SYMBOL
A bird's nest is a protective environment. The bird's mother takes care of all the needs of the baby bird. Just like the community took care of all of Jonas' needs. One day it's time for the baby bird to fly away and leave his nest. Just like Jonas had to leave the community.
theme
I feel that the author is trying to teach us the importance of memory. It is important and essential for humans to have memories. Memories give us context to our lives of where we come from and where we are going. It gives us freedom of choice. As the Giver said, "It's just that....without the memories, it's all meaningless." page 105. Some of our memories can be fun, happy, and educational. Others can be sad and painful. Memories help us shape who we are and help us make important decisions for our lives. We learn from our mistakes whether it is positive or negative. In the book The Giver, the Elders have taken away memories and freedom from the community. If people do not have the ability to understand what freedom is or to learn from their experiences then they can easily be controlled.