I am Jonas, from The Giver..<I am Jonas, from The Giver> <SCRIPT> var repeat=1 //enter 0 to not repeat scrolling after 1 run, othersise, enter 1 var title=document.Welcome To My World var leng=title.length var start=1 function titlemove(-------- My World, The "Utopia" ) { titl=title.substring(start, leng) + title.substring(0, start) document.title=titl start++ if (start==leng+1) { start=0 if (repeat==0) return } setTimeout("titlemove( My World, The "Utopia")",140) } if (document.title) titlemove( My World, The "Utopia") </SCRIPT> <style type="text/css"> body { scrollbar-arrow-color: #464545; scrollbar-base-color: #000000; scrollbar-face-color: #000000; scrollbar-highlight-color: #464545; scrollbar-shadow-color: #464545; scrollbar-3dlight-color: #000000; scrollbar-track-color: #000000; scrollbar-darkshadow-color: #000000; } A {color:#B3B2B2; cursor: sw-resize; text-decoration: none; filter: none} A:visited {color:#B3B2B2; cursor: sw-resize; text-decoration: none; filter: none} A:active {color:#B3B2B2; cursor: sw-resize; text-decoration: none; filter: none} A:hover {color:#B3B2B2; cursor: sw-resize; text-decoration: none;filter:blur alpha(opacity=70, finishopacity=70, style=2);height:2} body {background-attachment: scroll; background-color: #000000; background-image: url("http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/piggyangel/endlessroadbg.jpg"); font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; letter-spacing:0px; font-weight:normal; font-size: 11px; cursor: crosshair;} td { font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 11px;} </style> <meta name='google-adsense-platform-account' content='ca-host-pub-1556223355139109'/> <meta name='google-adsense-platform-domain' content='blogspot.com'/> <style type="text/css">@import url(https://www.blogger.com/static/v1/v-css/navbar/3334278262-classic.css); div.b-mobile {display:none;} </style> </head> <div style="position:absolute;left:-10px;top:-5px; text-align: justify; height: 500px; overflow-y: auto; width: 580px; padding: 3px; border-left: 2px #F696E3 ; border-right: 2px #F696E3 ; border-top: 2px #F696E3 ; border-bottom: 2px #F696E3 ;"> <div align="left"> <center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/piggyangel/caho/endlessroad.jpg" width="560" height="480"></center> </div> </div> <div align="justify" style="position: absolute; top: 500; left: 40; width: 480; padding: 5px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: auto;"> <p> <div align="left"> <a name="8464598841894781800"></a><b>Saturday, July 24, 2010</b><br> </div> <br> <div align="center"><u> Reflections on "The Handmaid's Tale" </u></div> <p><div align="justify"> <div style="clear:both;"></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFCC99;">A period of time ago, we watched this movie “The Handmaid’s Tale” in class. I found it extremely terrifying, and at the same time relief about the fact that I do not live in such a world like this. This particular movie is set in a polluted utopia, where all the coloured people and infertile woman are being brought away to elsewhere. Only the “White” men, fertile women, or wives of the important men could remain in this world. The setting of this movie was very gloomy, therefore enabling the terror of the movie to stand out. To prevent citizens from escaping, there are searchlights and guards everywhere. One would usually fail in the process of escaping, and the punishment: either they are shot dead on the spot, or hung in front of the whole community. Citizens are not allowed to leave freely, have romances or enjoy themselves. There is absolutely no freedom. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFF99;">This is exactly the same as that in The Giver; the citizens in that community are assigned to do jobs that they are presumably good in, children are chastised if they use the word “released” lightly at play. They are not given the freedom to choose, including their choices of words. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FF99;">Both societies are also terribly rigid. In “The Handmaid’s Tale”, males are not checked if they are fertile or blamed if their handmaid’s do not get pregnant. If a handmaid is not able to get pregnant in a certain period of time, they will be blamed. In “The Giver”, it is against the rules for pilots to fly over the community, and no matter how minor a mistake one makes, he has to go through the standard apology phrase. If things are said to be done in a certain way, they have to be done in that way, no changes can be made to the situations. Both communities are full of rules and every aspect of life has guidelines. