The Giver
Lowry, L. (1993). The
Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 12-16
Summary: The Giver is a young adult novel set in a
utopian society where everything that is the same is treasured and differences
are weeded out and discarded. There are
many rules that govern the community and people must adhere to these laws or
face release from the community. Every year from 3 years of age to 12 years of
age, children are granted new roles and responsibilities until the Ceremony of
the Twelves awards the children the roles they’ll be spending the rest of their
lives training for and living out. The main character Jonas lives with the
parents to which he was assigned and his sister who joined their family unit
when he was a young child. The story begins with Jonas a few months away from
the Ceremony of the Twelves anxiously awaiting the job to which he’ll be
assigned. One by one he watches his classmates get chosen for different occupations
feeling both excitement for his friends and relief he wasn’t chosen for certain
positions. During the ceremony, he is passed over. Feeling anxiety until the
end, he is finally called onto the stage and it is announced that Jonas has
been chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity: to become the Receiver of
Memory. Pretty soon after, it becomes obvious to the reader that Jonas is
gifted with a special ability thus adding to the fantasy and creating a
supernatural tension in the story. As more revelations are made about the
community, it becomes apparent that Jonas will never be happy living there.
Will he escape? What will become of him?
Reflection: The Giver is a great novel. On the surface, the characters and the town
seem to be in working order and content with their lives, but underneath a
darkness looms that isn’t shared as common knowledge. Lois Lowry creates very dynamic characters
with distinct personalities. The
relationships between the characters play a major role in the story. The parents,
although not biological, are there to rear their children in the ways of the community
as they age, but it’s soon discovered by Jonas that his parents are not being
entirely truthful creating lies by omission. Jonas’s character development is
very central to the plot of the story. As he begins the story as just an
ordinary boy, he is soon forced to mature faster than any of his classmates as
he assimilates memories and feelings not experienced by anyone else in the town
save The Giver. Jonas and The Giver begin
to discuss ways to leave the town secretly because it is forbidden. Jonas feels
that it would be selfish of him to keep these memories all to himself. He feels
they should be shared with the rest of the community in which he strongly feels
change is needed but knows it is very unlikely to happen. The Giver explains to
him that if he were to leave or be released then the memories would return to
the community. That is all that Jonas needs to hear and he soon puts his plan
into motion but not without taking something of personal importance with him
first. This story teaches many lessons to the reader including “you are never too
young to make a change” and “change, no matter how scary, can still be for the
best” and “sometimes, you must go to extremes to make a necessary difference. “
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