Book Summary:
Jonas and his family live in a "perfect" world where everyone is equal and everything is under control. All the houses look alike, each family has a father and a mother with a son and a daughter (given to them), pain is relieved in an instant by taking a pill, and people are "released" when they become old or make bad decisions. In the community, each member is assigned a position in society. Jonas' father is a Nurturer of new children, and his mom works at the Department of Justice. At the Ceremony of Twelves, the Committee of Elders assigns these roles.
When Jonas turns twelve, he is selected to be the new Receiver of Memory. The Receiver is the sole keeper of the community's collective memory. Jonas gets the good and bad memories of the past from a wise man (the Giver). Once Jonas starts receiving memories from the Giver, he realizes how empty life in the community really is because memories make his life more meaningful. Jonas begins to feel frustrated because the community doesn't know how to feel passion. Jonas and the Giver develop a relationship because they share the same frustration.
Jonas and the Giver devise a plan to change things in the community forever. They plan for Jonas to escape and enter Elsewhere so that his supply of memories will disperse and change the community's thoughts and feelings forever. But Jonas is forced to leave when he finds out Gabriel (the newchild his family is taking care of) is going to be released. He takes Gabriel to Elsewhere where the land is so different (full of color, animals, danger, etc). They find a sled and ride downhill toward music and Christmas lights.
APA Reference of Book:
Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Impressions:
I really enjoyed this book because it was not what I expected. I was so intrigued when I first started reading this book because I wasn't quite sure what to think of the community. Reading through the chapters, I kept learning something new about the community that was interesting, especially the concept of "releasing," and how the people didn't have real feelings.
I loved seeing the transformation in Jonas as he receives the memories from the past; he starts to truly care about others and wants them to experience the same joy he has (even though people have to live through pain in order to experience true joy). It was relieving to finally see someone not acting "perfect."
Lowry really develops the theme in her book. She shows readers the dangers that exist when living in a world of conformity instead of individuality and freedom. People can't always be safe and protected, blindly abiding the rules of society. It's important to question things, just like Jonas did. I like it when a book relates to the real world.
The ending of the book was so unpredictable. I don't like to be left hanging at the end of the book, but The Giver leaves room for the readers to create their own ending. Does the community ever change? What happens to Gabriel and Jonas? Where are they? Were they dreaming? Did they die?
The Giver was an easy book to read; I didn't want to put it down, wondering what would happen next. Although the ending wasn't my favorite, I truly enjoyed this book, and I believe it will continue to stand the test of time.
Professional Review:
"In a departure from her well-known and favorable regarded realistic works, Lowry has written a fascinating, thoughtful, science-fiction novel. The story takes place in a nameless, utopian community, at an unidentified future time. Although life seems perfect - there is no hunger, no disease, no pollution, no fear - the reader becomes uneasily aware that all is not well. The story is skillfully written; the air of disquiet is delicately insinuated; and the theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented."
Horn Book. (1993). Review of the book The giver, by L. Lowry.
The Horn Book, Inc. Retrieved from https://learn.unt.edu/web
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group_id=81_1
Library Uses:
This book could be used to teach the parts of a plot. Students could create a plot diagram of the events from the novel. They could use the Storyboard online interactive program to create scenes that follow the story in the sequence using, exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Since this book doesn't really have an ending resolution, students could come up with their own endings. They could present their Storyboards to the class.
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