Tuesday, April 12, 2011

If we compare The Giver and The Diary of Anne Frank, what are the similarities and differences between the feelings of Jonas and Anne ?

One similarity between Jonas and Anne is how they end up affirming their individuality in a world of conformity.


Jonas recognizes the terror of the world in front of him.  He comes to understand that what he used to accept must be rejected.  This realization is in the form of his reaction to the Community and the deception within it. When Jonas understands this, he displays resistance against the conformist world around him.  This can be seen when he "did not take his pill" because of "something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away." It can also be seen when he and the Giver devise the plot to escape and to also free Gabriel from being "released."  Jonas's struggle to survive shows his feelings of individuality in a community based on conformity.


Like Jonas, Anne struggles with her feelings in the face of an unforgiving society.  She recognizes that the Nazi threat is one predicated upon sameness.  People who are different do not survive, and like Jonas, she understands that her family's reaction of hiding is a way to affirm individuality.  Anne expresses this when she suggests that "I see the eight of us in the Annex as if we were a patch of blue sky surrounded by menacing black clouds. . . . [They loom] before us like an impenetrable wall, trying to crush us, but not yet able to." Anne understands that her feelings of individuality is a direct response against the Nazis.  While she and her family are hiding, the act of doing so is an example of resistance to the Nazi conformity. When Anne writes about her idealism, it can be seen as a clear statement against the Nazis:



It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.



Like Jonas, Anne believes in her feelings.  She understands her belief system puts her at odds with the oppressive social forces. However, like Jonas, she stands by her beliefs.


A difference between Anne and Jonas is that one exists in reality and the other is in fiction.  This shows a difference in how they act upon their feelings. Jonas is able to physically leave the Community with Gabriel, while Anne has to go into hiding.  If she is seen by the Nazis out in public, she is almost certainly going to be caught and transported to a death camp.  However, this difference does not take away from how both Jonas and Anne see their feelings as an essential part of their identity.

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