In The Giver why do people must remain in their assigned positions and with their assigned partners?
In the dystopian society portrayed in The Giver, people must remain in their assigned positions and with their assigned partners to maintain control and stability in the community.
One of the main principles of this society is "Sameness," where individuality is suppressed and everyone is expected to conform to a specific role and follow strict rules. This is done to eliminate the potential for conflict, inequality, and pain, which the leaders believe are the main sources of discord in the world. By assigning specific roles and partners to individuals, the society ensures that everyone has a designated purpose and can contribute to the functioning of the community in a predictable and controlled manner.
Moreover, the community in The Giver values uniformity and conformity above all else. By preventing people from choosing their own paths or partners, the society ensures that no one becomes too different or independent, which could disrupt the fragile balance of their controlled existence. This system also helps maintain an illusion of equality, as all individuals are treated fairly based on their assigned roles, without any room for personal ambitions or desires.
Ultimately, by restricting people to their assigned positions and partners, the society depicted in The Giver seeks to create a utopian-like community devoid of conflict, individualism, and personal choices. However, it also results in the suppression of personal freedoms and the loss of true human connection and emotions.