Students,
Please respond to the following passage from The Giver. Does this passage offer any descriptive language that draws you in? Does it foreshadow something that will be revealed about Jonas and/or The Giver? What does it tell you about most members of the community? What is meant by the Depth that Jonas speaks of in the light eyes? I look forward to enjoying your insight.
Mirrors were rare in the community; they weren't forbidden, but there was no need of them, and Jonas had simply never bothered to look at himself very often even when he found himself in a location where a mirror existed. Now, seeing the newchild and its expression, he was reminded that the light eyes were not only a rarity but gave the one who had them a certain look -- what was it? Depth, he decided; as if one were looking into the clear water of the river, down to the bottom, where things might lurk which hadn't been discovered yet. He felt self-conscious, realizing that he, too, had that look.
I think that the depth Jonas is talking about means that people with light eyes stand out a little and have the capcity to think outside the box and the ordinary life. It was like they knew a little more, or could understand things in different way than most. This also tells you that most of the community are the same, that is why they don't need mirrors that much. They can look at each other and see the same ordinary things that can be true for themselves. I think that this foreshadows a little easier transition for Jonas than others into recieving all the memories. This passage also has the simile- as if one were looking into the clear water of a river, down to the bottom, where things might lurk which hadn't been discovered yet. This I think is a very good discription of the depth of the light colored eyes.
ReplyDeleteIt explains that some people might not even know what they look like and no one really cares how they look. In our modern society everyone is busy in the mall to look for the most recent trends fashions and hair designs, when our world's people go out in public especially somewhere formal; they always wear and try to look their best. Sometimes it might occur to me that people with the clouded light eyes have more intelligence and possibly Gabriel will be the next receiver, because of their eye similarity and since they can't see color how they see this shade of eye tone. Jonas seems very curious about why he has these eyes. It does foreshadow about Gabriel, and possibly that the Giver has these eyes too. The fact that people in this community have mirrors but rarely use them is quite strange. Another foreshadow about the members of the community is that if they reached our world they could not hear music or see color.
ReplyDeleteBecause there are not very many mirrors in Jonas's Utopian society, this tells us, the readers, that most people do not care how they look. Maybe they do not even know what they look like! This passage tells us Jonas did not care about his looks; therefore this gives the readers an idea about how this society does not make fun of eachother. A couple chapters ago, it said that people could get punished, or even released if they boasted. Then, after that, the narrator explains how when people pointed out how others were different, this was not going against the rules, but that it was "uncomfortable." However, something that confuses me is that if Jonas does not really look at the mirrors, how would he know that he, himself, had clouded eyes? No one would physically tell him, because that would make him feel "uncomfortable."
ReplyDeleteLike what Melody said, while reading this book, I wondered if maybe Gabriel would be the next Receiver because both Jonas and the baby have the unique clouded eyes. Does the Receiver now have clouded eyes? Finally, I think when Jonas mentioned "depth," I understood it as a simile, comparing the eyes to deep water, how "things might lurk, but haven't been discovered yet."
I believe that the depth in the newchild's eyes meant that he was unique in his own way, and in my opinion it kind of meant innocent. I could just imagine the baby's stare. I think that it is what the depth meant. I enjoyed reading the part where they comare the eyes to the river. It was describing how the appearance made him look natural(like the river). I agree with Melody and Jamie. Maybe there is a connection between The Giver, Receiver and Gabe. I also feel that the depth showed something about the Utopean society. Everything was the same. Sameness was all there was. So it showed that the newchild is different.
ReplyDelete-Nanita
Personally, I think that the Depth in Gabriel's light-colored eyes meant that he could see into the Beyond. Jonas has light-colored eyes, and he was selected as a Receiver. That night when Gabriel was crying, Jonas was able to give the memory of a sailboat, and Gabriel was able to receive it. I think that this foreshadows that when Gabriel grows up, he will become a Receiver, and Jonas will become a Giver.
