Final answer:
The main conflict in The Giver is man versus society, where Jonas confronts the emotionally sterile norms of his dystopian community after receiving memories of a past full of human experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main conflict in The Giver by Lois Lowry is primarily characterized as man versus society. The protagonist, Jonas, lives in a dystopian society that has eradicated pain and strife by converting to 'Sameness,' a plan that has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas's conflict arises when he begins to receive memories of the past, a time before 'Sameness,' from the current Receiver of Memory, known as The Giver. These memories make him aware of the pleasures and pains of life that have been taken away from the community in the name of safety and stability
Judas's struggle becomes a battle between the deeply-felt human experiences he discovers through the memories and the emotionally sterile existence that his community endorses. Jonas's internal battle grows into a resolve to escape the community's oppressive control and seek a life of freedom and authenticity, ultimately leading to the climax of the novel where Jonas makes a fateful decision to save himself and a baby named Gabriel, symbolizing hope for a better future.