The Giver

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Summary: Review of Lowry's The Giver
Review: Throughout the centuries, Christians have been buoyed up by a utopian vision of the afterlife given in Revelation 21:4, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." However, what about creating heaven on earth? What price would people be willing to pay for a world in which there is no more war, hunger, or social strife? Lois Lowry gives a frightening look at one such answer in her book The Giver.
Through a young boy named Jonas, we are introduced to a community whose citizens live in nearly total conformity to society's rules. At first glance, the order and homogeneity of the community appears to have created a nearly perfect society. However, as we look more carefully at the eerie extrapolation of the trend to sacrifice liberties for law and order at any cost, we see that Jonas' community has lost many of the basic freedoms we take for granted: privacy, choice of occupation, the ability to express disagreement with society's norms, the ability to learn from the past, the choice of whom to marry and where to live, the ability to reproduce and experience sexual pleasure, even the ability to continue to live when not a productive member of society. This future society has even gone so far as to rob people of the memories normally passed down as stories from generation to generation. Incorporated into the storyline of the book is the ultimate symbol of the blandness of their regulated lives, the inability of the people to perceive color: they see the world only in terms of black and white.
Interwoven with flashbacks to illustrate, Lowry skillfully introduces concepts in a terminology that is easily understood, yet different from the way we normally speak: newchildren, birthmothers, nurturers, the Receiver, the Committee of Elders, the House of the Old, release, seeing beyond, and elsewhere. There are also various ceremonies: The Naming, The Ceremony of Twelve, Murmur-of-Replacement Ceremony, Ceremony of Loss, etc. This layered description produces a sense of "otherness," while the detail which it affords lends an air of reality to the story. Each of these words has a connotation special to the environment of the community. In fact, one realizes that the citizens have been trained to think that apart from the rigid structure of the community, there is no real meaning to life. To fulfill one's given purpose in service to the community has become the all in all. We learn later in the book that although any citizen is given the ability to ask for release from the community, to reject service to the community is in reality to ask for a summary execution.
When Jonas, a dutiful child, is chosen to be the next "receiver," the façade of perfection is ripped apart. He is stunned with the realization that release means execution, something foreshadowed as early as the second page of the book when a beginning pilot veers off course and a voice announces in an ironic tone, "Needless to say, he will be released." Jonas experiences true feelings and a depth of emotion which the average citizen is not allowed. With his new found emotions he is overwhelmed and abhorred by the thought of his father casually murdering babies who do not measure up to society's standards. And together, the old receiver and the new receiver determine to give something to their community which has been lacking for countless generations.
The conflict with society which Jonas experiences as the seed of individuality germinates within him is what makes his character development such an integral part of the story. Fascination with his increasing realization of reality and the struggle to fight against the wrong he perceives rivets the attention of the reader. In the beginning, there was no question as to what he would do when the ubiquitous Big Brother-like speakers announced that an unauthorized snack must be returned. But his exchange with the Receiver about color shows that his eyes have been opened in more than one way: "It isn't fair that nothing has color!... If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things!" The continued conversation reveals the reason why the community's founders took away choices from people. Jonas muses, "We don't dare to let people make choices of their own." And with uncertainty adds, "Definitely not safe." This juxtaposition of words "uncertainty" and definitely" is merely one example of how beautifully Lowry uses language to dynamically portray the conflicting emotions roiling within Jonas.
The growing conflict as Jonas' character develops is not the only thing that attracts and holds the reader's attention. It is his interaction with those in his life as his feelings develop that we can identify with. Along with the black and white view of the world, the people in the community have no ability to distinguish beyond the superficial. They may know likes and dislikes, but they don't know what it is to abhor or love with depth of meaning. When Jonas asks whether his parents love him, we realize just how meaningless the word is to them as they fail to relate to the question. The reader begins to realize the tremendous price that Jonas' society has paid for a lack of conflict. Their eyes cannot see color because their souls are vapid. On the other hand, as Jonas interacts with the Giver we are fascinated by the deepening understanding in the Giver's heart of what must be done for the good of the society. As the Receiver remembers his daughter's death and discusses his grief with Jonas, it is the stimulus for a new way of thinking. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we see the Giver's spirit renewed at the thought of giving a new way of life to his community.
Truly this book succeeds in bringing to the fore many social questions. However, it succeeds on a deeper level by challenging our emotional IQ. The courage and strength which Jonas shows as he shoulders a burden for the ultimate benefit of his society is heartwarming and inspiring. The ending is left ambiguous on purpose, but it matters not. Lowry's purpose was not to provide a resolution, but rather to inspire further thought.


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Summary: Thought Provoking! (5th Grade Class Combined Review)
Review: This book is sad and somewhat disturbing, but very well conceived and written. It is not light fun reading, but it's worth the effort to get through it. Lois Lowry's words and descriptions made her alternate future world come alive.
A common complaint was that the ending leaves readers hanging. While it's good to make readers think, it's also nice to have a complete story. (The Giver's sequels also have this problem.)

Overall, this book was excellent for students in 5th grade or higher.

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Summary: Review Manuel Göding
Review: " The Giver" , by Lois Lowry, is an interesting book, which makes the reader think about a "possible" way of living in the future by describing an utopian community.

The protagonist in that community, named Jonas, is a boy in the age of eleven,
who was selected by the Elders (Community Leaders) to become the Receiver of Memories when he turns to the age of twelve.

