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Although Jonas wouldn't have been starving for food if he stayed in the community, what would he be starving for?

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Final answer:

Jonas in 'The Giver' would be 'starving' for emotional depth, freedom, unique experiences, and the spectrum of human feelings due to the community's suppression of these elements. The novel highlights the need for emotional and intellectual fulfillment beyond just physical health.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question appears to reference the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, which is a common subject in the English curriculum. In the narrative, although the protagonist, Jonas, has his basic needs met in the community, he would still be 'starving' for a different kind of nourishment. This hunger is not for food but for things that his society restricts: emotional depth, the freedom to choose, unique experiences, and the full spectrum of human feelings and love. Due to the community's suppression of these elements to maintain sameness and predictability, Jonas yearns for the rich and complex aspects of life that go beyond physical survival.

The community in The Giver ensures the physical health of its members but neglects the importance of emotional and intellectual fulfillment. Like many Dystopian societies depicted in literature, it highlights the innate human need for more than just sustenance. This is comparable to the natural lifestyle of hunter-gatherers who thrive in their environment not just because of diet, but due to the necessities their lifestyle fulfills. Without access to deeper human experiences, individuals may become like the hunger artist, physically alive but inwardly empty.

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