the giver chapters five and six Chapter five usually at the morning ritual when the family members told their dreams Jonas didn't contribute much he rarely dreamed sometimes he awoke with the feeling of fragments afloat in his sleep but he kind of seemed to grasp them and put them together into something worthy of tallying up the ritual but this morning was different he had dreamed very vividly the night before his mind wandered while Lily as usual recounted a lengthy dream this one a frightening one in which she against the rules had been riding her mother's bicycle and had been caught by the security guards now listen carefully and discuss with Lily the warning that the dream had given thank you for your dream Lily Jonas had the standard phrase automatically and tried to pay better attention while his mother told of a dream fragment a disquieting scene where she had been chastised for a rule infraction she didn't understand together they agreed that it probably resulted from her feelings when she had reluctantly dealt punishment to the citizen who had broken the major rules a second time father said that he had had no dreams Gabe father asked looking down at the basket where the new child Lake gurgling after his feeding ready be taken back to the nurturing Center for the day they all laughed dream telling began with threes if new children dreamed no one knew Jonas mother asked they always asked though they knew how rarely Jonas had her reamed to tell I did dream last night Jonas told them he shifted in his chair frowning good father said tell us the details aren't clear really Jonas explained trying to create the odd dream in his mind I think I was in the bathing room at the house of the old that's where you were yesterday father point Jonah's nodded but it wasn't really the same there was a tub in the dream but only one and the real bathing room has rows and rows of them but the room in the dream was shirt was worn the damp and I taken off my tunic but hadn't put on the smock so my chest was bare I was perspiring because it was so warm and Fiona was there the way she was yesterday Asher - mother asked Jonah shook his head no it was only me and Fiona alone in the room standing beside the tub she was laughing but I wasn't I was almost a little angry at her in the dream because she wasn't taking me seriously seriously about what Lilly asked Jonas looked at his plate for some reason that he didn't understand he felt slightly embarrassed I think I was trying to convince her that she should get into the tub of water he paused he knew he had to tell it all but it was not only alright but necessary to tell all of the dream so he forced himself to relate the part that made him I'm easy I wanted her to take her off her clothes and get into the tub he explained quickly I wanted to bathe her I had the sponge in my hand but she won it she kept laughing and saying no he looked up at his parents that's all he said can you describe the strongest feeling in your dream son father asked Jonas thought about it the details were murky and vague but the feelings were clear and flooded him again now as he thought the wanting he said I do that she won it and I think I knew that she shun it but I wanted it so terribly I could feel the wanting all through me thank you for your dream Jonas mother said after a moment she glanced at father Lilly father it's time to leave for school would you walk beside me this morning and keep an eye on the new child's basket you want to be certain he doesn't wiggle themselves loose Janice began to rise to collect his schoolbooks he thought of surprising that they hadn't talked about his drink at length before the thank you perhaps they found it as confusing as he had wait Jonah's mother said gently I'll write an apology to your instructor so you won't have to speak one for being late he sought back down into his chair puzzled he waved to father and Lily as they left the dwelling carrying Gabe in his basket he watched while mother tidied the remains of the morning meal and placed the tray by the front door for the collection crew finally she sat down beside him at the table Jonas she said with a smile the feeling he described as the wanting it was your first stirrings father and I have been expecting it to happen to you it happens to everyone it happened to father when he was your age and it happened to me it will happen someday to Lily and very often mother added it begins with a dream stirrings he had heard the word before he remember that there was a reference to the stirrings in the book of rules though he didn't remember what it said and now and then the speaker mentioned it attention a reminder that stirrings must be reported in order for treatment to take place he had always ignored that announcement because he didn't understand it and had never seemed to apply to him in any way he ignored as most citizens did many of the commands and reminders read by the speaker do I have to report it he asked his mother she laughed you did in the dream telling that's enough but what about the treatment the speaker says that treatment must take place Jonas felt miserable just on the ceremony was about to happen his ceremony of twelve but he have to go away someplace for treatment just because of a stupid dream but his mother laughed again in a reassuring affectionate way no no