CHAPTER SUMMARY WITH NOTES

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Summary

Jonas is confident that his destination is ahead. There is no clear evidence that it is. But, he definitely feels that Elsewhere is not far away. However, he is not sure that he can reach it. Now, instead of rain, there is snow. Jonas puts Gabriel against his chest and wraps the two of them together for warmth. He tries to pedal the bicycle up the steep hill that lies ahead of them. He cannot do it. He is tempted to drop into the snow with Gabriel and fall asleep. He doesnÂ’t. He tries to remember sunshine and give the memory to Gabriel. He is successful.

They leave the bicycle lying in the snow and Jonas carries Gabriel up the hill. After several more warming memories, and a memory of happy times, they reach the top of the hill. With the help of a memory of his own, Jonas finds a sled on the crest of the hill. They start down the hill. Jonas feels that he knows where they are headed. He sees lights ahead, colored lights through windows. It is a place where people share love. He hears music. He hears singing. He also hears music coming from behind him, but, perhaps it is an echo.

Notes

The ending of this book leaves much for the reader to imagine. We can decide for ourselves what happens next. Perhaps the people behind the windows with the colored lights find Jonas and Gabriel and take them into their lives. Perhaps the windows with the colored lights are only in JonasÂ’s mind, not real, and they are freezing to death. Or, something else could be about to happen.

Regardless of what happens to Jonas and Gabriel, Jonas has enabled his community to receive the memories and to experience color, love, and pain.

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