Jonas rides his bicycle to find Asher and to enjoy the holiday. When the people chose Sameness, they chose to give up their freedom and individuality, a choice that is ultimately destructive. Lowry returns, once again, to a significant theme in the novel. The people chose this way of life because they chose Sameness. The people follow strict rules and can be observed or listened to at any moment by the Committee of Elders. Ironically, Lowry writes, "the community was free." We know, however, that the community is not free. Everyone has the day off from work, school, training, and volunteer hours. An unscheduled holiday is announced over the loudspeaker. Lowry leads us to believe that the mood of Chapter 17 will be less serious than in previous chapters. At the conclusion of Chapter 16, Lowry foreshadows the future when Jonas whispers to Gabe that life in the community could be different if people would change: "There could be love." Jonas feels sad because he has experienced love, and love does have meaning for him. They tell him that the word love is too generalized a word, so meaningless that "it's become almost obsolete." His mother even asks him if he "understands why it is inappropriate to use a word like 'love.'" Dumbfounded by his mother's response, Jonas again faces the realization that his own parents, as well as everyone in the community, stopped having individual feelings when they chose Sameness. They laugh at him and remind him that he needs to use precise language. That night following the Christmas memory, Jonas courageously asks his parents if they love him. Most important, he learns about love, which, sadly, "was a word or concept new to him." From this memory, Jonas learns about a traditional Christmas celebration and about the concept of grandparents. People are laughing as they open presents and hug each other. A fire is burning in a fireplace, creating a cozy atmosphere, and colored lights decorate a Christmas tree. In the memory, Jonas is inside a house, and it is snowing outside. One day, The Giver transmits his own favorite memory, a memory of love and happiness, to Jonas. Also, he spends time learning about the joy and contentment that come from enjoying solitude, or time by oneself. He rides a horse across a field that smells of "damp grass" and learns about the bonds that exist between animals and human beings. For example, Jonas experiences a birthday party and understands "the joy of being an individual, special and unique and proud." He goes to a museum and sees paintings painted with the many beautiful colors that he now knows exist. As in the previous memories, Lowry's style becomes lyrical, and the sense impressions that she creates are extremely realistic. To help Jonas through the pain that he's experienced, The Giver concentrates on transmitting good, happy memories to Jonas. He does return to The Giver, though, because he knows that "the choice was not his." The pain that he experienced causes him to mature, and, as a result, he loses his innocence and his childhood. After receiving the painful warfare memory in Chapter 15, Jonas is reluctant to see The Giver again.
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