Jonas' mother's duties include punishing people who break rules and ultimately having to authorize these people's release from the community. Her distressful feelings about release show that a release is actually quite horrible. A release is final and signifies that the person being released is a complete failure to the community. Lowry hints at the meaning of release when she describes the citizens' feeling of "what-could-we-have-done?" when an infant has to be released for not developing quickly enough. The people clearly feel as though they are doing the right thing by following the rules, but by following the rules, they don't have to accept responsibility for their actions. They are so conditioned to following the rules that it doesn't occur to them to think as individuals and voice their own opinions. And getting a rule changed is an almost impossible feat. Citizens laugh about changing a rule because it is such a difficult, drawn-out procedure. The suggested rule is first presented to the Committee of Elders and is then studied for years. If the Committee of Elders can't make a decision, the proposed rule change goes to The Receiver, the most important Elder in the community, for a decision. Because the process could take a lifetime, changes in the rules are not often suggested.
When Jonas shares his apprehension about the December Ceremony with his parents during the ritualistic evening sharing of feelings, a family discussion ensues. The December Ceremony is especially important to Jonas because he is an Eleven and will be participating in the Ceremony of Twelve, in which he will be assigned his lifelong career. The job Assignments are secretly made by the Committee of Elders after much observation, note-taking, and discussion. Jonas is apprehensive because he has no idea what his Assignment will be. According to the rules, Jonas' parents comfort him, assuring him that his Assignment will be the right one for him. At the conclusion of Chapter 2, Lowry continues the book's foreboding mood of uncertainty as Jonas' mother talks to him about the changes that will occur in his life after he is assigned.
