Talk About posts give you the key events and essential information you need to discuss a Core Book with the children in your life.
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
The Giver is a Newbery Medal-winning dystopian novel. It tells the story of Jonas, a twelve-year-old boy who is assigned the job of keeping his community’s memories. It is not a typical job, and the training and requirements leave Jonas feeling separate from his friends and community. His new knowledge leads him to take an unexpected action.
Lexile: 760L | Reading Level: Grades 7-9
Storyworld
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a community where precise equality is the goal. Because of this, everyone lives by the same rules. All children receive things like bicycles at the same age. They also wear their hair the same way at the same age. Babies are born in birthing centers and are assigned to families. If a baby is not growing well, that baby is “released.” At twelve, everyone is assigned the job they will have for life. The job is the “perfect” one, based upon what has been observed about that child up until that day. On the surface, it looks as if this is the perfect way to live.
Key Characters
Their interactions with each other tell the story:
Jonas
Jonas is turning twelve as the story begins. He’s trying to identify the feeling he’s having about the Ceremony of Twelve he’ll attend to receive his adult job assignment. He wants to have a word to describe his feelings when they discuss feelings at dinner that night. He decides that he’s feeling apprehensive becuase he’s not sure which job he’ll get, and because once he has his job, he will spend his time with others who are in training for that job rather than with his friends. When he is assigned to be the new Receiver of Memory, he has no idea what to expect and noone else to train with. For the first time, he is alone, experiences profound physical and emotional pain, and must keep secrets from the community.
Jonas’s Family
Jonas’s father is a Nurturer who cares for infants until they are assigned to their families. He is gentle and a bit playful. Jonas’s mother works for the Department of Justice. She works to help people who have broken the rules resume their proper behavior. She is firm about rules. Both of his parents are loving to Jonas and his younger sister, Lily. Lily is a chatty eight-year old who is well-behaved and loving.
Gabriel
Gabriel is one of the infants under Jonas’s father’s care. Gabriel is not growing as he should, and if he doesn’t improve, he will be “released” from the community. Jonas’s father gets permission to bring Gabriel to their home so that the infant can receive additional attention and care. Jonas forms a close bond with Gabriel.
Asher
Asher and Jonas are good friends. Asher is a happy-go-lucky sort who enjoys having fun. Jonas is a bit worried about the assignment he might be given, but it turns out that Asher’s assignment is perfect for him. He is to be the Assistant Director of Recreation.
The Committee of Elders
The Committee of Elders is the totalitarian council that decides everything in the community. The Chief Elder is the elected representative from Jonas’s community. She genuinely cares for the children, and tells a short story of each as they are called up to receiver their assignments.
The Giver
The Giver, aka The Receiver of Memory, is an advisor to the Council. He holds all of the memories for the community. This causes him considerable pain, and he has come to believe that it would be better if the community shared the memories and the associated pain.
What Does Jonas Learn?
The messages/themes in this book speak to tweens:
What Do You Think?
The Giver, along with many other books about dystopian societies, has been banned several times. Among the reasons given is that this novel has mature themes of government control and suppression of feelings. What do you think?
Do you think the message of The Giver is that this type of society is a good one? Why do you say that?