she said it's just the pills you ready for the pills that's all that's the treatment for stirrings Jonah's brightened he knew about the pills his parents both took them each morning and some of his friends did he do once he had been heading off to school with Asher both of them on their bikes when Asher's father had called from their dwelling doorway you forgot your pillow Lasher Asher had grown good-nature Lea turned his bike and ridden back while Jonas waited it was a sort of thing one day I asked a friend about because it might have fallen into that uncomfortable category of being different Asher took a pill each morning Jonas did not always better less rude to talk about things that were the same now he swallowed the small pill that his mother handed him that's all he asked that's all she replied returning the bottle to the cupboard but you mustn't forget our 90 for the first weeks but then you must do it on your own if you forget the stirrings will come back the dreams of the stirrings will come back sometimes the dosage must be adjusted Asher takes them Jonas confided his mother nodded unsurprised many of your groupmates probably do the mails at least and they all will soon females - how long will I have to take them until you enter the house of old she explained all of your adult life but it becomes routine after a while you won't even pay much attention to it she looked at her watch if you leave right now you won't even be late for school hurry along and thank you again Jonas she added as he went to the door for your dream pedaling rapidly down the path Jonas fell ollie proud to have joined those who took the pills for a moment though he remembered that again the chief had felt pleasurable though the feelings were confused he thought that he had liked the feelings that his mother had called stirrings he remembered that upon waking he had wanted to feel the stirrings again not in the same way that his own dwelling slipped away behind him as he rounded a corner on his bicycle the dream slipped away from his thoughts very briefly a little guiltily he tried to grasp it back but the feelings had disappeared the stirrings were gone chapter six Lily please hold still mother said again Lily standing in front of her fidgeted impatiently I can tell you them myself she complained I always have I know that mother replied straightening the hair ribbons on the little girl's braids but I also know that they constantly come loose and more often than not they're dangling down your back by afternoon today at least we want them to be neatly tied and to stay neatly tied I don't like hair ribbons I'm glad I only have to wear them one more year Lily said irritably next year I get my bicycle too she added more cheerfully there are good things each year Jonas reminded her this year you get to start your volunteer hours and remember last year when he became a seven you were so happy to get your front button jacket the little girl nodded and looked down at herself on the jacket with its rows of large buttons but designated her as a seven for his fives and sixes all wear jackets that fastened down the back so that they would have to help each other dress and would learn interdependence the front button jacket was the first sign of Independence the first very visible symbol of growing up the bicycle at nine would be the powerful emblem of moving gradually out into the community away from the protective family unit Lily grinned and wriggled away from her mother and this year you get your assignment she said to Jonas excited voice I hope you get pilot that way you take me flying sure I will said Jonas and I'll get a special little parachute that just fits you and I'll take you up too Oh any 20,000 feet and open the door and Jonas mother warned I was only joking Jonas groaned I don't want pilot anyway if I get pilot I'll put an appeal come on mother said she gave Lily's ribbons a final tug Jonas are you ready did you take your pill I want to get a good seat in the auditorium she prodded Lili to the front door and Jonas followed it was a short ride to the auditorium Lily waving to her friends for mercy on the back of mother's bicycle Jonas towed his bicycle beside mother's and made his way through the throng to find his group the entire community attended the ceremony each year for the parents and met two days holiday from work they sat together in the huge hall children sat with their groups until they went one by one to the stage father though would not join mother in the audience right away for the earliest ceremony the naming the nurturers brought the new children to the stage Jonah's from his place in the balcony of the Elevens searched the auditorium for a glimpse of father it wasn't at all hard to spot the nurture section of the front coming from it were the wails and howls of the new children who's out squirming on the nurturers laps and every other public ceremony the audience was silent and attentive but once a year they all smiled indulgently at the commotion from the little ones waiting to receive their names and Families Jonas finally caught his father's eye and waved father grand-am way back and held up the hand of the new child on his lap making it wave - it wasn't Gabriel Gabe was back in the nutrient center today being cared for by the night crew had been given an unusual and special