Hello readers, of the iCurion. I have read the Giver quartet authored by Lois Lowry, a wonderful author. In my previous two articles, I reviewed the book, The giver, which was the first book of this quartet and Gathering Blue. If you have not read it, please read it first. This is the third book of the series, Messenger. Warning this book may serve as a spoiler, you may skip the next paragraph if you want to read the story yourself.
This story happens about eight years after The Giver and roughly six years after Gathering Blue. This book starts with Matt (Matty in this story) It is set in a quiet place called Village (That was described by the blind man, Christopher in the previous story). People come there to leave their old lives of poverty, hunger, fake comforts and injustice from their previous communities. Matty works as a message-bearer, which means he travels back and forth through the Forest that surrounds the Village. The Forest is dangerous and only Matty could go through it easily. It changes, and it does not always allow easy passage. The seer, Matty’s surrogate father, seer (Christopher) wants him to bring back Kira, a close friend and main character at the previous story. Matty goes through it as is his role. As time passes, his journeys become harder as Mentor and few other people push for the decision to close the village. Very early in the book, discord appears in Village. People who trade at a gathering called Trade Mart change from compassionate and generous to angry and impatient. The temperament of the Villagers changes, and they decide to close their borders, no longer permitting the displaced and unwanted of other communities to enter. The leader, Jonas, opposes this decision as the purpose of the village itself was to serve as refuge for people who had suffered previously. At the same time Matty also realizes he has a gift a special power, to heal. After he survives the perilous journey through the forest which too starts to collapse, he meets Kira and his old friends. He persuaded her to go to the village. Since it’s too late he uses his own gift to heal the village and the forest. He succeeds in doing so to liberate the village from corruption and evils but at the cost of his own life. Nevertheless, the leader names him Healer in honor of his noble deeds. Due to his sacrifice the villagers vowed to work harder to end such filthy human corruption. Such personality is what I meant about having an aristocracy of the poor, educated and the noble.
I shall now, talk about the origins of human corruption. Humans in nature are social beings and cannot survive without each other, both practically and emotionally. Such societies, history has proved to be more peaceful and prosperous. But at the same time, some humans are not contented with the wealth or power they already have but want betterment for themselves and the people closest to them. And as more people think that manner, hostilities and conflicts against each other’s interests. That hostility turns into hatred which causes the Darwinian chaos that has engulfed the village that was the subject of the previous village.
If that is the case, you may ask, then is there no hope to humanity, how must we counter this evil? First, we must abolish all instruments that cause human corruptions and intoxication, be it drugs such as alcohol or simple gambling machines. We also must preach the fact that communal wellbeing alone can bring my wellbeing. Not only that we also must use this competitive character of humans to advantage of society. Instead of keeping systems that could let them control society in any manner, or induce greed, we must keep competitions or fairs to showcase their tallent and promote their position in that exact field.
Now I shall comment on one of the main characteristics of the village, to take in refugees. This is one of the greatest features in this village. Many countries including India has been hostile to refugees. In nations like America immigrants are not treated as humans but as weapons of anti-communist propaganda or against countries with anti-American stance. One of the most preached and important concepts in Tamil society is the concept of giving importance to guests Virundhombal. The importance of Virundhombal is similar to that of eradicating human corruptions. If someone leaves a place because of a reason and shows respect to you and wants to come to your place for a better life, a person who has entrusted their fate in your hands would you refuse, is it ethical to do so? absolutely not. Sure, there is many concerns such as possibility of espionage, overpopulation and etc. However, does that mean we must make them return to their previous nation, considering the efforts they had made? Not only that, people from another nation also help us understand new cultures and get new talents. Immigration also allows the betterment of the nation as it gets a superior workforce. When people who experienced extreme pain and suffering unite to make a new society, such society will prosper as their people are wiser because of their past pain and understanding of each other’s pain.
Now I shall criticize some of the village’s negative aspects. The village is an example of primitive communism, which is not that bad, but does not have any progress or development. In the village progress and technological advancements are lower and is repressed in the name of hunting human corruptions. In the first community each child gets an assignment once they are twelwe and get separate trainings for that, but here all children get the same training, just enough for their basic needs, but improvement of society shall come only when the skills and uniqueness of all people are nurtured.
A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!
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