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Summary: The Giver
Review: The Giver In the book the Giver by Lois Lowry a science fiction novel. Is a very exciting and adventurous story about a boy in a sameness community. Who sees everything very different from others. Jonas is eleven year old boy who lives in a sameness community. In the community there are a ton of rules for example you can only have two children one boy, and one girl. Once you reach the age of twelve which on Jonas mind is coming up everybody in December has I big ceremony celebrating there age, and when you are twelve you get assigned a job by the Chief Elder the leader in the community. The most important job you could be assigned is receiver of memory which Jonas was chosen for. He thought he was skipped because she did not say his number. Everybody has trainer and Jonas was the Giver he gave him memories of the past and could see color now because of the Giver but he could not tell anybody about his training. Later on in the book Jonas Dad a nurturer in the community had a job when there was two kids (twins) wit same name they have to choose the one that is the heaviest and his Dad had to kill the other baby. Jonas asked the Giver if he could see the tape of the neutering and he does, and after he has seen he tells the Giver he wants to apply for a release but you are not allowed to apply for a release. So what does he do? Jonas's motivations are when he does stuff like when he tried for an a release he did not think about it he just went and asked for one with out thinking and that is how Jonas is in the book. In every decision Jonas makes he never thinks about it first and then he ends up regretting his decision. He does it because he doesn't know about the consequences or does not think of any consequences that might happen. There for Jonas is a character who does thinks before he acts and later on pays for those mistakes. Jonas role in the book is he is the main character the center point of the story. Jonas is a wise, brave, persistent boy who sees everything different from other people and that is why he was chosen as receiver of memory. The Giver the man who is training Jonas is also the same as Jonas because the receiver of memory and the Giver are the same thing and that's why they were chosen for that position in the community. The strong points of the story are that it is very exciting and adventurous, and it makes you think like why did he do this? Another one it was a very descriptive book and, very easy to read and, follow along the author describes every little detail in the book. It is also very strong in describing the characters description and what they do and why. I don't think there are any weak points in the book because it is very, easy to read and, follow along, and follows the expectation for a science fiction novel and, it is very descriptive and, really good word choice. That's what I think of the Giver a really great book. By: Derek Rager
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Summary: A utopia comes at a depersonalizing cost.
Review: Life-long care. A highly structured, advanced society where everyone has a role and no one has a need to rebel. That is the environs into which Jonas is born. Every year of his life, in the life of any inhabitant of this unnamed city, there is an assigned role with accompanying tasks, an obligatory training to prepare for the twelfth year in which a person receives her or his life's profession. In such an idyllic location it is interesting to note that those who are assigned to give birth are looked down upon; after two years of giving life to babes who will be subsequently assigned to parents who are allowed only one boy and one girl, the woman is assigned to various other chores. She is a lifegiving machine who maintains the population of the community but her ensuing role is that of some type of common laborer. No rewards for this profession! There are those who do the cooking and deliver meals to all of the inhabitants, those who clean up after the food has been ingested and trays left outside the home, those who are teachers, those who are nurturers, those who are caregivers to the elderly and those who are assigned legal tasks. The penalty for non-compliance, or non-conformity, is "release". By itself the word is innocuous enough. What it actually means, is hazy. Finally, at some point in time the elderly must be released and the decision is made for them. Big Brother is always watching and reminders are issued via an intercom. Faults and mis-steps seem to be gently dealt with but "release" is the ultimate verdict once a certain amount of opportunities for correction have elapsed. Dreams are processed each day as are feelings of anger, hostility, frustration. Reasons for behaviour are evaluated and the reason appears to be that if feelings can be processed a homeostasis will always return. Lying is strictly forbidden...until.... When the twelfth year finally arrives, a bizarre occurrence takes place. Jonas and all his contemporaries who are about to turn 12, are called to an auditorium at which time they revert to the numbers they were originally assigned, prior to the "name giving" that occurred when they were officially presented to their selected parents. Jonas is not called to the stage when his number is called. He is shocked as are all the members of the town who are present for this important occasion. The reason for the slight becomes apparent when Jonas receives the highest honor possible, he will become "The Receiver". His studies with the present Receiver reveal a far-from-perfect society and it is each subsequent Receiver who must be the recipient of the painful memories of the past. This takes its toll on each honoree as s/he literally bears the weight of the world in order to alleviate the town's folk from having to do so. Jonas gradually rebels and takes dramatic steps to escape what is not at all idyllic. Let the reader discover this moral tale. The novel is well done and can easily appeal to adults and adolescents alike. The fortunate adolescents will have adults with whom to review this book as it has many painful, ethical, moral issues to be discussed!
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Summary: Anne Frank and Me
Review: My Favorite Book. It is amazing. People who think the Holocaust never happened or that Anne Frank's Diary is Fake should read this! Nicole Burns is thrown into the Holocaust, Now she is Jewish and Nicole Bernhardt. As the Holocaust rules her life, family and friends the love in her heart keeps her in good spirits. When even that turns for the worst she keeps trying to go on and help her sick little sister. As she goes on she comes face to face with Anne Frank. Suddenly she's thrown out of the past and into the present. Where she realizes the Holocaust changed everything. She finds so much about herself and about a girl who became a famous writer and broke a million hearts, the one and only Anne Frank. I recomend this for 11 and up. As a rating of 1-5 I'd give it a 7.