reprieve from the committee and granted an additional year of nurture before his naming emplacement father had gone before the committee with a plea on behalf of Gabriel who had not yet gained the way appropriate to his days of life nor begun to sleep soundly enough at night to be placed with his family unit normally such a new child would be labeled inadequate and released from the community instead as a result of Father's plead Gabriel had been labeled uncertain and given the additional year he would continue to be nurtured at the center and would spend his nights with Jonas's family unit each family member including Lily had been required to sign a pledge that they would not become attached to this little temporary guest and that they would relinquish him without protest or appeal when he was assigned to his own family unit at next year's ceremony at least Jonas thought after Gabriel was placed next year they would still see him often because he would be part of the community if he were released they would not see him again ever those who were released even as new children were sent elsewhere and never returned to the community father had not had to release a single new child this year so Gabriel would have represented a real failure and sadness even Jonas though he didn't hover over the little one the way Lily and his father did was glad that Gabe had not been released the first ceremony began right on time and Jonas watched as one after another each new child was given a name and handed by the nurtures to its new family unit for Samet was a first child but many came to the stage accompanied by another child beaming with pride to receive a little brother or sister the way Jonas had when he was about to be a 5 Asher poked Jonas's arm remember when we got Felipa he asked him a loud whisper Jonas nodded I'd only been last year Asher's parents had waited quite a long time before applying for a second child maybe Jonas suspected haben so exhausted by Asher's lively foolishness that they'd needed a little time to group Fiona and another female named Theia we're missing temporarily waiting with their parents to receive new children but it was rare that there was such an age gap between children in the family unit when her family ceremony was completed Fiona took the seat that had been saved for her and the row ahead of Asher and Jonas she turned and whispered to them she's cute but I don't like his name very much she made a face and giggled Fiona's new brother had been named Bruno it wasn't a great name Jonas thought like well like Gabriel for example but it was okay the audience applause which was enthusiastic at each naming rose in exuberance well when one parental pair glowing with pride took a male new child and heard him named Caleb this new Caleb was a replacement child the couple had lost their first Caleb a cheerful little for loss of a child was very very rare the community was extraordinarily safe each citizen watchful and protective of all children but somehow the first little Caleb had wandered away unnoticed and had fallen into the river the entire community performed the ceremony of lost together murmuring the named Caleb throughout an entire day less and less frequently softer in volume as the long and somber day went on so that the little four seemed to fade away gradually from everyone's consciousness now at this special naming the community performed the brief murmur of replacement ceremony repeating the name for the first time since the loss softly and slowly at first then faster and with greater volume as the couple stood on the stage with the new child sleeping and the mother's arm it was out of if the first Caleb were returning another new child was given the name Roberto it just remembered that Roberta the old had been released only last week but there was no murmur of replacement ceremony for the new little Roberto early was not the famous loss he sought politely through the ceremonies of two and three and four increasingly bored as he was each year then a break for a midday meal served outdoors and back again to the seeds for the five sixes sevens and finally last of the first day ceremonies th Jonas watched and cheered as Lily marched proudly to the stage became an eight and received the identifying jacket that she would have buried this year the one with smaller buttons and for the first time pockets indicating she was mature enough now to keep track of her own small belongings she stood solemnly listening to the speech of firm instructions on the responsibilities of eight and doing volunteer hours for the first time but javis could see that Lily though she seemed attentive was looking longingly at the row of gleaming bicycle which would be presented tomorrow morning to the nines next year Lily Billy Jonas thought it was an exhausting day and even Gabriel retrieved in his basket from the nurturing Center slept soundly that night finally it was the morning of the ceremony of twelve now father sat beside mother in the audience Jonas could see them applauding dutifully as the nines one by one build their new bicycles each with its gleaming nametag attached to the back from the stage he knew that his parents cringed a little as he did when Fritz who lived in the dwelling next door to theirs received his bike and almost immediately bumped into the podium with