The Giver

Bibliography: Lowry, L. (2014). The giver. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 978-0544336261

Genre: fantasy

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+/14+

Plot Summary:  Jonas lives in a world without color. He’s never seen the shades of blue in the sky or the changing greens of a tree. Everything is grey. Even differences in the people are minimal since personalities are bound and futures are predetermined. As Jonas approaches an important rite of passage--the moment he’ll be given his future--he has fleeting visions, but doesn’t have any words to describe them. He’s confused, slightly alarmed that he might be different from everyone else. He is, in fact, different and is destined to hold the most valuable position in the community--that of Receiver of Memory. Since individuals are not permitted to have more than a very basic level of memory, the Receiver of Memory must know them all. He must remember everything in history. As Jonas begins training with the current Receiver of Memory, he discovers colors and temperatures and emotion. And with this knowledge comes deep thought; and with deep thought, comes questions. Questioning is one of the worst offences within the community, one that can “release” a person from existence. Jonas needs to learn what his new limitations are. He needs to justify his own opinions against the staunch rules of his community. But when he discovers the deep power of love, Jonas will need to learn to trust his newfound abilities to determine a brand new future.

Critical Evaluation: Lowry’s writing is like a concerto, starting out slowly, then building up, developing depth and finally presenting the reader with a brilliance and complexity that leaves them dazzled. The part of her writing style that enamored me that most is, I believe, one of her most subtle. The first few chapters of The Giver are sparse in terms of description and complexity, as they have to be. The reader can only experience what the characters experience; due to the staunch rules of their civilization, everything is one-dimensional. “Jonas watched as his father poured a fresh cup of coffee” (14). The readers have an image, but there’s depth or complexity or use of sensory elements. Slowly, though, Jonas experiences flashes of color, the watery chill of snow, the depth of glee. Lowry starts adding in subtle description, so slowly that the reader barely notices it. As Jonas’ memories deepen, the description deepers and the reader is able to further immerse themselves in his world. And finally, as Jonas discovers his values and determines his beliefs, Lowry’s words take on a life of their own, mirroring the intensity of Jonas’ decisions. “He would have lived a life hungry for feelings, for color, for love” (218). Just as Jonas moves from a one dimensional world into one full of emotion and decision and beauty, Lowry transforms the reader’s experience into a brilliant literary mosaic full of intricacy and capacity.

Reader’s Annotation: Jonas is the chosen one, chosen to learn and hold a civilization’s entire collection of memories. These memories come with a knowledge so deep and unexpected that he has no choice but to determine his own opinions. Can Jonas develop the strength he needs to fight for his beliefs?

Author Information: Author Lois Lowry was born on March 20, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She published her first novel, A Summer to Die, in 1977. After this serious drama, Lowry showed her lighter side with 1979's Anastasia Krupnik, which became the first in a series of humorous books. She won her first Newbery Award for the 1989 novel Number the Stars. In 1993, Lowry received the honor a second time for The Giver, which would eventually become a 2014 film. More recent works include Son (2012) and Gooney Bird and All Her Charms (2013).¹

Lowry writes, “My books have varied in content and in style. Yet it seems to me that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, is a fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells of the same things: the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.”²

Curriculum ties: social studies, government, freedom of choice

Booktalks: What image represents love to you? Can you feel love without memory?

Challenge issues: murder, suicide

Challenge Issue Resources:

• Library Selection Policy
• Rationale explaining why the item was chosen for the collection
• Active listening skills
• Awards
• Reconsideration form (as a last resort)
• Illinois Library Association (Banned Books Listings)
• National Council of Teachers of English “Right to Read”
• Positive and negative reviews: expert, parent, student
• ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials
• ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

• Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
• Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Reasoning: The Giver weaves philosophy into a coming-of-age theme. Because teenagers can relate to the struggles of defining themselves in an unknown world, they open their imaginations up to the possibilities before them, just as Jonas does. The philosophical themes encourage deeper thinking and exploration of their own opinions.

References

¹Lois Lowry Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/lois-lowry

²Lowry, L. (n.d.). Lois Lowry's Biography | Scholastic.com. Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/lois-lowry