What is Jonas’s job?

In The Giver, Jonas is selected to become the new Receiver of Memory, one of the most honored and isolated jobs in the community. At the Ceremony of Twelve, the Chief Elder skips Jonas’s name at first, making everyone uneasy, and then announces that he has been “selected” rather than assigned because he possesses rare qualities, including intelligence, courage, integrity, and the “Capacity to See Beyond.”

As Receiver, Jonas’s role is to inherit all the memories of the world from the current Receiver, who later becomes known to him as The Giver. These memories include joy, love, pain, war, color, music, and death—experiences that the rest of the community has been protected from through Sameness. The Giver explains that the Receiver keeps these memories so the community can remain stable and painless, while also providing wisdom to the Committee of Elders when difficult decisions arise.

Jonas’s assignment separates him from everyone else. Unlike his friends, who have ordinary jobs and work alongside many people, Jonas realizes he will be completely alone in his work. The position gives him privileges, such as asking any question and being allowed privacy, but it also burdens him with suffering and emotional isolation. Over time, the memories transform the way he sees the community and ultimately lead him to rebel against it.