There is a lot you could say about this question, so allow me to
give you some introductory thoughts that will hopefully allow you to shape your own response. We
are presented with a society which is deliberately designed to stay the same. The number of
births are carefully controlled and all citizens, when puberty begins, must take drugs to
suppress their passions and desires. Anybody who defies the law of this community is "released"
or put to death. Likewise, anyone who does not fit the norms of this society is "released" such
as twins or those who are disabled. This is what Jonas realises when he begins his training as
the next Keeper of Memories. What happens within Jonas is that he recognises within himself
values and beliefs that stand in direct defiance to the values and beliefs of his world and his
community. However, he realises that he, by himself, is unable to change his world. His gradual
increasing awareness of the realities of his situation and his community culminate in his
decision to leave it with Gabriel to prevent his death at the hands of his father. Having
identified that he does not and cannot ascribe to the same beliefs as his community, and having
no possibility of changing it, he can only remove himself from
it.
Thus this situation says a lot about the nature of society and
how often as individuals we grow and position ourselves against the aspects of our society that
we cannot agree with.
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