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Summary: Great book (The Giver) by lois lowery
Review: ...Jonas's is a twelve-year-old boy living in a perfect futuristic world. There is no fighting, no pain, and no color, everything is completely organized. Everyone is assigned a role in the community at age twelve. Jonas is assigned to receive training from the giver. The giver alone holds all of the memories of the real pain and happiness of life before the governors started the community. But when training begins, things start to get tough. By putting his hands on Jonas's back, the giver can transmit memories. The memories can make Jonas actually feel the pain or live the happiness. Jonas finds out that his father has been lying to him about a baby boy, Gabe, and Jonas is forced to take action. Even in a perfect world like Jonas is in, life can be full of nasty surprises!!! I loved this book. Lois Lowry did a great job of describing all the memories, it was like I was there instead of Jonas. I also liked this book because it was a page-turner. You would be surprised how often I said to my Mom, "just one more chapter, pleease?" At the end of the chapter she always left you hanging, which I personally think is a very good technique.
I'd recommend this book to more experienced readers who like science fiction books. The only reason I was a bit disappointed with it was the very last part. It was one of those endings that the author left you to decide the ending, and I don't really like those types of endings. But all in all The Giver was a splendid, fun book.
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Summary: The Giver
Review: The main character in this book is a 12-year-old boy named Jonas. He lives in a community that knows no feelings, color, illness, poverty...in other words, they all live in a perfect community! In this community, everything is chosen for everyone. The indivuals cannot even choose their own destination! Jonas' destination of Receiver of Memories is chosen for him on his 12th birthday. There is only one Receiver of Memory in the community. His job as Receiver of Memory is to retain memories. You'll understand what is meant by that once you have read the book. This is an excellent book!
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Summary: Intriguing Young Adult/Modern Fantasy Book
Review: This story takes place in a utopia-like society. One of the most unusual elements of the community was that the members were only able to perceive their surroundings in black and white. The central piece of the story was that one person (The Giver) was the sole owner of all past memories and the time had arrived to pass that information along to a successor (Jonas).
The only persons experiencing any form of conflict in the story were Jonas and the Giver. Being without memories, the rest of the society, including the Elders who ran the society, were ignorant of any other way of doing things and were, therefore, content. Jonas was given the ability to see things from new perspectives, taking into account past pleasures and pains. He began to understand different moralities of situations and seriously doubted the way of doing things that he had previously accepted without question.
This book is not necessarily a question of good versus evil, but rather a matter of learning from past experiences. Was the decision of 'sameness' the correct one for their community? Why wasn't euthanization (being released) a question of morality? Were the decisions of doing things for the good of the community really good for the community? And without memories, what was left to compare their lives to?
I don't think that many children who read this story would care to live in that type of society. Middle School students (and I don't think that this book is appropriate for students younger than that) pride themselves on their originality. However, the topics addressed in this book are interesting for any students ready to consider them.
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Summary: A true classic that's NOT JUST FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Review: In this understated masterpiece, Lowry examines the idea that humans could entertain the possibility of giving up love, strife, choice, and all variables in life in exchange for "happiness" (really a sort of placid complacency.) The premise seems unreasonable as the act of love is mechanized, career paths are chosen by a board of elders, and all the pain and joy and memory of society is stuffed into one overloaded brain. The Giver must give this knowledge to the Receiver, "The (New) Chosen One," an astute twelve-year-old boy named Jonas.
In the beginning he never questions his society because he knows no alternative, but he knows he has always been a little different than the other kids. As soon as he is exposed to pain and love he wants to share them with others, but the Giver explains the circumstances of his society and his lonely responsibility. Like members of today's society, Jonas and the Giver must decide whether it is right to continue compromising freedom and choice for security and "happiness." CLEARLY THE ANSWER IS NO!!! Mature juveniles (a paradox?) and even adults can enjoy and learn from this novel. Younger kids can still appreciate the good writing even if the universal concepts don't yet click. Spread the word!
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Summary: The Giver
Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry, was a refreshing change in reality. This young adult novel is about a boy named Jonas, who lives in a "perfect" world. But soon Jonas finds out the world is not so perfect. I liked this story, it was fun and easy reading. The Giver allows a person to leap into their imagination and see the world in a different way. I recommend this book for young and old readers. The Giver is a unique and powerful novel.
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Summary: Communism to the extreme
Review: In my opinion, "The Giver" was an excellent book. It dealt with a future that is both frightening in its reality and illuminating in the way their society is run. Dealing with the story of a growing boy who is about to face his life's job for the first time, Jonas is chosen for the most respected job. He is the Receiver of Memories, who remembers everything of the history of the race so that the general public doesn't have to. They live in a world without color, emotion, or choice of any kind - they are even given pills to prevent sexual urges. Lois Lowry combines the idea of communism to the extreme with the idea that even a twelve-year-old child can change society if he so chooses in a story that makes you appreciate how horrible a life like that could be in comparison to all of the choices we make today.
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Summary: Great story, ending leaves much to be desired
Review: I read this story in order to prepare for when I have my class read it. I thought the story was well done and very rivoting, that is, until the ending. The story goes along fine until the last chapter and it seems like Lowry just got tired and wanted to finish it off without having to really develop it. It was quite abrupt and disappointing. I know that the author wants to leave the ending open, the reader comes up with their own conclusion. But I think she was wrong with leaving it so ambiguous. Even when she was given the Newbery award she refused to clarify the ending. This is not the kind of thought provoking ending I want to give middle school students. I believe they will find it disturbing and feel cheated (as I did) at leaving it unresolved. I read "Gathering Blue" and felt much better after having read that book. Lowry did state in and interview that she sees the ending (in The Giver)as optimistic ... I can't take ambiguity! I need closure! The book would have deserved a 5, except for the ending.
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