The Giver

Lowry, Lois, The Giver, Dell Laurel-Leaf, 2002, 179 pgs.

Summary: Jonas is nearing year 12, the year in which he will be awarded his assignment. The world that Jonas lives in is a world of sameness. Nothing is different and there is no questioning because there is no knowledge of anything different. No memories of what could be, only what is. Jonas is very nervous because it is not very clear to him what his job or assignment will be. As the day arrives when he will receive his assignment, he hopes that it will be something he likes, something that he will enjoy. He is number 19. His father is a nurturer who just brought home a baby boy because the boy is not doing well at the nurturing center. This is very uncommon, but Jonas’ father is very good at what he does. His mother is a lawyer. She always seems to be working. Number 18 is called and then number 20. His number was skipped. Jonas fears that he did something terribly wrong. At the end he is selected, not assigned, to be The Receiver, the keeper of the memories. Jonas begins his training with the current Receiver and begins to call him The Giver. Through The Giver transferring memories to Jonas, he learns about colors and choices and pain and loss and love. All things that do not exist in his current world. He begins to learn of the terrible things that happen in the current world that nobody talks about because they are not allowed to ask questions or question the way of their world. With The Giver, Jonas decides that he must be leave so that the memories he holds will be released upon the people. But the plan does not go as they thought. What will happen to Jonas? Will he be destined for a lifetime of holding the differences in the world?

Evaluation: The book was nothing that I expected. From the cover I assumed it would not be science fiction. This is a very well written novel that teaches everybody to question what is around you. I couldn’t help but see similar themes in this novel that I saw in The Hunger Games. The ending has left me wanting more and I do believe I will read more. A very well written masterpiece.

Annotation: What if you lived in a world where there was no color, music, and you had no choices. What would you do?

Significance of Book: This book is hugely significant because of the democratic uprising undertones. The suggestion that you should question all that is around you and not just accept is a topic that can be hard for some to imagine, but it is so necessary.

Genre/subject: science fiction, coming of age

Awards:

National:

• ALA Popular Paperbacks: 2010
• Newbery Medal: 1994

Why I selected the book: I have always seen this book as a classic, but the cover has always turned me off. After the class presentation on Lois Lowry, I knew I had to just give it a try.

Price: $17.51