This sequence is actually one of my favorite parts to read because I think it really shows readers how deeply the Sameness has affected Jonas and the rest of society. Discussions about the Sameness usually emphasize the leveling of emotions. It is rarer for people to really emphasize how the Sameness quite literally leveled the ground and made the weather consistent. Jonas asks about hills and snow in Chapter 11, but he hasn't ever experienced them. Having a memory of those things isn't the same. It's not until Jonas escapes that he gets to be in the moment and experience hills, changes in elevation, and drastic changes in temperature. I would look at the end of Chapter 22 for specific text references about the changes in landscape and weather that Jonas experiences after leaving his community. We are told that his lack of caloric intake is affecting his ability to ride his bike, but so is something else that Jonas has never experienced. For the first time ever, Jonas is experiencing hills. We are also told about it raining for 2 straight days.
When Jonas and Gabriel flee the community, they discover that the landscape dramatically changes as they travel toward Elsewhere. Jonas is astonished by the rough terrain and is forced to ride up hills, which he has never done before. In his community, hills did not exist in order to improve the speed of transportation. Jonas also notices that there are many trees in the wilderness and stops by running streams alongside the narrow path to catch fish. The further Jonas travels from his community, he begins spotting wildlife and sees a bird for the first time. Jonas also notices that there are less agricultural fields the further he travels from the community. In addition to the wildlife and rough terrain, the weather also changes and becomes cold. As Jonas comes closer to reaching Elsewhere, he experiences a snowstorm and is forced to climb to the top of a snowy hill, where he finds a sled to ride down to a nearby village.
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