Rules 1: In the community where Jonas lives, a rigid set of rules dictates and regulates every moment of the lives of its citizens. Although there are few exceptions, People in the community strictly adhere to the rules. When rules are violated or anything out of the ordinary happens, the citizens often become uneasy and nervous. The importance of rules is established from the very beginning of the story. Jonas is scared to see an unknown aircraft in the sky because according to the rules, planes are usually prohibited from flying over the community.
Rules 2: Adhering to the rules of the community, Asher makes an apology to the entire class when he is tardy. Precision of language is also an important rule; one must say exactly what he means. When Asher uses the word "distraught" inappropriately, he is immediately corrected by the instructor.
Rules 3: Lily confesses to having felt angry when someone from another community came and broke the rules. Like Lily, many citizens express discomfort when rules are broken.
Rules 4: Another rule is that every family unit must have exactly two children-one female and one male. When Lily jokes about keeping Gabriel, Mother reminds her of the rules.
Rules 5: Offenders of rules are brought before people like Mother who works at the Department of Justice. For offenders, there are no third chances. Once someone commits a third offense, he is released from the community.
Rules 6: Father confesses to having broken a rule and peeked at the Naming List of the newchildren to learn Gabriel's name. Compared to other offenses, however, this is minor and less serious.
Rules 7: There is a rule regarding riding bicycles. One is not allowed to ride bicycles until one becomes a Nine. However, it is a rule that is often broken, and there is much talk about changing it. A committee is examining the issue, but it is difficult to change rules in the community.
Rules 8: Comfort objects are given to every newchild, but according to the rules, they are taken away when children become Eights.
Rules 9: In the community, there are also unspoken codes of behavior. They are not rules, but they are often as strictly adhered to and established as rules are. For example, people do not usually like to mention things that are different about others in order to avoid being impolite.
