The Giver is a film about a Dystopian society with many strange and unusual characteristics. None of the inhabitants are aware of any past history, or even question the functionality of their community. Children are conceived in birth mothers, who reach yearly milestones every year, recognized by ceremonies. At these ceremonies, the society also has a graduation for the teenagers, and that is when they are assigned to their role in the community. When the protagonist, Jonas, is surprisingly assigned the new Receiver of Memory, he begins to learn all of the secrets and memories behind this “perfect” society. With scenes from seeing different colors to receiving memories of the past, Jonas stands out within his community in his capacity to “see beyond”. What Jonas “sees,” are different aspects of the human condition. Phillip Noyce illustrates the importance and significance of the human condition through using motifs, which are symbolic of the theme of the movie which emphasizes on the importance and significance of the human experience.

The most significant motif in this film, is vision –specifically what you can physically see. Throughout the film, there are many instances of when this motif is present. To understand this motif, it is important to first explain one of the rules of the community. Once the inhabitants hit puberty, they are required to take daily injections which contain medications to inhibit the production of certain hormones. As a result, the inhabitants are unable to see color. Because of this, the film is only in black and white in the beginning. This is the first obvious example of this motif being used. Soon into the beginning of the movie, the Jonas has a strange experience. While hanging out with his friends Fiona and Asher, he notices an unusual quality about Fiona’s hair at 00:04:39. He is unable to describe it, but what he was seeing was a faint hint of the color red in her hair. At this point in the movie, Jonas has not begun his training with The Giver yet, but this is the first time we see Jonas’ capability to “see beyond”. 

Although this motif of vison applies to what is physically seen, it also applies to what is figuratively seen. Shortly after the incident with Jonas and Fiona, Jonas is honored with becoming the new Receiver of Memory as his role in the community. When Jonas begins his training, he receives his first memory from The Giver of Memory. The Giver connects to Jonas through telepathy upon holding the Receiver’s hand, and at that moment the Receiver slips into a dream-like state, where he experiences these memories. At 00:18:17, the Giver gives him a memory of joy–Jonas is standing over a sled, amidst the gentle fall of snow. He feels it tickle his nose, and making his toes cold. He sits on the sled, and the gravity begins to slowly pull him down the hill. The sled picks up speed, and a smile begins to shine on his face. This is the first time he felt the cold, or the joy of play in a natural environment. He has never felt, seen, or even heard of snow. He didn’t even know what the word cold meant. Suddenly Jonas comes back from his experience, and is surprised by what happened. Before, Jonas could begin to see different physical qualities. Now, Jonas sees his first glimpse of what the human experience was like. 

Jonas realized that what he had first seen with Fiona’s hair was only at the surface of what he’s beginning to learn. This motif now not only applies to the literal, but also the figurative. As Jonas begins to receive new memories, he begins to ‘see’ more. Next, at 00:35:30, Jonas receives a memory at a festival during the renaissance. There’s music, dancing, laughter, smiles, and passion. Jonas is now being introduced to culture, which is something that has been removed from the communities. This is something that is completely new to Jonas, because with these things comes emotion. Another effect of the injections mentioned earlier, is that the inhabitants no longer feel emotion because of lack of hormones. However, one of Jonas’ instructions as part of training is to stop taking these injections. Because of the absence of the medication along with receiving the memories, Jonas is now able to experience these emotions. Not only does Jonas see, but he now feels what he is seeing, and is beginning to ‘see’ its significance. 

Now, this motif is beginning to emerge as a symbol to connect to the theme of this film. At first, Jonas could only see physical differences, but now he is able to truly “see beyond”. Jonas is beginning to see the problems that this society has. The reason that the society was created was to help humanity, but really this society was destroying it. Injections are used to rid these humans of their emotions, rob them of culture and destroy any sense of individualism. Jonas begins to realize that without all of the things that make human life so valuable, human life has no value at all. Here, the reoccurring motif of vision becomes a symbol for the beauty and significance of the human experience. 

This symbol is very crucial to the deep connection that The Giver is trying to make. Using this motif effectively, helps create a powerful symbol to the theme of the film, which is the significance and beauty of the human experience. The film is aimed at reminding its viewers the importance of the lives that we live, and the beauty that can be seen in everyday life. By starting the film in black and white, along with the bland mannerisms of the inhabitants, we are able to appreciate the changes and experiences that Jonas undergoes. This helps the function of the motif and ultimately create its symbolism. This use of color and seeing different memories to create a symbol was an effective way to create a theme that emphasizes the importance and significance of the human experience. 