it Fritz was a very awkward child who had been summoned for chastisement again and again his transgressions were small once always shoes on the wrong feet schoolwork misplaced failure to study adequately for a quiz but each such error reflected negatively on his parents guidance and infringed on the community sense of order and success Jones and his family had not been looking forward to Fritz's bicycle which they realized that probably too often be dropped in the front walk instead of real neatly into its port finally the nines were all resettled in their seats each having wheeled a bicycle outside where it would be waiting for its owner at the end of the day everyone always chuckled and made small jokes when the nines rode home for the first time want to show me want me to show you how to ride older friends would call I know you've never been on a bike before but invariably the grinning nines who in technical violation of the rule had been practicing secretly for weeks but mountain ride off in perfect balance training wheels never touching the ground then the tens Jonas never found the ceremony of ten particularly interesting only time-consuming as each child hair was snipped neatly into its distinguishing cut females lost their braids at ten and males to relinquish their long childish hair and took on the more of manly short style which exposed their ears laborers moved quickly to the stage with brooms and swept away the mounds of discarded hair Jose could see the parents of the new tents stir and murmur and he knew that this evening and many dwellings they would be snipping and straightening the hastily done haircuts trimming them into a neater line Elevens it seemed a short time ago that jonas had undergone the ceremony of eleven the he remembered i it was not one of the most more interesting ones by eleven one was only leading to be a twelve it was simply a marking of time with no meaningful changes there was new clothing different undergarments for the females whose bodies are beginning to change and longer trousers from the male's with a specially shaped pocket for the small calculator that they would use this year in school but those were simply presented in rap packages without an accompanying speech break from mid-day meal Jonas realized he was hungry he and his group mates congregated by the tables in front of the Torian and took their packaged food yesterday there had been merriment at lunch a lot of teasing and energy but today the group stood anxiously separate from the other children Jonas watched the new ninth gravitate toward their waiting bicycles each one admiring his or her nametag he saw the ten stroking their new shortened hair the female shaking their heads to filled me on a custom lightness without the heavy braids they had worn so long I heard about a guy who was absolutely certain he was going to be a sign engineered Asher muttered as they ate and instead they gave him sanitation labor he went out the next day jumped into the river swam or crossed and joined the next community he came to you know would he ever saw him again Jonas laughs somebody made that story up ash he said my father said he heard that story when he was at 12 the a sure wasn't reassured he was eyeing the river where it was visible behind the auditorium I can't even swim very well he said my son my instructor said that I don't have the right boyishness or something buoyancy Jonas corrected him whatever I don't have it I think anyway Jonas pointed out how'd you ever once known of anyone I mean really known for sure Asher not just heard a story about it you joined another community No Asher admitted reluctantly but you can it says so in the rules if you don't fit in you can apply for elsewhere and be released my mother says that once about ten years ago someone applied and was gone the next day Benny chuckled she told me that because I was driving her crazy she threatened to apply for elsewhere she was joking I know but it was true what she said that someone did that lunch she said that it was really true here today and gone tomorrow never seen again not even a ceremony of release Jonas shrugged it didn't worry him how could someone not fit in the community was so meticulously ordered the choice is so carefully made even a matching of spouses was given such weighty consideration that sometimes an adult who applied to receive a spouse waited months or even years before our match was approved and announced all of the factors disposition energy level intelligence and interest had to correspond and interact perfectly Jonas's mother for example had higher intelligence than his father but his father had a calmer disposition they balanced each other their match which like all matches have been monitored by the community of elders for three years before they could apply for children had always been a successful one like the matching of spouses and the naming and placement of new children the assignments were scrupulously thought through by the committee of elders he was certain that his assignment whatever it was to be an dashers - would be the right one for them he only wished that the midday break would conclude that the audience would hurry up to the auditorium and that the suspense would end as if in answer to his unspoken wish the signal came and the crowd began to move towards the doors