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more than just your average fourteen year old.this blog is solely for my reflections on the award-winning literature book, 'the giver'

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Memories

(Grace E. Easley)

Memories are heartbeats
Sounding through the years
Echoes never fading
Of our smiles and our tears.
Moments that are captured
Sometimes unaware
Pictured in an album
Or a lock of hair.

Images that linger
Deep within the mind
Bit of verse we cherished
Once upon a time.
Through the musty hallways
Of the days we knew
Ever comes the vision
Beautiful and true.

Memories are roses
Blooming evermore
Full of fragrant sweetness
Never known before.
Life must have a meaning
Goals for which to strive
Memories are lights that burn
To keep the heart alive.

In the poem, the author talks about the importance of memories in one's life.

In the first stanza, she uses the metaphor of memories being 'heartbeats'. One's heart beats when the heart pumps blood around the body, and the blood carries the oxygen,carbon dioxide and other materials that we need for our bodies to function. Hence- the 'heartbeats' show the importance and significance of memories, like how without the heart pumping, there woud be no heartbeats, and without the pumping of the heart, everything else would cease to function. Also, she states that 'sounding through the years, echoes never fading'. This shows how loud and clear these memories are. Like 'heartbeats' that sound through 'years', they 'never [fade]'. From this, it can be seen that memories are permanent, lasting for years.

She later uses another metaphor, 'memories are roses, blooming evermore', and even states that it is "full of fragrant sweetness". Memories are sweet, and are just like a rose that blooms,memories can be compared to the beautiful sight of a flower in bloom- memories are beautiful and well-received.

Lastly, she states that ' memories are lights that burn to keep the heart alive'. This emphasizes the importance of memories, as they are compared to being 'lights that burn' that 'keep the heart alive'. As we all know, the heart is the most crucial organ in our bodies, and for something to be keeping it 'alive', it plays a very important role- one that ensures that the heart continues to function.

Thus, it can be seen from the different metaphors used that memories are so important and significant in one's life. Not only is this poem relatable to each and every one of us, but it can also be related to The Giver.

Personally, I have never appreciated having memories till I read The Giver. This was as as much joy and laughter good memories brought us- like fun times with friends and family, or simply an incident that made you feel loved, remembering horrible things that have happened will also bring us grief, and perhaps pain. For example, the death of a family member that brings back the feeling of sadness, or even the feeling of injections, scraped knees and broken arms- these memories will definitely bring back unwanted thoughts and feelings.

However, one thing remains the same: the fact that memories changes people.

A memory would normally be of past events or experiences, and these experiences have moulded us to become who we are today.

It is from these experiences, that we learn new things.

It is from these experiences, that we have new insight to the world.

It is from these experiences, that we learn never to commit the same mistakes.

It is by having these memories, that we can remember the past. Hence, memories play a huge role in our lives, regardless of age, race or religion.

Similarly, in Jonas's community, being the Receiver of Memory, Jonas is required to gain all the memories that the Giver has given to him so that he can assume the role proper, and advice the Elders on certain decisions, so as to ensure that they do not commit the same mistakes as the people in the past did- to ensure the community remains 'perfect'

It was also through these memories that were given to Jonas, that made him see things differently. For instance, when Jonas saw his friends playing a game of war in the novel, it greatly upset him, for he had acquired the knowledge of how war really was like, something that was horrible and painful, not in the least bit fun.

These memories made Jonas more aware of the past and the outside world, Elsewhere. He now knew what snow, colour, music and family was- it gave him new insight to the world.

However, the others in the community that did not have 'pale eyes' were unable to receive the memories that The Giver and Jonas could transmit. Reading The Giver made me realise how important memories are, as one of its themes is the significance of human memory. Without memories, they led the same boring life, continuing with what was required of them , never learnt from their past experiences, and all saw things the same way. It seemed that not having memories was a part of having Sameness in the community- ensuring that everyone has no memories so that everyone would have the same type of mentality and characteristics as no one was moulded or changed by what they learnt from their memories.

The poet wrote what memories were to her in her poem 'Memories', and I feel that it applies to me as well. It was the similarities in our views on memories that led me to choosing this poem, and the way it related to the novel was an added plus.

All in all, I hope that you too see the significance of memories in our lives, and treasure them more.

love,

sarah(: back to top? 0 comments