What is the point to give someone the knowledge ?????
shareIf you live in a community where past memories are accessible to everyone, having a Receiver of memories would make sense. One person (or a group) who holds all the memories to protect others from all of the negative memories. Of course, they don't have access to the positive memories and a side effect may be the loss of deeper emotions.
Bob
Good point thanks bob
shareOf course it seems logical to us, but I don't think the movie ever satisfactorily explained why there had to be a giver/receiver. The Chief Elder of course gives her OK, but never seems at all happy with the process, continually harking back to the problems 10 years in the past.🐭
shareBecause people who don't learn from history or ignorant of it are going to repeat it.
It seems the receiver's job as contributing to the betterment of society (showing the elders that they are in fact systematically murdering people but are ignorant to the fact) is impossible because they in fact do not understand it. I think the receiver is there more for giving guidance on more practical issues such as farming and economical logistics. Giving insights on technology from the past that was lost with emotions. Emotions drive humanity to achieve, and it cannot be done without them. Emotions are responsible for Great AND evil of the world. For our advancement as a species. So the elders look to the receiver's to keep society controlled and efficient.
[deleted]
I thought it was so he could remind them of why this system was needed for mankind to survive.
shareIt can be useful to have. In the books, the Giver described a time when the elders were considering giving families three children instead of the usual two, and asked for his input on it. He knew from history that three kids would lead to overpopulation, and overpopulation leads to a depletion of resources and starvation. So he advised them that three kids would be a bad idea.
shareIf you read Alex Haley's book Roots, you learned he went to Africa and listened to Griots through an interpreter. They passed down their history and genealogical relationships orally for generations.
The same happened elsewhere. In Ireland they had Seanchai who passed down stories and history from times when almost no one could read and write. Some worked for kings or clan chieftains and others wandered from village to village where there were always people eager to hear what they said.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else
The purpose of the Receiver is to be carrier of the burden of knowledge. One the Elders can ask thoughts on. He has the knowledge of everything before The Ruin, and has knowledge no one else in the community is allowed to have.
The major elephant in the room here is that at no point in this movie nor the whole book series is it explicitly said how this all got started other than one person in this community with this gift takes the role and if they leave the memories return to the population.
Of course fans have theorized on this, most popular theory I'd say right now is the character of the Trademaster had something to do with it. Or at least that the pale/blue eyes are a genetic trait passed down on the receiver's line so the community always gets new receiver candidates to carry on the post.
Communities left for being too closeminded: Gamefaqs, Home Theater Forum, Toonzone