Anything Can Happen (The Giver/Anthem Essay)

Cassi Mecham Mr. Gowans LA 12 12/11/2012 

Anything Can Happen 

Anything could change in just a short amount of time. Sometimes we take people and what they do for granted. In Anthem and The Giver that is exactly what happens. Jonas and Equality are different but the same. They both strive for change and want to do whatever they can to get it. No matter how scary and challenging it may be they still go through with it. They both have to leave and survive on their own. Without them leaving they would be stuck in a situation that is far worse than ever leaving. That is why they stand up and put in for change and getting ready to deal with the consequences. People think that one person isn’t capable of bringing change but little do they know that with courage and bravery anything can happen. 

Jonas is the main character from The Giver. He is smart, wise, curious, and intelligent. He sees and processes things differently from everyone else. His community hides and blocks a lot of feelings which Jonas doesn’t understand. “Jonas you have been selected the next receiver of memory” (Lowry 64). After being chosen for this particular job he finally understands the way his community works. But it doesn’t make sense to him why they hide so many things from everyone. What they hide and do are some things that Jonas absolutely does not agree with. Because the things he experiences being the receiver are some of the most amazing and the most terrifying things to him. “Jonas stood for a moment beside his bike startled. It happened again: the thing that he thought of now as seeing beyond” (Lowry 90). He has always had this different experience that let him see things other couldn’t. Before Jonas was selected he didn’t understand it. But after doing his training he began to understand what was happening and that he was the only one who had this ability. He knew that he had to get out, and find what real life is. 

Equality 7-2521 is the main character of Anthem. He is a lot like Jonas; he is very smart, wise, curious and brave. Where he lives is supposed to be a society of equality but it really is not.  They do not speak of the life and times before them. Their society is said that all men are equal and they act as one. But Equality 7-2521 knows he is the only one who worries and thinks about the unmentionable times unlike all of his brothers. Everyone is an individual that is why he really wants things to be different; he wants people to feel the way he does. “But we pulled the grill and it gave way. And we saw iron rings as steps leading down a shaft into a darkness without bottom” (Rand 31). He knew that there was something down there that he needed to see. No matter what the consequences were he took that risk and went down inside. He discovered light and how amazing it is while down there and he wanted others to know about it. He is ready to change his society forever. “We placed our glass box upon the table before them we spoke of it and of our long quest and of our tunnel” (Rand 70). It took a lot of courage for Equality to present this box in front of the scholars. He didn’t exactly know what to expect but happened was definitely not good. It was so bad that it drove him away, because he acted as an individual. He needed a fresh start; he wanted things to be different. The scholars didn’t want that, because it was not a collective effort.  

Jonas and Equality to me are two very similar characters. They are both extremely curious and aware of the things around them. Near the end of both of these books it is up to them to bring change, to make something extraordinary happen. I mean Equality didn’t have to go through the process of leaving his society with pain and suffering, all he did was leave and that was it. Jonas was the receiver and by him leaving his memories returned to those people and most likely devastated them. But they both escaped, they conquered their fears by leaving each community. Now it is up to them to see what they are able to accomplish next. “For the coming of that day shall I fight me and, my sons, and my chosen friends.  For the freedom of man. For his rights. For his life. For honor.” (Rand 75). Equality knows what he has to do to gain back the freedom of brothers. He will stop at nothing to get it. As for Jonas I believe he feels the same. “”He surprisingly felt not fear, nor any regret at leaving the community behind” (Lowry 179). Jonas knew what he did was right and so did the Giver. He had to do it; it was the only thing that mattered to him. 

If you have courage and bravery you are capable to bring change even if you stand as an individual. Jonas and Equality both share those traits equally. They knew what they were doing was right and it was time for somebody to step up and take the challenge to fix their society. Because in no way can we live in a society or community based off of being equal. It just will not be able to happen. These two courageous characters know that, that’s why they gave their all and made a big difference in their lives. One individual could do anything; especially of they put their heart to it. It catches a lot of other people off guard because they do not expect it. But if we had people in our world like Jonas or Equality maybe something bigger and better would happen. Maybe one person really could change the world. But people are just too afraid to put everything into one person’s hands. You never know what could happen until you try. 

    

  

 Works Cited 

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York, New York:  

Houghton Mifflin Company. 2012. Print. 

Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York, New York: 

New American Library. 2012. Print. 

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