Imagine you live in a community where absolutely everything is given to you in return for working at one job, which is also assigned to you. The town in the book “The Giver”, by Lois Lowry, is presented as, and believed to be, this utopia. Jonas, the main character, lives in this community, but it is not a utopia. This community is a dystopia covered with utopian elements to make it look good.

One of the few utopian elements present in The Community is that everyone, other than The Giver himself, is financially equal. One of the reasons that everyone is financially equal is shown when the book says “Lily, though she seemed attentive, was looking longingly at the row of gleaming bicycles, which would be presented tomorrow morning to the Nines”, on page 45. This shows that everyone is given the same thing at the same age, which eliminates spoiled kids. Financial equality is also seen when Lily asks to keep Gabe but knows its futile because family units are only allowed to have, at a maximum, a mom, dad, girl, and boy. Limiting the amount of members to a family unit rids the problem of poor living conditions due to having to feed too many mouths. Very few utopian elements are present in The Community but the some that are could really be helpful in today’s society, like financial equality.

Even though it might be nice without currency, The Community is more dystopian because everyone’s entire life is chosen for him or her. One of the biggest examples of this life-control is during the Ceremony of 12. The book says “Asher was four, and sat now in the row ahead of Jonas. He would receive his Assignment fourth”, on page 51. This shows that the Twelves are given their jobs, or assignments. Another example of life controlling is revealed when the book says you have to put in an application for a spouse and then they are chosen and given to you. Having a husband or wife is about true love so having one chosen for you would not work. Not being able to make your own choices would aggravate anyone in today’s society, making this a dystopian element in The Community.

Along with not being able to make your own choices, The Community’s residents have a very fake life because it is very overwhelmingly scientifically altered and maintained. On page 95, The Giver says, “I suppose the genetic scientists are still hard at work trying to work the kinks out. Hair like Fiona’s must drive them crazy” telling that the scientists of the community tinker with the DNA of the community in order to prevent them from seeing color. This purposely inflicted color blindness is a horrible thing because colors are what help us differentiate things and Jonas didn’t even know what they’re names where or even what they were. Scientifically altered lives are also present when we learn about “the pill” to prevent “the stirrings”. These pills block out any intimate or sexual feelings or thoughts which is one of the biggest factors in society. When your assigned a spouse, even if you do like them, there isn’t a chance for a real, loving relationship because the pill is keeping everything G-rated. Having a life in a community where everything is decided for you could make you frustrated, but if everything that was being chosen for you was fake, a lot more people would be being released.

The Community is shrouded in aesthetic goodies like the simplistic idea of communism. Very few things make The Community somewhere worth living. All of the reasons for it being a crazy town, like not being able to make your own choices and having a fake life, are hidden in the fine print of “The Giver”, making The Community a dystopia.