Theme Of Racism In The Giver

Judy Budnitz, through the dehumanization of Gabe and the focus on Jonas’ excitement when Gabe’s unbelievable change occurs, satirically comments on the irrational, but plausibly ‘miraculous,’ idea of a repressively racist environment having physically altering effects on the color of a persons skin to develop a theme of racism. When Gabe is delivered it’s evident that he isn’t a normal baby and his skin in comparison to his parents is quite astonishing; Jonas, his father, describes his dark skin in a variety of ways. “I mean pure black…like a color that doesn’t occur naturally, in nature,” (Bunditz 1). Bunditz begins developing the theme of racism as soon as the story begins, making Jonas the main antagonist of the story who continues to comment on the color of Gabe’s skin using
“‘I mean, like, coal black, ink black,’ Jonas says in the hospital room’” (Bunditz 1). Jonas initially uses inhuman words like “coal” and “ink” to describe Gabe’s black skin color, but as the story continues his position changes. “He’s normal now. We can be a normal family. Isn’t that what you wanted?” (Bunditz 11) Jonas is elated when Gabe’s skin magically changed. At this point in the story Bunditz is presenting the irrational, but ‘miraculous,’ idea that a human’s skin can change color from black to white due to the influence of a racist environment. Bunditz switches, turning the tables and changing the characters’ feelings towards Gabe and the color of his skin and the inability of Julia and Jonas to see past his skin color further exposes Bunditz’s purposeful use of racism in the story. The author’s use of the inability of Jonas and Julia to be happy with Gabe as a baby, regardless of his skin color, is a vital peice of the racist theme of the story. Bunditz uses the transformation of Gabe to show how, in modern society, skin color can play a role in the acceptance of anyone, including a small, innocent