Describe how you felt when you realized what being "released" meant. Did you know this throughout the book, or did you think it meant something else. Explain your answer.
Your response must be at least five sentences in length. If it is shorter than five sentences, it will not be posted, and you will not receive credit. It will be considered a missing assignment.
Please respond by next Thursday (May 31, 2012. Remember to follow the rules for posting to this blog.
Please respond by next Thursday (May 31, 2012. Remember to follow the rules for posting to this blog.
When I figured out what being "released" really meant, I was shocked, upset, and sad. I couldn't believe that normal people such as Jonas's father were responsible for releasing people. It wasn't fair! I didn't have any idea what it meant until I read the part in the book; I originally thought that Elsewhere was an actual place, like another community. I was upset because I didn't see it coming at all. I didn't expect such doing to people who were just a little smaller than others or got too old. I was also angry; it wasn't fair that you had to be killed just because you were a little smaller than your twin sibling! From such an organized community, you would never expect such a harsh, sad way to get rid of people. If I were Jonas, I would feel hurt, upset, and sad. His own father lied to him and it must feel even worse because Fiona was being trained on how to release people, and she seemed so kind. Then again, the citizens of the Community don't know what it wrong about releasing people. They don't understand the concept of death and loss, so they just do what they are told. Still, releasing is probably the most horrifying part of The Giver.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found out what released meant, I was surprised. I thought releasing simply going to another place, such as Elsewhere. It seemed strange that murder was actually normal. Everyone thinks releasing is okay but only the receiver knows its cruel. No one knows its just murder. Finding out about release removes the view of a perfect world from the Community.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read what "release" meant I felt sad, and sorry for the community. It is not fair to anyone who is old, or just a baby! If identical twins are born, the smaller one should still be able to live life. I agree with releasing major rule-breakers if they have already had a warning because he or she could be a threat to the community. I feel bad for the Old when they have to get released because they don't know what is really going to happen after the special celebration. Before I read chapter 19, I thought that to be "released" meant that those people would go to another community that would take care of them until they die. I never imagined that other people would kill them! This thought came to me when I read about someone being "released" because the word "release" means to let go, so I thought they would be let go into another community. It makes me sick that members of the community would end an innocent life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found out what being released really meant, I was surprised, but not shocked. At the very beginning of the book, I thought release meant that you go to another Community. But as the book progressed, I wasn't so sure. I thought "How can babies go to another Community?". Then, I thought it was exile, or being left outside the Community. Someone might die then, but could also make it to another Community. While I suspected that Release was not actually going "Elsewhere", I would have never guessed that they are killed directly. As Jonas saw in the recording of the twin's release, the process of release is very painful. I also think that it must be sad that Elders have a great Ceremony of Release, with their life story being told to everyone, and then get murdered. They get false happiness from the Ceremony, then die.
ReplyDeleteWhen i figured out what released meant, I was astonished. At first I thought it just meant being placed in a different communitity without Sameness, but then as the information continued it actually meant killing them. When the old would be released they would just be killed, not transferred to a happy place where they would be taken care off wihtout having to worry about children. Even though this happenes all the time the people in the community don't know the real meaning of being released.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first figured out what “released” meant, I was stunned, saddened, and angry. I was not aware of this so far, so it was extremely upsetting. In the beginning of the book, I thought that being released meant you were sent into another Community or into the wild. I can’t believe that ordinary and caring people like Jonas’s father would do such terrible things. On the other hand, they do not have feelings, so it would not affect them. To me, it almost seems as if they are being brainwashed by the Council. I felt terrible that newborns and the old, who had done nothing to deserve this, got such treatment. Because they were not perfect, they were killed, and nobody else in the Community, but the caretakers knew about this atrocity. What scared me most; however, was that Jonas’s father seemed so happy and cheerful when he was performing the “operation.” The child was also extremely happy and innocent until the end, that it broke my heart. I wonder what the parents would do if they found out what actually happens when their children are “released.” I am extremely glad that Jonas took Gabriel with him when he escaped so that he would not be released, and that he would not go through the excruciating process.