ReplyDeleteI think that the light eyes may not actually give their owner special abilities, but rather that it might symbollically mean something. Jonas may just be trying to comfort himself, what with all the odd changes in his life. However, the eyes could actually be a result of something special in the person who has them, and we just haven't found out yet. Also, if the people in this community can't see colors, how can everyone distinguish the light eyes from the dark ones?
ReplyDeleteIsabella
ReplyDeleteI think that Gabriel's light colored eyes means something. That night when Jonas told Gabriel the memory about the sailboat, Gabriel was able to take in the memory. Only certain people can take in memories. Since Jonas and Gabriel have light colored eyes, maybe Gabriel would be the next Receiver. Then Jonas would be the Giver. I was wondering if the Giver has light eyes. Maybe their is a connection between the Giver, Jonas, and Gabriel.
To me Gabe's eyes could mean a big significance. Especially when Jonas gave him a memory to calm him. Gabriel's eyes in the passage told me he knew something that was beyond his years. That he was special. The fact Gabriel could take the memory Jonas gave him could mean that he could be the next Receiver.
ReplyDeleteI think that the description of Grabriels eyes was a very good one. Just the summary is forshadowing. To me it means that inside a person with lighter eyes lies a beast that can think outside the sameness. Only people with light eyes can be a Reciever. The passage's descriptive language did draw me in. It also shows you that most people in the community are the same, and the specail ones are powerful.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this section of the book is more poetic than anything else. It says so much while only explaining the mysterious eyes of a newborn baby. Ifeel that the authordid an amazing jobin this paragraph. I also feel that this is showing that those whith the light eyes are different in ways other than physical appearence.
ReplyDeleteI think it is odd by how some have dark eyes and some have light. My hypothesis is that if someone has dark eyes thier eyes appear to be brown,if light maybe green or blue. Or these people might have a unknown power.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Gabe's eyes was saying,"I am special." It's alomost foreshadowing, as if he would be the new Reciever. The author did an amazing job, and this passasge is one of the passasges where you ponder about it for along time. Also, I feel like they don't have mirrors so no one would spend time worrying what they look like or what clothes mathches or not. This is one of my favorite passasges.
ReplyDeleteI thought for a moment that maybe the light eyes don't mean anything, but they brought it up in the story so it must mean something. I think teh people that have light eyes have a more open mind, they can take more things in. Meaning teat they, like Hannah said, think outside the box, or what they are missing in this society. They question this more often or at all. They are special.
ReplyDeleteJORDAN G.
ReplyDeleteThe passage paints an amazing picture when Jonas is describing the river and the eyes. The foreshadowing that I think is hidden in this passage is that the Giver (who I think has light eyes) can only give the memories to people with light eyes and so on and so forth. This also tells that, because of Sameness, people of the community all look the same so there was no real need for mirrors. The Depth that Jonas talked about was, to me, the feeling of intimidation. Like thee eyes had something scary, yet mysterious about them that pulled you in.
TOMMY C.
ReplyDeleteIn this descriptive passage it talks about two rare things in the Utopian society. The first rare thing in Jonas' Utopian society are mirrors. I think mirrors are rare because the people in the society don't need mirrors because they all look similar and there is no need for mirrors in Jonas' society. The second thing rare in the Utopian society is light eyes. I think(just making a guess) that light eyes are rare because light has something to do with color and they don't want color in the society. I think Jonas has light eyes because he is The Receiver. I think the Depth was only to some people where Jonas lives because not a lot of people have it and it is very rare.
Like Julia said, I believe that this is a very descriptive passage and the sentences give a lot of detail that helps explain the clip a little bit more. When Jonas talked about the depth in the child's eyes and also in his, it forshadows that Gabe could possibly be the next Reciever. I also believe that the reason that they have these light eyes is because it might mean they will become something inportatnt like Jonas has.
ReplyDeleteThis passage describes the level of sameness in the society. Everyone sees gray scale so eyes appear light or dark. Maybe Jonas and Gabe have blue eyes. Maybe the Giver does to. I think that maybe all the receivers have had light (blue?) eyes. Just a possibility.
