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| The Giver premiered in movie theaters in the United States August 15, 2014 |
In the movie The Giver, (2014), Jonas, (Brenton Thwaites), is chosen as the next
receiver of memory. At the beginning of the film Jonas narrates several scenes
of him and his friends growing up in a society that is very limiting of an
individuals free-will. All personal identity and individualism is taken away at
birth in which the children are separated from their birth mom and assigned to
a specific family through which the collective society will benefit most. Then,
once the children are of the proper age and the appropriate maturity, they are
assigned their positions within society; while Jonas’ friends are selected to
be a pilot and a nurturer, Jonas is selected to be the next receiver.
***SPOILER ALERT***
The society presented in the film
follows a very communist type of society. There are no classes, and the wealth
of the community is shared as long as everyone does there part. Because of this,
there is no conflict in society. No one understands destruction, killing, or
any other sort of evil. Not to mention, everyone, with the exception of the
Chief Elder, resides in the same type of living quarters. The concept of the
film is very similar to that of Equilibrium,
(my last review), in which everyone is subject to taking a drug every
morning to keep them from feeling emotions outside of the emotions they need to
complete their job in society, (e.g. Fiona, (Odeya Rush), has the emotion to
nurture, but not the emotion to love).
God is not verbally discussed at
all; however, there are many symbolic ways the topic of God could take shape. For
example, Jonas could take on the character of Jesus as he sacrifices his well
being so that others may understand the knowledge that was forgotten with the
acceptance of such a collectivist society. The society in the film is very
similar to the Christian view towards the rest of the world; people are
surrounded by evil, (e.g. Jonas’ dad killing people because he dose not
understand how evil it is), yet they fail to realize it. For this reason God,
(taken character by The Giver because
of the his knowledge and desire enlighten the world), works through Jesus,
(Jonas), in order for his plan for society to be fully restored. The ending of
the movie also very clearly relates to the second coming of the Christ. Through
Jonas crossing the boundary of knowledge, society is restored back to the way
it once was as knowledge, (symbolic of what was lost from the tree of knowledge
after the fall), is imparted on their world and they suddenly realize the evil
that surrounds them.
In terms of philosophical concepts,
The Giver focuses most closely on the
study of ontology, (reality), and epistemology, (knowledge). The beginning of
the movie is all in black and white; symbolically implying that everyone sees
things the same way. Since they have grown up not being taught or exposed to
anything other than the dominant views of that culture, they do not know any
different. This is similar to the quote by communication scholar, Marshall
McLuhan, “does the fish know it’s wet?” In this case, there is no way for any
of the current members of society to understand what reality actually is
outside of their situation and immediate circumstances.
Similarly, the members of that
society only know what the elders allow them to know. Yet, the thing that keeps
Jonas wondering what else may exist comes from when he stops taking societies
drug and begins feeling the very feelings and emotions the elders are afraid
will change society. In this case, it is arguable that the elders and people in
the society are like lost sinners, unaware of the consequences of their
actions. Thus, because the main way Jonas knows
there is something out there, the epistemology presented in the film most
closely resembles that of the empiricist. At one point in the film, Jonas asks
Fiona if she can feel.
Consequently, due to the nature of
the society, there is an interesting take on the value of human life. In other
words, the value of a life is found in how helpful one is to society. For
example, if a child does not seem able enough to deal with societies measures,
they are disposed of by release, (death).
In the same way, if someone questions the system structure of the society or
breaks the rules past a certain point, they may be released as well. Because of these governing factors, the system is
closed. All members of society are expected to act based on what their role
requires of them. Ultimately, their role is assigned to them based on the ways
in which they can help society the most. Thus relativism is not even considered
by the elders, and this is the main reason why Jonas chooses to diverge from
the common view of the state; he believes there is something else out there.
