Jumpia: "A Choice World"

By Jasmin (Age 10, German Swiss International School)

Editor's note: This is a story inspired by Lois Lowry's The Giver.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Last week on the 23rd of August, Explorer John Dibbs found a small community called Jumpia near one of the Spratly Islands. Jumpia is a society where people are not allowed to make any choices. They can only do what is told of them to do. In this place there is a group of elders who make rules for the people to obey. If they don't obey, they get a punishment that the "Group" decides.

We interviewed some people to find out their opinion of Jumpia. Andi Rudolph, the head of security of Jumpia, told us that he thought it was unfair that Jumpia residents could not decide what to do. Andi said: "The prime minister of Jumpia has a council called the Group who decides everything and the residents can only do what the Group wants. I think that this rule should be stopped and residents should choose whatever they want and then it will be the best utopia in the world."

We also asked Mrs. Jessat Dunmore and she said that this rule was fair. She said that it enabled her to be (a bit) lazy and she could just do what people wanted and she didn't need to choose anything. Dunmore and her husband work for the computer company Apitsio and they are managers there. Because of the "Group", Dunmore and her husband only need to go to the Apitsio office once a week.

One of the "Group" members, Jane Alecto, has been very strict about the rules lately. Someone said that Alecto was forcing people to go to work for two years straight with only four holidays in the period of two days. The "Group" has also been unfair to many people, forcing them to do hard jobs with no training at all!

While walking around on the the streets, the "Group" has been harassed a lot of times due to their bad judgments. During these incidents a lot of Jumpians have been hurt. Melissa Abotts, the head judge in Jumpia has had requests to ban the "Group" and let everyone have their own rights. Melissa and her group have had long discussions and have decided.

Yesterday when the crew went to Jumpia the news had spread - Melissa had made her rule. The rule was that if you were over 32 then you could make your own choices. There was also no more "Group". Jumpia was rejoicing when we arrived and we interviewed Melissa. "I really like the idea of banning the 'Group' because even I am tired of them. They made my 32-year old daughter go to Clairons Managing Company and made her work seven days a week with only half a day of rest. They also forced my baby son to go to kindergarten even though he just turned three! How strict is that?"

Now Jumpia is in complete harmony - even the former "Group" people. Jumpia has a lot of shops and buildings opening because the "Group" didnt' allow more buildings and shops. Lots of people are taking a break from work and some are quitting. Agencies for jobs are busy because people want new jobs. What can happen next?