Jonas and the other children have to do mandatory volunteer time. The reader learns this information in chapter 4. The chapter begins with Jonas looking for Asher so that they can do their volunteer hours after school. This mandatory volunteering started when the children turned eight years old, and Jonas doesn't mind it so much. We learn that it's the one part of the day that allows him to actually choose something that he wants to do. On this particular day, Jonas volunteers at the House of the Old. Upon entering the building, Jonas signs the log book, which is used to track his hours. If Jonas doesn't have enough hours by the time December rolls around, he won't be allowed to take part in the Ceremony. Unlike Benjamin, Jonas spreads his volunteering hours out among a lot of different areas. This causes him some apprehension, because he has no idea what assignment he'll get at the upcoming Ceremony.
In chapter 4, Jonas rides his bicycle to the House of the Old to complete his volunteers hours before the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas enjoys spending time at the House of the Old and arrives while Fiona is completing her volunteer hours. Jonas immediately begins bathing an older woman named Larissa and enjoys listening to her tell him about the release ceremony that took place earlier that day. Larissa explains to Jonas how citizens in the House of the Old listened to Roberto's life story before he gave a goodbye speech and entered the releasing room. Larissa's explanation of the release ceremony is pleasant. Later on in the novel, Jonas becomes the community's Receiver of Memory and discovers that release is simply a euphemism for dying.
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