How is the community organized in The Giver?

In The Giver, the community is organized with the establishment of conditions that control the environment as well as the lives of the residents.

In this society, there are no geographical differences in the land, and the climate remains the same. Pain has been eliminated; behaviors and dress are regulated. In fact, Sameness, which is thought to eliminate competition and jealousy, as well as control emotions and mental attitudes, is achieved in various ways, such as through the use...

In The Giver, the community is organized with the establishment of conditions that control the environment as well as the lives of the residents.

In this society, there are no geographical differences in the land, and the climate remains the same. Pain has been eliminated; behaviors and dress are regulated. In fact, Sameness, which is thought to eliminate competition and jealousy, as well as control emotions and mental attitudes, is achieved in various ways, such as through the use of medication, counseling, and conditioning. The vocabulary of the people has been reduced to innocuous words so that no intense feelings may be expressed; instead, euphemistic words must be used. If someone does something that is against the rules, such as hurting another's feelings, he/she must apologize immediately. Everyone is required to follow all regulations. Should someone disobey the laws of the community for three times, he or she is then released, which is a process similar to euthanasia.

Almost no one sees color so that everything looks the same to everyone else; children are grouped by age, and each group does something in the same way. For instance, girls of one age all wear their hair the same way, and all children get bicycles when they are nine, etc. At age eleven, the children finally get more gender-specific clothing. When all the children reach the age of twelve, they are assigned their life vocations. For instance, Jonas, the main character, has a father who is a Nurturer, and it is his job to care for infants. Some girls are picked as breeders because men and women take pills for their "stirrings" (sexual urges), and they are not able to reproduce. Couples are permitted to have only one girl and one boy.

The highest position goes to only one person. This individual is selected to be the Giver. He or she is the one chosen to carry the memories of all that has been removed from the community since at certain times such knowledge is needed. While there is some interaction with other communities, generally, there is a fear of what lies in the place called Elsewhere.