ReplyDeleteAt first when I didn't know the meaning or what was Elsewhere, I thought it was the outside world. Where freedom roam across the country, but when I read and figure out what Elsewhere really meant I was pepper angry. I mean, it wasn't fair, if you were just a little smaller or weaker when you were a baby or when you're too old. Doesn't the people in the Community understand what deafth meant? How can people smile and laugh in the Community when they know what going to happen when someone is going to be "released"? Some Elders know, but how can some smile and speak good-bye when someone was about to die, even when they know that will be the last to see them? Just because someone is not perfect doesn't mean they have to die, everyone makes small and big mistake. When the Elders come together and talk about their lives, I now know those smiles and laguhs and those grateful speeches, meant nothing. It was useless, false from the heart.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first found out what "released" meant I was shocked. In the beginning of this book, when I heard this term, I thought it meant to go to another community elsewhere. I personally thought it was crazy to murder people in a strict, discipline community. It was weird that murder was allowed in a community where precision of language was a huge rule. I felt awful when I read the part where Jonas' dad killed a tiny baby twin. Just because of your body weight, you must die according to this book.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard what the word released meant in this book the first time, I thought that they would send them somewhere else or a foster home. When I knew the real meaning of the word released, I was stunned and shocked. I couldn't believe they would kill an innocent person through a needle. Even though this was a punishment, I think it was kind of harsh. The injection of needles is also really painful. That is why I am so shocked and stunned.
ReplyDeleteI agree #24 because I would have felt bad because they just got introduced into the world and just die before their first year because all us classmates have been here for 11-13 years. Think of how little time in the world with a life span of less than 1 year.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked when i knew what released actually meant. At first i just thought that they would release from the community to wander around else where. However, after i learned what syringe meant i got the idea a little. When i learned what released meant i couldn't believe it. It was harsh to kill an innocent person. It is also horrible when Jonas got to saw the little baby getting released. It was horrible!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first found out what "released" meant, I was upset, furious, and shocked. I was not aware of it so far, so it was surprising. All along, I thought that releases were just being sent Elsewhere. I thought that the people would be sent to a place like where we live. I even imagined someone ready to be released walking through a door and being welcomed with open arms by someone else. I was angry, because it is not fair to be killed because you weigh less than your twin. Innocent lives were killed by release in "The Giver", and I found that upsetting. From such a community like the one Jonas lived in, I would have never expected this. What I couldn't believe was how easily Jonas's father "released" the child whose release Jonas watched. He didn't stop once to think about what he was doing. I felt like I was being released when the child was. Believe it or not, I clutched my forehead. I was heartbroken to find out what releases really were.
ReplyDeleteWhen the topic of "release" was first mentioned in this book, I pictured that there was a forest where the person was released into. For the old that were released, I thought that there was a secret path in the forest, which would lead the old into a similar community for the old; however, it was more peaceful. In this book, The Giver, the concept of release is mentioned a sad thing for people who were sentenced to release, people chose their own release, when a new child was not behaving and not fit to survive in the community, or when identical twins were born. Release for the old was a good thing; however. When I read pages 146 through 151, I was shocked and I really felt bad for the smaller twin. He didn't ever have the opportunity to live in the community. I didn't understand how Jonas' father could just "release"the child with no emotion. What I can't understand is that why they have to kill the person. It really saddens me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found out that released meant, I felt sad for the people who have been released. I did not think that it meant what it does mean. I thought that it meant babies and the old would get sent to live on their own by themselves. Like being kicked out from the community. I also felt sad when the baby twin had to die because of its weight. I still think that is unfair.
ReplyDeleteI felt very surprised and astonished. I also became heart broke. This I didn't know throughout the whole book. The community that Jonas is living in a community that tries to prevent horrible tragedies like death and murder. The Community sounds like a whole lie to me. They murder babies if they are not right. It isn't fair for them. They didn't have a chance to live. I thought that the community sent people who are being released to another community. They should give the babies that are not meeting the right standards to another family in another community. This would be better for the babies so that they can live their life. The community that Jonas lives in would kill the babies because they didn't want anyone from Elsewhere to know about their community. The babies and other people that are released were probably thought to go to a different community and tell about the community Jonas lives in. When a plane flew over the Community in the first chapters, the community hid away from it. This sounds as if the community is trying to be a secret one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I realized what release meant in Jonas's Community, I was horrified and angry at the Elders for continuing such a horrible practice. What I first heard of releas, I simply thought it meant to let whoever was released, to go to a safe and quiet place with nothing to worry or think about. Now that I know that release means killing someone, however painless, I am horrified that a Community would kill someone because they requested it, had a twin, by being old, or by being a baby who is under the average. This practice simply horrifies me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I realized what being released meant, I was shocked, upset, and angry. It is not fair for newchildren and the Old to be released because the newchildren will not get a chance to experience life, and the Old will not get to enjoy the rest of their life. When I first read the book, I thought Elsewhere was a place in the world where normal people live, like San Jose. When I thought of release, I thought of the Old or newchildren being sent to, for instance, San Jose, to live a normal life instead of in the Community.
