Three things Jonas realizes about the community.

1. Jonas's training to become the community's next Receiver of Memory gives him valuable insight into the true nature of his community. Jonas realizes that Sameness is the result of numerous years of concerted effort to make the community entirely safe and comfortable. Jonas learns that Sameness has eliminated hills and sunshine from the community in order to make transportation more efficient and protect citizens from the sun's potentially harmful rays.
2. Jonas also realizes that allowing the Committee of Elders to decide everything adversely effects the citizens' independence. Jonas learns that the reason the Committee of Elders makes all the decisions is to protect the citizens from making bad choices that could negatively effect the entire population. He also discovers that without a certain level of independence and spontaneity in life, citizens do not experience the emotions of joy, love, and excitement.
3. Jonas also learns the true meaning of the term "release," which is shocking and disturbing. After Jonas witnesses his father kill an infant during a "release," he discovers a dark truth behind his community. Jonas learns that citizens' lives are taken during release ceremonies as a form of population control or punishment.