In Lois Lowry’s book “The Giver” ,there are many rules and punishments that effect the community massively. The rules and punishments seem to be the foundation of their society. Many rules and punishments can benefit and drawback any society. In Lois Lowry’s book “The Giver”, the rules and punishments are both beneficial and disadvantageous to the community. There are many different rules in Jonas’ society. At breakfast you must tell your dreams to the family. Lying is another rule and it has major effect on the society. Other rules on the other hand don’t have the same effect, children under the age of nine aren’t allowed to ride bikes is one of those rules (pg.17). Jonas said that most children don’t …show more content…
follow that rule; but even the smallest rules have punishments. Whenever someone is seen doing what they’re not supposed to, a speaker announces the someone in the age group has broken a rule and says that the person what they should try their best to fix the situation. Then the unknown person must apologize to the center the instructor, or the direct person. The person who was apologized to must also accept the apology given. The good thing about the rules and punishments is that sharing your dreams and feelings, sharing these can be a good thing and might make someone feel better.
Also with very specific rules most people are well behaved. Since the speaker announces when someone breaks a rule, people in the community usually feel embarrassed and remembered not to do that certain thing again. Jonas says he remembers getting caught stealing food from the learning center and felt so embarrassed that he never stole again (pg.29). Publicly apologizing and accepting apologies can also prevent problems in the community, for example people holding grudges and being outraged. There are also bad things about the rules and punishments. Telling dreams is probably very awkward thing to do. Not lying is a good rule, but if someone asks you a personal question and you have to answer completely truthful, that surely must be awkward. With all those rules the community seems more like a prison. The rules are so detailed and restrict so much of what the people can and cannot do. The speaker is also watching and it makes life feel like a TV show (pg.33). Most rules can damaged or help any society. Even if the rules and punishments are reasonable or strict, they all have good or bad effects on the society. All of those rules play one of the biggest parts in the society, and makes the community the way it
is.