ReplyDeleteIn this society, the people with light colored eyes are very rare. The people with light colored eyes have the ability to see beyond or deeper than what an average, dark eyed person can see. Maybe that's why Jonas was chosen to be the Receiver. Since, Jonas and Gabriel both have light colored eyes, Jonas could be the future Giver and Gabriel could be the future Receiver.
ReplyDeleteELLA C.
ReplyDeleteI could really imagine this passage in The Giver. Comparing Jonas' eyes to a river really helped paint a vivid picture in my mind. Jonas may have never felt the need to look in the mirror because everyone in his society look pretty much the same. Seeing the new child with lighter colored eyes reminded Jonas that he also had the lighter colored eyes. In this society, most people have dark colored eyes. Jonas and Gabriel both have lighter colored eyes which makes them stand out more from the other people. Having lighter eyes could give them the capability to see things that others couldn't. Jonas, in the future, may train Gabriel to be the next Giver.
STEPHANIE D.
ReplyDeleteThis passage definitely draws in the reader's attention. For me, i especially enjoyed the last sentence. It could foreshadow the fact that Jonas may discover that he has a younger brother. It was rare to find a mirror which suggests that most people in the community weren't worried about the way they looked or maybe it wasn't a main priority to spend hours fixing their hair or clothes.
When Jonas speaks of the Depth in the light eyes, he means he can see beyond the outer layer of the eye and facial expression, and also the reflection of certain objects around him and even the reflection of himself in the light eyes.
MATTHEW V.
ReplyDeleteThe way that the author describes Gabriels's eyes is stunning; I thought that the depth that was described was really descriptive. Also, I thought it was weird how they don't have mirrors, though I know vanity doesn't exist in a Utopian society. I am glad that the author describes the story about mirrors. Overall, the word choice was fantastic.
ALAINA K.
ReplyDeleteI think that Jonas is saying that the people with these depth of eyes are different. Also the passage was very descriptive, but was different is the thing with the mirrors. They didn’t look at themselves, and Jonas didn’t even look at himself if the was a mirror. I think that it is a little suspicious, that they don’t look at themselves. I really wonder why that is, but I guess we will probably find out sooner or later. This passage is to show that some people stand out and that is okay, but there aren’t a lot like that, so that is why those people stand out so much.
ERIKA W.
ReplyDeleteThis passage started out sounding descriptive, without actually, being very descriptive at all. Once the author, started using similes, then, it became very even more alluring. It made you picture what little Gabriel’s eyes looked like. This passage tells you that most people in the community don’t have the same color eyes. Most people have dark and dull eyes, while people like Jonas and Gabriel have light colored eyes. And just as Hannah said, they probably never needed to use mirrors because most people just looked pretty much alike. Also, I think, that it might foreshadow the eyes of most of the Receivers/ the Givers. Also, as Audrey said, I think that the depth in his eyes, means that he may be able to see beyond.
This passage is great. It's very descriptive in a way that makes you think. When Gabe's eyes are being described in the simile, the depth is described as looking down to the bottom of a river, where things have not yet been discovered. In this simile or description, I also see foreshadowing. Things not yet discovered in the river, but also in Gabriel himself. There is something different about him, and Jonas, and every person with the light eyes. They break the Sameness and are different. I believe that the color of their eyes has to do with their ability to receive, because Gabriel, like Jonas, is able to receive memories unlike others. Another thing that I realized had to do with mirrors. Mirrors are rare, and books, other than standard ones, are forbidden. Both of these things show a person more, expose a person to more. I believe that the community limits mirrors and hides books because they don't want the people learning more, seeing more, because that could be dangerous. Jonas felt self-conscious looking at Gabe because he felt that he was looking in a mirror at that moment. He felt like he was looking at himself, because he knew that his eyes were like Gabe's eyes, and how he saw Gabe was how others saw him; different.
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