The Giver
By: Lois Lowry ~ Created By: Nadia Lora
Book Summary
Jonas is nervous about the Ceremony of Twelve to be held on his twelfth birthday, since he looks different than the other people in his society and has special powers that let him change things when he looks at them. During the ceremony, he is assigned the job of keeping the community's memory. Jonas works with an old man to receive the community's memories. He is known as the Giver, and he has memories of the world before it experienced "Sameness." Receiving the memories changes Jonas way of looking at life, and he is set aback when he finds out about "release," which is anl injection for old people and the ill. The Giver and Jonas make a plan for him to run away to Elsewhere outside their community, escaping with a baby or newborn, Gabe (Gabriel) that was scheduled for "release." At the end, after weeks of travel, the pair reaches the outside world.
Main Character
- Jonas ~ Jonas is a sensitive, polite, compassionate twelve-year-old boy. At the December Ceremony, he is selected to become the new Receiver of Memory, the most honored position in the community. Jonas is quite non-caring, before he begins his training as the new Receiver, but after he gains wisdom from memories and realizes that people gave up their freedoms for Sameness, he becomes angry and frustrated. During his training, Jonas acquires very deep emotional feelings and learns about love. He becomes a close friend of The Giver and risks his own life to save the citizens in his community.
- The Giver ~ The Giver is the current Receiver of Memory and trains Jonas to become the next Receiver. Because he carries the burden of the memories of the world, he suffers from the pain contained within the memories. He is lonely because he can't share his work with citizens in the community, and he is frustrated at times because he knows that the people gave up too much when they chose Sameness. He loves Jonas and the people in the community.
Gabe (Gabriel)
Father
Fiona
Asher
Lily
Rosemary
Quote From The Novel
The newchild stirred slightly in his sleep. Jonas looked over at him.
"There could be love", Jonas whispered.”
Teacher- like Questions
* Why was Rosemary's failure a disaster?
~ The memories went back to the people and overwhelmed the community.
* Why does the Giver need to stay in the community?
~ He needs to help the community deal with the memories so they are not thrown into chaos.
* What do Jonas' parents tell him when he asks if they love him?
~ They tell him it is inappropriate to use a generalized and obsolete word like "love."
One Thing I liked/ Disliked
- One thing that I really liked about this novel is the ending. There are two possible meanings behind the ending. Either Jonas and Gabriel freeze to death together on the sled, or they have really found "Elsewhere". Ultimately, the ending still shows us that, whatever happens, Jonas has made choices for himself rather than being told what to do. Whatever happens to him, it is still better than his life in the community would ever have been.
- One tiny problem or detail that i disliked about the novel was that the hero was very young, a detail that I seemed to have forgotten before starting this story. Not a problem though, Jonas showed an impressive and admirable maturity in his character. Even I, at twelve, and others around me at that time, were not as reflective, wise and…intelligent.
"This Is Rosemary"
Trailer
Starring:
- Brenton Thwaites (Jonas)
- Jeff Bridges (The Giver)
- Meryl Streep (Chief Elder)
- Alexander Skarsgård (Father)
- Katie Holmes (Mother)
- Odeya Rush (Fiona)
- Cameron Monaghan (Asher)
- Taylor Swift (Rosemary)