After receiving his Memory Receiver Assignment, Jonas receives special instructions, such as not telling anyone about his training, not asking for pain medication, and being allowed to lie. This makes Jonas suspicious of everything around him, including his own family. Upon receiving memories, he discovers deep feelings and realizes that the community has given up important things, like love and freedom, to live in a controlled and "safe" way. Thus, he begins to see that life there is not as perfect as it seemed.