The Giver Community
By: Jack Donahue
Overview
The Giver Community is a peaceful utopia that is self-contained and isolated from everywhere else in the world. There is no evidence of disease, hunger, poverty or war. Each day, family units share their dreams and feelings with each other. Everyone rides bicycles that are neatly stored in bicycle ports and families share morning and evening meals with each other. Additionally, families participate in typical activities with other family units in the community. This is a very tight-knit community which consists of kind, caring people who help each other overcome tasks. This is one if the safest communities that you will ever come by and it is very kid-friendly.
Family Units/Housing
In order to form a “Family Unit,” an adult must apply to receive a spouse. Factors such as energy level, interests and intelligence must correspond in order to find a perfect match to be found. Once a match is found, they are joined at the yearly Matching of Spouses ceremony. The match is monitored for 3 years by the Committee of Elders is they wish to apply for a child. The children are born to the birth mothers and then raised by the nurturers until they are 1. They are then assigned to a family at the Naming and Placement Ceremony. Each family is allowed 1 male and 1 female child. The family units are required to share their dreams in the morning during breakfast, and their feelings of the day at night, during dinner.
Ceremonies
There are annual ceremonies for the children, each year until they turn 12 The ceremonies are held on December 12th each year. Each ceremony contains a symbolic meaning as children age. The nature of the gift depends on how the child is maturing. The community has determined what gifts the children receive each year at the ceremonies, some gifts with more meaning than the others. The most important ceremonies include:
Ceremony of 1 - Naming and Family
Ceremony of 9 - Bicycle, symbolizing power and becoming a part of the community
Ceremony of 12 - Assigned a Job, symbolizing the beginning of adult life
Rules and Laws
The community has many rules which help the community maintain a peaceful society. These rules help keep the community a safe, friendly place for all of the citizens. Some of the main rules include:
Only four people allowed in a family; Father, Mother, Son, Daughter
Each family must share his/her dreams in the morning at breakfast and their feelings of the day at night while eating dinner
People must remain in their assigned positions/jobs
People must remain with their assigned partners
Members of the community aren’t allowed to leave
Jobs
Each job in the community plays an important role in how the community runs. The jobs are assigned to the children at the ceremony of 12, and they must remain working that job until they enter the House of the Elderly. Some of the most important jobs include:
Birthmother - Women are pampered for 3 years and then they will become labourers
Assistant and Director of Recreation - Organizes activities for the community
Nurturer - Cares for the newborn babies