The R.o.M.'s function is to keep the memories and feelings of the community members. These privileges are to "protect" the people of making decisions which could be wrong,
so the community tries to interrupt any feeling which might "destroy" sameness in the community, which even tells us that there is no freedom in the community.

Different from the others, the R.o.M. is never observed and he is allowed to have his own feelings and memories. By showing the R.o.M.'s disagreement with the system, Lois Lowry wants to make the reader think about the community's problems.

In that community there is a rule for everything and everyone, everything is manipulated and controlled by the elders but not the R.o.M.. By changing Jonas' situation
Lois Lowry makes the reader understand the feelings of Jonas during his training lessons with the Giver.

Lois Lowry tries to show the reader her interpretation of possible consequences of observing people in a way, which is easy to understand but it is not only her opinion, it makes the reader think about what might happen if everything is influenced by a system which was made for protecting people from themselves.

The way the story ends should make the reader identify with Jonas and his decision to flee, when he tries to find a way out of a system, which he do not agree with.

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Summary: The Giver
Review: "It was a sound of rage and grief and it seemed never to end". "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is a book about a boy named Jonas that has been living in his world always looking forward to the "Ceremony of the Twelve", but when he is called last instead of 19th and given a special job his life changes forever. At the ceremony everybody was given a job. Jonas was separated from his friends and family. He was to receive all the information that was kept from the community. Now Jonas has to hold all of the memories of war, hate, peace and death.

Jonas was a true rescuer. He was living in a community that had no connection to the outside world, and dealt with visions and thoughts no one in his society wanted to have. Jonas could have not gone for his training and left the Giver with the horrible memories but he took in all of the horrible ones and the good ones. Jonas played a very important role in the book. He was not only the Receiver of Memories and the main character, but a righteous, friendly, giving person.

This is a very important book to read if you like fiction books. It is not a good Holocaust book unless you have a good imagination and can see how they live in a ghetto like situation. You should read this book for fun but not if you are studying the Holocaust. It is an excellent book for all ages.

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Summary: Give The Giver a Chance
Review: "The Giver" gave me a new perspective on how I view life. After reading this novel I began to relize how often we as people take our daily lives and activites for granted. "The Giver" is such an originally written novel by Lowis Lowry, it's complex, but understanding and creative all at the same time. I was engrossed in the novel and all the events that took place; I could some what relate to the characters and how they sometimes felt. "The Giver" is an "A" class novel and one of my all time favorites, any one who enjoys reading will definatly enjoy reading "The Giver".

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Summary: Best Review
Review: "The Giver" is a novel which takes place in a community of the future. This community has strict rules. The people have no memories about their history and they don't see any colours. Only one man has the memories how life was in th epast. This man is the receiver of memories. His name is Jonas and he is 12 years old. He is trained by the Giver who was thr receiver before. They make a plan to change the community. They want to give the memories back to the people so that the get back their individuality. Will this plan work? Read the book and u will see it!

I think the book is great. It has a very good story. However, there are some logical mistakes in the plot and the end isn't the best I've ever read. But if you are not irritated by the mistakes and like future novels you have to buy and read this book

Have Fun!!!!

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Summary: The Giver
Review: "The Giver" is a story written by Lois Lowry that conveys what human life would be like if no thought or feelings were involved. Life just goes on as normal with people never asking any questions on why such activities are done the way they are in the town. The story begins to pick up when Jonas is selected as to be the Receiver of town (the most respected position). As this happens, a whole new story is unfolded to the reader.

Overall, this is a wonderful story that brings the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions as Jonas begins to receive memories that everyone takes for granted. Due to the variety of emotions the reader feels, it becomes very hard to put the book down, because the reader feels the need to find out what happens to Jonas. This is a very good story that keeps the reader interested throughout the entire story and still keeps the reader wanting more at the end.

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Summary: Giver Review
Review: "The Giver" is a very strong novel whose main point is the importance of differences and choice. Also especially important is the theme of safety over freedom. It demonstrates these points by showing a society with very few differences and freedoms. In these respects it is very similar to "1984", and "A Brave New World", although it seems to be geared for a younger audience. The story revolves around a boy named Jonas who is chosen to become the only one in the community who is given the capability to remember the past. The rest of the community can only know things as they are now, not as they were before. No history books or other reference materials exist, so the "Receiver of Memories", as the position is titled, is the only person with knowledge that can be used in new situations. Everything and everyone else runs by a mechanical routine. Eventually Jonas, encouraged by the former Receiver, flees the village in order to restore the memories to all the people. The ends like "Lady and the Tiger" with no one knowing if Jonas makes it to a better place or dies in the attempt. The biggest problem I saw in this book was the predictable plot. Once you understood the job of the Receiver of Memories you could guess the rest. The term "release" in this book is a euphemism for death designed to be mysterious, but given that those inefficient per the needs of the community are "released" and disappear forever. You know that Jonas does not like or fit into the system, the old Receiver is idealistic and the book needs to make a point. It fits that they would try to change things. The only way to do that is to return memories to the people. The details are just that, details.

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Summary: "The Giver" By Nick Young
Review: "The Giver" is a very well written book for people of all ages. This is an emotional book that teaches us about the lovely things in life. It also tells us not to take everything for granted. I would rate "The Giver" 5/5 stars.

Nick Young

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Summary: Very thought provoking and engrossing
Review: "The Giver" is an excellent book and really captures the reader. I greatly enjoyed the origional and creative plot, and I couldn't put the book down until I was done. "The Giver" makes you think quite a lot about your own life. It is wonderfully written and I hope you take the time to read this fasanating book.