BIBLIOGRPAHY:

Lowry, Lois. 2002. The Giver. New York, NY : Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780440237686

PLOT SUMMARY:

Jonas is a young boy about to turn twelve. He lives with his mother, father and sister in a community that is concerned with everything being the same, to make life easier. When a child turns twelve there is a special ceremony to award them what their future vocation will be. This is an eagerly awaited event but for Jonas his happy anticipation quickly turns to apprehension when he is told he will be the next “receiver”, a vocation he has never heard of.

Jonas learns that he will be receiving all the memories, both good and bad of past events for generations. The previous Receiver, now known as the Giver, will transmit all of these memories to Jonas. While going through his training he learns that the community he lives in is really far from the utopia they thought they had created. Once he experiences such emotions as love and happiness, he realizes with his newfound knowledge he can no longer remain a part of the world he grew up in.

Together Jonas and the Giver make a plan to change what they can and hopefully share some of their knowledge.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The Giver is science fiction and told in the third person. Many ideas are presented in this story that makes one take a fresh look at the freedom of having choice and variety. The overriding theme in this novel is censorship and not allowing diversity. Everyone is the same. Children all receive a bicycle in their ninth year, and all learn what their vocation will be in their twelfth. Choice of food, work and family is all decided for you.

So many things that we take for granted or that seem small because they are automatic loom large once the idea is presented of not having them. Things like weather: snow and rain. What would it be like to live in a climate-controlled environment where each day the weather was the same? Would life be better? As the Giver states to Jonas, “Our people made that choice, the choice of sameness…we gained control of many things, but had to let go of others.”

The story ends with no real conclusion. The reader is left to decide the fate of young Jonas. I found the lack of a concrete ending somewhat disturbing. The desire to know whether or not Jonas survives his journey is great. The Giver is sure to generate much discussion whether read in the classroom or book group.

AWARDS:

* The 1994 Newbery Medal
* The 1996 William Allen White Award
* ALA list for “Best Book for Young Adults”
* ALA “Notable Children’s Book,”
* ALA “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.”
* A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
* Winner of the Regina Medal
* IRA/CBC Children’s Choice
* Booklist Editors’ Choice
* A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Publishers Weekly: “Lowry is once again in top form… unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.”

Children’s Literature: ” This is a stunning, provocative science fiction story that will inspire discussion.”

ALAN Review: “Winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal, Lowry’s thought-provoking fantasy challenges adolescents to explore important social and political issues.”

CONNECTIONS:

• Have a class discussion on utopia versus dystopia. Have students write about a day from life in a community such as Jonas’.

• To read more by Lois Lowry dealing with alternate societies:

Lowry, Lois. 2004. The Messenger. ISBN: 9780618404414

Lowry, Lois. 2000. Gathering Blue. ISBN: 9780618055814