The Giver

The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Ages: 5+ Grades

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary: Jonas, a 12 year old boy knows nothing but the perfect community he lives in. Everything is decided for him, and up until he is given the role of Receiver of Memories, he goes along with it because he does not know any different. However, this new role he takes on in his community is one filled with exciting new things like color and music, but the sorrowful and painful memories and new realizations are overbearing and push him to make a change.

The Giver is a phenomenal book; let me explain why… I honestly cannot remember the last time I have actually been unable to stop reading a book. From the second I began reading this novel I read and read and read. I read it in every free minute I had until I finished it at 2 am on a Friday morning! You see, I had never read this book as an elementary or middle school student like many of my peers had, and for this I am glad. I felt that I was able to appreciate it on a much different level reading it now as an adult than I would have as a child.

The Giver sent me on an emotional roller coaster with the turn of each page; for example, when Jonas was skipped over in the Ceremony of 12; I was furious! I just could not grasp why he was not receiving a position, especially since I thought the title of the novel gave it away. But, I kept reading, being that I couldn’t even begin to put it down, to find out the he was seen as such an extraordinary member of the community and was given the role of Keeper of Memories.

This was the start of an entirely new journey throughout the latter half of the book. His new role seemed to be such a mystery, especially with the rules he received to go along with it. I remember feeling a little nervous for Jonas upon his first visit with the Giver. There was such suspense of what was to come in the first transfer of memories, which turned into shock! I was beginning to realize how controlled the community actually was. They had never even experienced weather or anything of the sort. No colors, no music, no pain, no happiness or excitement, no holidays, no family, nothing. Everything was controlled and there was no individuality. Furthermore, Jonas must hold onto the burden of knowing all the details of what Elsewhere, or beyond the community exists of.

Towards the end f the novel, chapter 19 was probably the peak of the emotional roller coaster that this book had taken me on. I felt such tremendous sadness when finding out that the Ceremony of Release is actually the process of euthanasia. Tears brimmed in my eyes as I tried to imagine a society where there is no understanding that such a process kills another human being. I completely understand that this is Science Fiction, but think about it… What would our world come to if we had this lifestyle of sameness and understood nothing other than what we are told to do! It is completely insane!

In the end of the novel, when Jonas escapes with Gabe, my feelings turned to fear alongside hope. I wanted everything to be okay, but the novel ends so ambiguously, there is no real answer to give. I felt that Jonas’ sacrifice would save him in the end, but I suppose we’ll never know.

I would absolutely use this as a text in my classroom. It is full of new ideas that are both intriguing and frightening at the same time. I would hope that a child would ask as many questions as possible about this book and embrace it for what it is; a wonderful novel. The Giver is filled with such significant elements that shed a new light on how we see ourselves as a part in our own communities.