The Chief Elder goes on to explain the qualities that a Receiver of Memory must possess. These qualities include intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond. Jonas is unsure whether or not he has this last quality, but as he looks out at the audience, he sees the audience change, the same way that the apple changed. Remember that earlier in the book, when Jonas first saw Gabe's pale eyes, which are exactly like his own, Jonas thought that such light eyes had a "certain look . . . as if one were looking into the clear water of the river, down to the bottom, where things might lurk which hadn't been discovered yet." Maybe Jonas does have the Capacity to See Beyond.
Chapter 8 ends with Jonas confused about his future as the new Receiver of Memory. He feels fear because he will have to endure physical pain and will be alienated from his friends and family, but he feels pride because the members of the community are in awe of him — and he hasn't done anything yet. He has only been selected.
