“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.

With an odd, shocked feeling, Jonas recognized the gestures and posture and expression. They were familiar. He had seen them before but he couldn’t remember where.

Jonas stared at the screen, waiting for something to happen. But nothing did. The little twin lay motionless. His father was putting thing away. Folding the blanket. Closing the cupboard.

Once again, as he had on the playing field, he felt the choking sensation. Once again, he saw the face of the light-haired, bloodied soldier as life left his eyes. The memory came back.

He killed it! My father killed it! Jonas said to himself, stunned at what he was realizing. He continued to stare at the screen numbly."

The release of a twin, once thought to be an happy and harmless ceremony, turned out to be cruel and cold-blooded. A innocent, powerless baby infant was barely given a chance to live and his new life was just taken away after minutes of his birth by a single injection. Instead of disposing the body in a proper manner, they just dump it inside a chute, just like how they usually throw away their rubbish.

I could not understand why the Elders had to implement such a heartless rule. Why is there the need to release the smaller twin? Yes, they want to create a utopian community and having twins will only create confusion and disrupt their plan. However, the Elders could have just send the smaller twin to another community to live. At least he still had a chance to live. But now, his life was just taken away for no rhyme or reason. This law just does not make any sense to me. The thought of joyful infants being released makes me want to cry.

I pity Jonas too. His agitated response and sarcasm, shown in the next chapter, revealed that he was hurt and very frustrated.

“I will take care of that,sir. I will take care of that,sir.” Jonas mimicked in a cruel, sarcastic voice. “ I will do whatever you like,sir. I will kill people,sir. Old people? Small newborn people? I’d be happy to kill them,sir”

He was angry that his father did not tell him the real truth behind ‘released’ and had lied to him all the time, painting a beautiful picture about the Ceremony Of Release. However, pause and think about this. Jonas’s father and the rest of the community did not know the real meaning behind released. They had never seen anyone die and to them, the term ‘released’ is just ‘released’., There is no deeper meaning and truth behind it.

“They know nothing.”

Jonas knew that ‘released’ was actually killing the child as he learnt about death through the painful memory of war transmitted to him by the Giver. He witnessed the death of the soldier. He felt the sadness and pain. The community had never experienced what Jonas experienced, and feelings are not part of the life that they have learnt. Thus, the community is unfeeling and ignorant about ‘released’. Jonas’s father is also a victim.

This extract makes me more appreciative of my life. At least, we do not have to kill any newborn twins. In contrast, Singapore is supporting the birth of more babies! HA-HA. More babies, more joy in our lives! I am glad that all of us know FEELINGS. Without feelings, life would be meaningless and routine, just like Jonas’s world.