For the first time, he heard something that he knew to be music. He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps, it was only an echo.

Lois Lowry
About This Quote

In a science fiction story called 1984, the protagonist, Winston Smith, had a chance encounter with a woman who had been sent from the year 1984 to the year 2199. She said that she was from the future and told him of a time when he would hear music. Winston was intrigued and asked her more about it. He learned that it would be the most beautiful of all music.

In his excitement he exclaimed, "Ah! What joy!" and began to sing an old hymn tune. The woman was surprised at his reaction and explained that he would hear this song for the first time and would sing it only once in his entire life (after which he could never hear it again). The reason he could never hear this song again was because she explained that music had been banned in 1984 as the result of a revolution led by those who felt they were not being listened to.

When Winston learned of this, he realized how important it is to share what you know with others as you never know when it will be taken away from you.

Source: The Giver

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