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;">Uniformity is also seen in both societies. In “The Handmaid’s Tale”, handmaids wear red gowns, ministers’ wives wear blue gowns, and ministers wear a certain black suit. All are given a small specific bed. Hence, they are only differences between the people of different ranks but uniformity throughout people of the same ranks. In “The Giver”, the month a child is born in does not matter at all. All newborn children turn one in December. All children go through a ceremony each year, for changes to be made to them physically. Every child’s change is the same until a certain age. Genetics Scientists also turn the gene that enables one to see colours off. Hence, there is no difference between the citizens because there are no colours to represent their individuality and preferences. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFCCFF;">I am really glad that we watched this movie, read “The Giver”, and analysed the themes in both stories because they made me appreciate my imperfect world a lot more and the fact that I have the freedom to make my own choices. It is the motivation to perfect the imperfections in our lives that keep us going and giveus meaning in our lives. We are also given chances even if crimes are committed, for example the “Yellow Ribbon” program where second offenders get a second chance in life as long as they are willing to repent. However for their communities, once a minor transgression is made, they will be tortured or even killed. Also, in our world we are allowed to show our affections and emotions openly. Hence, we are able to enjoy life at a higher level. Therefore, I feel that I am very fortunate to be born in this world. </span></span></p> <div style="clear:both; padding-bottom:0.25em"></div> </div> <p> <div align="right">Walking down an endless road,<br> <b>Jonas, from The Giver.</b><br><a href="http://thegiver2m.blogspot.com/2010/07/reflections-on-handmaids-tale.html">6:21 AM</b> <a class="comment-link" href="https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/5451399553141967018/8464598841894781800" onclick="window.open('https://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/5451399553141967018/8464598841894781800', 'bloggerPopup', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=1,location=0,statusbar=1,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=400,height=450');return false;">0 comments</a> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div align="justify" style="position: absolute; top: 20; left: 480; width: 470; padding: 5px;"> <center><b>Me.</b> <br> all about you. <p></center> <center><b>Friends.</b></center><br> <center> <a href="http://the-receiver-of-memory.blogspot.com/">Judith</a><br> <a href="http://www.the-giver-lois-lowry.blogspot.com/">Divya</a><br> <a href="http://giverofmemories.blogspot.com/">Nicolette</a><br> <a href="http://maysingiver.blogspot.com/">May Sin</a><br> <a href="http://rachelsiew.blogspot.com/">Rachel</a><br> <a href="http://www.aworldofsameness.blogspot.com/">Andrea</a><br> <a href="http://www.blahblah.com">friend</a><br> <a href="http://www.blahblah.com">friend</a><br> <a href="http://www.blahblah.com">friend</a><br> <a href="http://www.blahblah.com">friend</a><p> </center> <center><b>Memories.</b></center><br> <center> <a href='http://thegiver2m.blogspot.com/2010/06/'>June 2010<br></a> <a href='http://thegiver2m.blogspot.com/2010/07/'>July 2010<br></a> <br><br></center><p> <center><b>Credits.</b><br> <b>Picture</b>:<a href="http://gettyimages.com">GettyImages</a><br> <b>Design</b>:<a href="http://www.ohwhatbaloney.blogspot.com">Caho</a><p> <center><b>Yadda.</b></center><br> <center> <-----tagboardcodehere---------> </center> </div> </div> </html> <noembed> <body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar/5451399553141967018?origin\x3dhttp://thegiver2m.blogspot.com', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script><div id="b-navbar"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" id="b-logo" title="Go to Blogger.com"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/navbar/3/logobar.gif" alt="Blogger" width="80" height="24" /></a><form id="b-search" action="http://www.google.com/search"><div id="b-more"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" id="b-getorpost"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/navbar/3/btn_getblog.gif" alt="Get your own blog" width="112" height="15" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/redirect/next_blog.pyra?navBar=true" id="b-next"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/navbar/3/btn_nextblog.gif" alt="Next blog" width="72" height="15" /></a></div><div id="b-this"><input type="text" id="b-query" name="q" /><input type="hidden" name="ie" value="UTF-8" /><input type="hidden" name="sitesearch" value="shadowmist.blogspot.com" /><input type="image" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/navbar/3/btn_search.gif" alt="Search" value="Search" id="b-searchbtn" title="Search this blog with Google" /><a href="javascript:BlogThis();" id="b-blogthis">BlogThis!</a></div></form></div><script type="text/javascript"></script><div id="space-for-ie"></div> </noembed> <BR><BR> </Blogger> </div> </body> </html>