ReplyDeleteWhen I figured out what released meant I was shocked, I thought that it was totally cruel! i mean Just becuase a baby is diffrent, or not healthy it is killed. At first before I read this part of the book i though being released meant that they were put in a place out side of the community. Being released is unfair becuase you get killed without even a say, for example the elders get killed when they grow really old and that is not fair they should be able to live their lives as long as it lasts.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first found out what released was, I was really surprised and upset. I thought being released was being sent somewhere else or going to jail. When I found out it mean that the person is to be killed I thought it wasn't fair. If the person was to be released for doing something bad, it may be reasonable if the person was a serial killer or something similar to that. Otherwise, the person could be sent to jail instead. If a person is old and is forced to be released, I think that isn't fair. People should be able to live until they can't live anymore so they die naturally instead of being murdered. Also, when I read about the release of the twin, I was upset. The weight of the twin causes him to die. People should not be judged by their size. Just because someone is too light, doesn't mean they have to die.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found out what "release" actually meant, I was shocked. At first, I thought "release" simply meant being sent to a different community. I felt terribly sad when I found out what it really meant, killing the person. When I read the section where the smaller twin suddenly stopped moving and died, I became mad at the people of the community for not letting both the twins live. For the Old, instead of being able to stay alive till they're too old and pass away, they are killed. The thought of people in the community being killed makes me think of the community as a cruel and unfair place. People who broke a rule once should not be released right away; they should be given a second chance. The only people that have to be released are the people who had a chance already and are truly bad. I was surprised that such cruelty would be in a community where manners were a huge deal. I realized how much pain Jonas was in. He found out that his father had been killing and been lying to the family. If release was in our community today, there would be many people dying, and the world would be more cruel and unfair.
ReplyDeleteWhen I figured out what being "released" actually meant, I was shocked completely. My original definition of the word "release" was to be moved to another location such as a big community or retirement home due to the utopia,the community. I never guessed that the perfect community wold actually murder the old or the babies with problems such as underweight or cannot sleep correctly. I was shocked with how, with no emotion, the father of Jonas could actually except the job of "releasing" young babies with no taste of life or had done nothing wrong. To think that the perfect utopia witch as gotten rid of all elements of warefare, conflicts, and overal destruction.In reality, the community is just as bad, if not worse, as our world filled with hate. I feel horrible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with #6 when she says its not fair, because when someone is little and unhealthy it is not fair that they have to get killed because they are not healthy.
ReplyDeleteat first when i heard of the word released, i thought, like many other people, that they would be taken to a different community. But when our teacher said that it needed a syringe, i thought of the previous receiver in trainin, where she forgot everything. And i then thought that it meant that they would inject something in you to make you forget. But when i found out what it really meant, i was angry at the community, just like #15, because it seemed unfair to make rules of not harming each other, but they "released" people by killing them, and just because you don't fit in!
ReplyDeleteAt the first time I read this book, I thought releasing means just being freed or no more commends he or she should follow. I was just terribly shocked and depressed with Utopia after I found out what it actually means. I just meant moving to somewhere else. For some people, it seems like not really serious and not a big deal, but if I think carefully, I should get use to the place like new neighborhood, new environment, new climate, basically everything. To make this realistic, think how you would feel if you go somewhere with strangers. I would be uncomfortable, even scary! Also people who are not healthy should be killed! Well, it is not the person's fault that he/she is unhealthy! Plus even though Utopia is place of sameness, killing unhealthy people is being racist to them, which is total opposite of sameness.
ReplyDeleteI liked how number #23 and #15 also stated, that the Community makes rules about not harming people, but it seems that they are perfectly okay with killing people if they are smaller or unhealthy. Even if someone breaks the rules, they shouldn't KILL them; that's a little extreme. It's extremely sad, though, still.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first figured what being released meant in the Communuity, the way I felt was tragic. I really agreed with #23. Just because people didn't fit in at all, it doesn't mean you have to kill them! Even if someone is sick, doctors should be there to make them feel better. All they need is medical attention, not poison inside them. When #1 said that people need a second chance, I agree with him/her.
ReplyDeleteI felt extremely sad and angry when I learned what being "Released" meant. I suddently felt a blast of hatred for Jonas's father. I thought it meant something else. At first, I thought being released was to be let free, being able to do anything. I thought that the person who was Released would be able to finally be free. I thought that being released was a good thing. I thought Jonas's father was a good person but when i learned that he killed the little kid, i didn't think he was good at all and that he was just pretending. I feel sorry for the smaller twin because he wasn't able to be able to seee the comunity. He wasn't able to venture and explore the community yet. I don't know why Jonas's father would do such things. That is the saddest part in the book.
ReplyDeleteAfter i found out what released ment i was astonished i thought it simply meant going elsewhere not be killed.I thought it was dunb how they killed them when they released them.I felt sad for the baby when he was killed
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