This short extract shows that Jonas did not regret leaving the community. I feel that Jonas made the right decision. If Jonas had stayed in the community, he would be suffering every single day. His parents, who were supposed to LOVE him, did not even know the meaning of love. It hurts to live in a community without love. Love is very vital in our lives. It is encouraging to know that there are people in this world, especially our family members, who loves us. With this encouragement, we will have the zest to live life happily. Unfortunately for Jonas, he is not as lucky as us. Jonas also had no one to play with after he learnt about feelings, he was lonely. It is hard to live in the community after Jonas learnt about the wicked truth of his community. Yes, staying in the community would provide Jonas with food, but it is more important to have love. Hence, staying in the community would only prolong Jonas’s suffering. Jonas’s escape gave him a brand new start of his life. He could finally have what he long for! He knew that the place he was heading to celebrates love, creates and keeps memories, which is totally different from his old community. Jonas would be able to see colour every day and share his feelings with anyone in the community. He would have the freedom of choice, he would be able to express himself freely. There would be individuality and creativity. Such a community is obviously the better community for Jonas and baby Gabriel. Gabe was given a chance to live. Jonas certainly made the correct choice.
This extract also shows that the journey to the final destination was not smooth at all. Jonas encountered many difficulties. He fell and had a swollen ankle; both baby Gabe and him were starving and dehydrating; they had to be on a constant lookout for planes; they were wet and cold.
“Jonas had never seen rain, though he had experienced it often in the memories. He had liked those rains, enjoyed the new feeling of it, but this was different. He and Gabriel became cold and wet, and it was hard to get dry, even when sunshine occasionally followed.”
However, to obtain happiness and love, Jonas persevered, continued cycling and did not give up till he reached his destination. However, all the suffering was worth it as they managed to see things that they have never seen before and they were at a better place. What touched me the most was how much Jonas cared and love baby Gabe. To ensure that baby Gabe had a chance to live, he took baby Gabe with him. Although Jonas lived in a society without love, he showered baby Gabe with so much love.
“Gabriel had not cried during the long frightening journey. Now he did. He cried because he was hungry and cold and terribly weak. Jonas cried too, for the same reasons, and another reason as well. He wept because he was afraid now that he could not save Gabriel. He no longer cared about himself.”
This extract is very meaningful.