When Jonas views the release of an infant on The Giver's video screen, he realizes for the first time that "release" means death, or, in this case, infanticide. Release for elderly people or for people who have broken the rules three times also means death, or euthanasia.
Infanticide is the killing of a newborn child. In the past, the main reason for infanticide was due to food shortages among primitive cultures. In most countries today, infanticide is considered a form of murder.
Euthanasia is the method of ending the life of a person who is suffering from incurable pain or disease. Euthanasia can be voluntary, meaning that the person has requested his or her own death, or involuntary, meaning that the person has not explicitly requested death. Euthanasia can also be active or passive. Active euthanasia involves taking deliberate action, such as giving drugs, to cause death. Passive euthanasia takes place when someone is allowed to die by withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.
