Heidi Hale
English 10
Messer 4
27 September 2010
The Most Important Memory
"As he continued to watch, the newchild, no longer crying,
moved his arms and legs in a jerking motion. Then he went limp.
His head fell to the side, his eyes half open. Then he was
still."(Lowry 150). This appalling and terrifying memory
forever changed Jonas’ view of his community and the people
who governed it. The releases that once seemed so peaceful now
had a very grim, new meaning.
Though the process of release was a very big secret to the
community, it was important for Jonas to know.They have to
release the Old and the sick or struggling newchildren because if
the didn't they would have to endure pain. Pain did not fit
into the eutopia the the Commitee of Elders was trying so
intently to maintain. To have theit perfect community, there
could be no pain, no emotion, and absolutely no differences. The
community just saw the releases a joyful ceremony where the
people would be taken Elsewhere to live the rest of the lives in
peace. But Jonas learned that releases were actually just the
people, who thought they were going Elsewhere, being injected
with some sort of deadly fluid.
The releases made it so that no one ever felt the pain of dying naturally. Jonas knew that the community was missing out on so many important feelings such as pride, sadness, and love. But with all of these feelings came pain which just wasn't allowed. After Jonas saw what a release was, he knew that he had to help change the community for everyone he knew so that they could enjoy all of the feelings that he had received through the memories.