The community in Lois Lowry's The Giver is very secure because there is no crime to speak of. They don't have television shows or movies that show criminals breaking and entering; they don't have malice towards anyone else; and they don't witness the breaking of laws in any way. In addition, there is no reason to have locks on family dwellings, schools, or public buildings. This is definitely one of the benefits of living in this colorless, loveless, choiceless community--it's safe. So when Jonas arrives at the annex, the dwelling for The Receiver, he first notices a doorbell. After pushing it, he hears the door unlatch and is greeted by a receptionist. When the receptionist notifies the Receiver, he hears another click and seems confused. The receptionist explains as follows:
"The locks are simply to insure The Receiver's privacy because he needs concentration. . . It would be difficult if citizens wandered in, looking for the Department of Bicycle Repair, or something" (73).
She goes on to inform Jonas that he is perfectly safe and not in danger. Thus, this is the first time that Jonas experiences locks on any doors and this is why he is surprised. The locks certainly introduce Jonas into a more secretive part of the community that has been kept from him as a child. Symbolically, the unlocking of these doors opens a new world of adulthood and difficult choices to Jonas, and he is never the same again.
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