In chapter 8 of Lois Lowry's The Giver, the Chief Elder informs the community that Jonas has been selected as the next Receiver of Memory. Intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the ability to See Beyond are the qualities that Jonas has exhibited during his childhood that qualify him for the most honorable job in the community. Jonas has demonstrated intelligence in school; he has shown integrity by owning up to his mistakes and accepting the consequences; then, he has shown some courage, but will need to show more as he trains to be the Receiver. Finally, the Chief Elder is confident that he will be able to handle wisdom and the ability to See Beyond as he learns news skills in this new assignment. Jonas isn't exactly sure what all of this means during the Ceremony of Twelve, but he responds by telling the Chief Elder the following:
"I think it's true . . . I don't understand it yet. I don't know what it is. But sometimes I see something. And maybe it's Beyond" (80).
Jonas later finds out that to See Beyond means that he is starting to see color and the reality of the world around him. This is in direct contrast to Sameness which keeps the people in the community free from pain and suffering. Unfortunately, Sameness also keeps people from seeing colors or being able to make choices based on their own unique preferences. All of these things Jonas learns when he starts his training as the next Receiver. During the Ceremony of Twelve, though, Jonas experiences what it is like to be singled out and separated from others because of all the good characteristics he demonstrates on a daily basis.
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