's nakedness; but the rule did not apply to newchildren or the Old. Jonas was glad. It was a nuisance to keep oneself covered while changing for games, and the required apology if one had by mistake glimpsed another's body was always awkward. He couldn't see why it was necessary. He liked the feeling of safety here in this warm and quiet room; he liked the expression of trust on the woman's face as she lay in the water unprotected, exposed, and free. (4.22)

That the elderly and the very young are exempt from certain rules is another testament to their being separated from the community.

Quote #6

"That's all," she replied, returning the bottle to the cupboard. "But you mustn't forget. I'll remind you for the first weeks, but then you must do it on your own. If you forget, the Stirrings will come back. The dreams of the Stirrings will come back. Sometimes the dosage must be adjusted." (5.41)

Look at the kinds of feelings and actions the rules of the community are aimed to control. Laws like this one about stopping sexual urges are particularly alarming for us to read; Lowry is manipulating the way we see Jonas's community.