" Gabriel's breathing was even and deep. Jonas liked having him there, though he felt guilty about the secret. Each night he gave memories to Gabriel: memories of boat rides and picnics in the sun; memories of soft rainfall against windowpanes; memories of dancing bare-footed on a damp lawn.
"Gabe?"
The new child stirred slightly in his sleep, Jonas looked over at him.
"There could be love" Jonas whispered.
The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill. Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away"
This is a passage from the book, The Giver, and it does indicate the theme of freedom and choice. It indicates both in very different ways. I think these themes are similar in a way, but at the same time different in many ways.
The way this passage indicates freedom is that it shows that Jonas is letting Gabriel imagine how life would be without Sameness. He shows that there is color and that there are feelings like love. At the same time, this passage is indicating that there isn't much freedom. Like this part, "There could be love" Jonas whispered. This part shows a little bit that there isn't so much freedom because Jonas has to whisper. Why does he whisper, though? Is it because Gabriel is asleep? Could it maybe be because Jonas isn't supposed to be talking about love and people could be listening? Or did the author make him whisper it because she wanted to make it sound dramatic? It really made me wonder. This part also shows some freedom because it says, "though he felt guilty about the secret. " This part shows that Jonas is being free and letting himself do this to Gabriel freely. Even though it is a bad thing to do, it still shows that he is being free. So that's how that part shows freedom.
This passage also showed choice, and choice isn't much of a difference than freedom, but they do have their differences. Jonas made the choice to give Gabriel a memory. It might have not been the right choice, but it still relates to making choices! Freedom is more like doing anything you want. Choice is being capable of doing things and choosing what you want to do from the available things to do. Freedom you can do ANYTHING you want! There is a difference between the two. Another part of choice in this passage is when it says, "The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill." This is showing that Jonas made the CHOICE of not taking his pill. So this passage and the rest of chapters 16-18 really do relate to the theme of freedom and choice.
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