Chapter 11

In chapter 11, Jonas experiences the Receiver's memory of snow, a sled, a downhill, and runners. When Jonas first "arrives" in the memory, he feels the air get cold and his body suddenly get cold. Also the hands of The Giver (the Receiver wants Jonas to call him) seem to disappear. Then he spots some sort of crystals in the air. He sticks his tongue out and catches some of them. He likes the sensation. Then he realized that he was high up in white furry stuff, that he thought The Giver had told him, was snow. He was also sitting on a hard flat object. Next the thing under him (he thought it was the sled), began to move and just then he knew he was going downhill. As he was going through the frigid air he knew that he was being propelled on runners. Then the hill began to flatten out and he slowed down to a stop. After he sat there for a moment he opened his regular eyes. The Giver and Jonas talked about the memory. After Jonas and The Giver talked about the memory, Jonas lied back down on the bed and The Giver began to rub his hands on Jonas's bare back and started his next memory. Instead of being cold the setting became warm. He started feeling the warmth all over and when he licked his lips he felt the hot and heavy air. Then he figured a word for it, sunshine. He woke up and told The Giver, sunshine. Then Jonas asked why the job was going to be so painful. He thought that the memories are pleasureful and fun. The Giver said that he started off with the pleasured ones first. Then since he asked the question he made Jonas lie down once more and gave him one more memory for the day. This dream was a dream of sunburn and how sunburn can hurt. Then the Giver told Jonas to go home and that was it for that day.