Giver, the (Readers Circle (Paperback))

Lois Lowry

Plot Summary: Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver...more

Plot Summary: Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. (from cataloging) Evaluation: My copy of The Giver is all bent and dog-eared from years of enjoyment. No one writes characters like Lowry, and the characters are what stay with me whenever I read her books. In this book, fittingly, the only characters that give a strong impression are Jonas and the Giver. The others are all fairly drone-like. My favorite moment in the book is when Jonas first sees color. I could see that moment with him, and it is one of the moments in any novel I have read that has stayed with me the longest. The story is simply masterful and deserves every one of the significant number of awards it has received. Possible Uses with Children: The book would lend itself to a study of almost any literary device, but particularly characterization and elements of plot. A clever teacher might also use it as a means to discussing individuality and the meaning of freedom.   hide

I must admit, this is one of my favorite novels. However, this should really not be for kids. If...more

I must admit, this is one of my favorite novels. However, this should really not be for kids. If they were even able to understand it, there are some questionable material. Example: release, aka "putting to sleep";lack of trust in family, and this little dream that the main character has. However, for older kids, reading this book can be quite enjoyable. My friend and I each checked out a copy from the school library, read them, and then had a big debate. The book has many themes, most social comments. The society the characters live in is a perfected form of communism. There is also the argument between life/quality of life. The paradox is that mankind gained the latter by giving it up. The major theme that I picked up was opposition. By taking way sadness, can happiness be obtained? Yet no one in this society actually felt happiness, for they didn't know sadness. Many of the book's issues were quite controversial. I was reminded of the movie "the Matrix." When Jonas (the protaganist) learned the truth of his society, he could no longer be happy there. This book might be boring to those who do not analyze it, but then again, what you will find can be quite disturbing. My friend and I discussed the ending, and we do agree that the book ended, but again with a controversy. Could Jonas have also lived a happy life in this strange society? I highly recommend this to more mature people who will bother to study this, but I cannot guarentee you will like it.    hide

Imagine a community where everyone has everything they need. Imagine a place where every pain is...more

Imagine a community where everyone has everything they need. Imagine a place where every pain is erased as soon as it occurs, where people work together for the benefit of everyone, where every child is carried for by parents who are perfectly suited, not only for the children, but also for each other. Imagine a place where there are no worries, no war, no hunger, no sadness. Would it be worth it to live there? Would it be worth it if you have to give up true depth of feelings and emotions, if you had to give up color and music and beauty and love and every memory you've ever had? Jonas lives in just such a place. But at the Ceremony of Twelves, when children are designated for their life's work, Jonas is not assigned a job, instead is is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. Over the next year, as he learns how life was before Sameness, he has to answer those questions for himself. Is it worth it, not for him, but for everyone he has learned he cares about.   hide

When I first saw this book, I was skeptical about the plot and story. But the first few pages...more

When I first saw this book, I was skeptical about the plot and story. But the first few pages mysteriously grasped me, pulling me deeper to the book's core. I was confused yet curious about Jonas, the protagonist of the story, and the strange community he resides in. As I read further in, the story drastically changes as Jonas' life is changed forever, chosen as the Giver, he must remember and keep memories of the past. The story itself comes to a curious ending as either the author or the reader really knows, the ending is all up to the reader. Lois Lowry shows impressive work on this novel and has the ability to lead us from a wonderful felling of delight to a grotesque feeling of uncertainty. The Giver is a astounding story that will blow your mind away.   hide

This book brings you to a place that you would never imagine. I first read this book in 3rd grade,...more

This book brings you to a place that you would never imagine. I first read this book in 3rd grade, and I have read it 3 times since. Each time I grasp somthing new. This story is a twist of things that you could never believe could be real. So many things in todays society are taken forgranted. Things such as seeing in color, freedom to have as many kids as you want, freedom to go where you want, freedom to do what you want, the ability to feel pain, true love.... This story takes you to a town where all these things are unheard of and a young boy is "chosen" to take the spot of an elder who knows all things. At first he does not know what to expect, and the book is his adventure; taking you with him as he learns of what he is to become.   hide