The Giver by Lois Lowry

Module 3 - The Giver by Lois Lowry

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Newbery Medal Book 1994
180 pages
Ages 10-14

Plot:

Reviews:

Excerpt from Melinda Franklin in Writers for Young Adults:
 
Lois Lowry inscribed her 1994 Newbery Medal winner, The Giver (1993), "For all the children to whom we entrust the future." The book serves as a warning and a hope for times to come. Although the setting of this novel is strikingly different from Lowry's other works, the themes are the same: the importance of memories, the interdependence of families and greater communities, and the cycle of life....

The type of interdependence that Lowry describes in The Giver is very different from the connections that are central to many of her works. The utopian world is structured with a series of rituals and rules for families and the community. In the family they have Telling of Feelings, Telling of Dreams, and set statements that are made by a person who has been rude or vain. The community takes part in such rituals as strict daily schedules, the Ceremony of Age, and Releases (sanctioned euthanasia for the elderly or undesirable members of the community). This community relies on rules and structure to hold it together, instead of connections among people. The relationships among the people of The Giver look especially shallow when contrasted with familial and communal relationships in Lowry's other works such as Rabble Starkey, Autumn Street, and the Anastasia books.

Finally, Lowry uses several examples of the cyclical aspect of life in The Giver. Jonas is being trained to replace the old Receiver of Memory, an elder in the community. Jonas is young and inexperienced. He is challenged emotionally, mentally, and physically by the memories he receives. The Giver, as Jonas comes to call the present Receiver of Memory, has been exhausted by his responsibilities. Jonas is his relief. The Elder must pass his burdensome task to Jonas, a progression that represents the natural patterns of life....

In the end, Jonas decides to leave the community and release the memories he has been given into the community. While The Giver stays to help the community handle the released memories, Jonas and Gabriel escape in the night for the unknown land beyond the community boundaries. In freedom, the two young characters are allowed possible rebirth. In this way the cycle continues.

Franklin, Melinda F.  (1997). Lois Lowry. Writers for Young Adults. Ed. Ted Hipple, 3.

Excerpt from Elyse Lord for Novels for Students:

Lowry's novel is compelling, terrifying, and above all, hopeful. Through reading about Jonas, a boy who has the courage and vision to help his people to acknowledge their pain and differences, Lowry's readers can experience the joy of pushing “open the gate” [Lowry's metaphor] that separates them from Elsewhere. It would be hard to find a more appropriate message for youth, who are immersed in making important decisions about what kinds of people they will one day become.

Lord, Elyse. (n.d). The Giver. Novels for Students. Gale. 


Library Suggestions:

As I feel this books lends itself so readily to discussion, I would recommend this book be used in a young adult book club setting guided by an adult. Upon concluding the book, readers should discuss the importance of family and memories in terms of society as well as individual responsibility to one's larger community.