The Giver
The world in black and white
When I see on social media people complaining about everything, I imagine they would love the perfect world shown in the movie “The Giver” (USA, 2014). The detail is that everyone had the same things, to the point of not even seeing any color, of not having winter or summer, and of having no memories of anything, besides life in the sameness.
This was the world of Jonah (Brenton Thwaites), a 17-year-old boy, about to enter adulthood, when he would be assigned to some role in his community, as was the case with everyone his age.
Jonas, like his friends Fiona (Odeya Rush) and Asher (Cameron Monaghan), looked forward to the graduation ceremony, to know what role he would play in the Community from then on.
Everything was decided by the Elders, not only the professions, but also the marriages themselves and who would receive the babies generated from artificial insemination to form families.
Everyone had to obey the rules, and there were rules for everything. No one could lie, and every member of the community was constantly watched through a system of cameras and drones.
For Jonas, there was nothing strange about it, for that was his world since he was born. However, at the assignment ceremony, he was informed that he had been selected for a function different from all the others, but that it had a vital importance for the Community: he would be a Memory Recipient.
The young man had no idea what this function would be, and was put under the care of the Donor (Jeff Bridges), one of the Elders. He was the only one who sheds the Memories of everything about the world before the Communities.
Jonah’s life changes radically, when he realizes that his standardised, monochrome world hides a cruel reality, where old people and unadapted babies are simply eliminated, rather than being “sent to Elsewhere,” a mythical place beyond the borders of the Community.
When he realizes that the baby that his father takes care of will also be executed, he decides to do the unthinkable: flee the Community and bring back the memories of all, even if it implies the destruction of the “perfect” life they enjoy.
This film is based on the book of the same name, written by Lois Lowry, and published in 1993 in the United States. Those who have read the book will notice some important differences, such as the fact that Jonah was only twelve years old at the time of the selection of professions.
The book was written with another approach, showing a deceptively perfect society, which in order to function well needed to resort to unethical actions. The change in the age of the character, the creation of the romantic pair, and the insertion of some action scenes were necessary changes to serve the youth audience. The changes did not alter the essence of Lowry’s work, which shows how a group is manipulated to achieve objectives that are not always very clear and ethical.
Perhaps the reader thinks that this belongs to the field of fiction, or even recall the China of Mao-Tse-Tung, where everyone had to wear the same five-button tunic. If we think calmly, we will see that all institutions that impose strict rules on their members, want a certain type of behavior, and that people think less as individuals and more as part of a group. In fact, thinking is what these societies do not want at all from their members.
This happens in military institutions, in closed schools, but especially in religious organizations, to the point of even creating people who commit suicide in terrorist attacks such as suicide bombers. Anyone who thought of those pickaxes, who found a backyard church who extort money from the innocent is also correct.
In recent years, the manipulation of people through fascist-inspired ideologies is visible, which are based on erroneous concepts, prejudices, racism, and other types of negative aspects of human behavior. And, of course, aggression and violence against “enemies” is always fueled and stimulated.
But, elucubrations aside, “The Giver” is a very well-made film, with good performances, especially by Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. Pop star Taylor Swift, still in her early career, has a small role on the movie.
The story shown on the screens happens around us so often that we don’t realize it anymore. So if the film can plant a little seed of doubt about the intention of messianic and fundamentalist leaders and help open people’s eyes, it will have already been worth the value of the ticket.
“The Giver” can be found on the Looke streaming service.