BIBILIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. 1993. The Giver. New York, NY. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 0-440-23768-8
PLOT SUMMARY
Jonas lives in the Community, a world that knows no pain, hunger, poverty or even death. But it is also a world without love, passion, choices, or freedom. At the Ceremony of Twelve Jonas enters adulthood and is given his Assignment. But unlike the other Twelve’s who receive Assignments such as Doctor, Engineer or even Assistant Director of Recreation, Jonas is given the mysterious Assignment of Receiver of Memory. With this Assignment Jonas begins to learn the scary truth of the Community.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Giver is a wonderfully thought provoking modern science fantasy for young adults. I enjoyed how the author did not give a forward or explanation of the setting or story, but instead plunges the reader headfirst into the story and allows the reader to experience the Community through the eyes of the young protagonist, Jonas. The plot begins with Jonas feeling anxious about the Ceremony of Twelve and of what Assignment he will receive, and ends with his personal growth, discovery and courage to do what is right. At first I was confused as to what time period and country the setting is in, but then realized as this is a fantasy, the setting needs only to be enough to help the reader visualize the surroundings and might be an “other world” or “imaginary place.” The reader quickly comes to learn that the Community is a Utopian place where the people in the community have no freedom to choose their jobs, their spouses, or their children, but no one is left hungry or homeless. Everyone has their place and if rules are not abided the perpetrator will be “released” to Elsewhere. Babies are cared for by Nurturers until married couples apply for children and are assigned a child, only one boy and one girl. After the children are grown they are given an Assignment and are free to leave and apply for a spouse of their own. The parents are sent to be with the Childless Adults and later in life to the House of the Old, and lastly released to Elsewhere. The characters are revealed through their conversation and actions, but since members in the community besides Jonas and the Giver seem to be devoid of any real feelings, their characters are rather blank and flat. Jonas character develops and grows as he receives memories and learns more about the community and the world he lives in. The story comes to a climax when Jonas learns the truth of a “release” and must choose to disobey the rules in order to save a Newchild he has come to love like a brother. The theme emerges naturally from the story and is not stated or pushed upon the reader. The reader is allowed to come to their own conclusion through by using their critical thinking skills. The story makes me think of a line from movie I really liked, Vanilla Sky. The sidekick character said, “The sweet is never as sweet without the sour” I think that is so true. This book allows the reader to come to the conclusion that differences, pain, choices and feelings are all important and necessary to really live.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-- In a complete departure from her other novels, Lowry has written an intriguing story set in a society that is uniformly run by a Committee of Elders. Twelve-year-old Jonas's confidence in his comfortable "normal" existence as a member of this well-ordered community is shaken when he is assigned his life's work as the Receiver. The Giver, who passes on to Jonas the burden of being the holder for the community of all memory "back and back and back," teaches him the cost of living in an environment that is "without color, pain, or past." The tension leading up to the Ceremony, in which children are promoted not to another grade but to another stage in their life, and the drama and responsibility of the sessions with The Giver are gripping. The final flight for survival is as riveting as it is inevitable. The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of a life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time. --Amy Kellman, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Amazon.com
In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.
CONNECTIONS
- Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare
- The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George SpeareA Newbery Honor Book
- I Am Regina by Sally M. Keehn
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