chapter 5

By eliminating as much personal variation as possible in favor of Sameness and a predictable society, Jonas's community has rejected the truly utopian possibilities of a society where people are free to move society forward. The result is a dystopia of conformity.

In Chapter Five, sameness involves stiffling human emotions. After sharing their dreams, Jonas' mother immediately deems it's time for him to start taking the pills that will remove the "stirrings". Removing feelings of desire or wanting, eliminating attraction and beating down emotion removes the things that bring people together. This enables the elders to make decisions about marriages and families.... it also provides a disconnection of the things that make families so special and unique. Take away the family, the love, the togetherness..... and the unique gifts we all hae as individuals, and you have a world without difference..... a world that doesn't know any better.