2/26/2012
English 2, paper 2

The Effect of Knowledge on Happiness and Relationships

There is a common expression that "Ignorance is bliss." It implies that not knowing about a potentially troubling situation allows for more happiness. Can this be the case for most people? Would people be happier if they lacked knowledge about their surroundings and lives? Does gaining knowledge push people away from their loved ones? These questions surface in the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry. They arise from a society where knowledge is only kept by a select few. This lack of information keeps the people happy, but possibly not to the extent they could be. In the novel The Giver there exists a society in which there is no emotion or feeling. A world with no choices and no individuality, where everything is set out for everyone. Most importantly in this society, people have no memories of times before their own lives began. This lack of knowledge is the reason no one experiences feelings for they have no idea of what feelings are. They don't know love, pain, fear or happiness. The main character Jonas, a boy of 12, lived this way until he was chosen, like the rest of the children his age, for his occupation. Jonas received the position of receiver, the person in charge of keeping every memory of the society to themselves. As the receiver Jonas would receive every memory of times before, including feelings and emotions. As Jonas received more and more memories, he began to retreat farther and farther from the ideals of the society and realized how wrong his own society was and believed it needed to change. He eventually fled from his home in hopes that the knowledge he received would go back to the people. During Jonas's time receiving memories, his happiness level varied. The first memory he gained was of a sleigh ride through the snow. After gaining