The Giver

The Giver

By Lois Lowry

Grades: 6-8

5 Stars

Jonas, a twelve year-old boy, is perfectly content in his seemingly perfect community until he is assigned the task of becoming the memory keeper for the community.  He is given wonderful memories of color, family love, and nature, and terrible memories of war, pain, and hunger.  These new insights allow him to see his own family, friends, and community in a new light.

I had never read this book before, and it floored me.  I was totally sucked into the idea of the utopia until little nagging questions started to bother me.  Why were the birthmothers thought of as disgraceful and why were they assigned to hard labor after their three years of having children?  What would happen if someone disliked their assignment?  Where were the people released to?  But I have to admit, I didn’t really realize how sinister the story was until Jonas watched his father “release” the smaller twin.

The use of color throughout the story created powerful visual images for me.  In Jonas’ first experiences with color, I couldn’t imagine why the community would have given this up for any reason.  Jonas is able to see the color red, and it seems to change everything for him to be able to see the color of an apple, his friend’s hair, and runners on the sled in a memory.  Later though, the color becomes a powerful symbol of the negative aspects the community gave up when they gave away their memories.  Red is also the color of blood and pain when he witnesses the dead and dying on a battlefield through one of the Giver’s memories.

This story reminded me a lot of the short story, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin.  Both stories explore the concept of utopias and the possible price someone must pay in order for others to live in a privileged, yet oblivious fashion. 

I am still unconvinced of what happens in the end of the story.  On the one hand, I really want Jonas and Gabe to survive.  On the other hand, I suppose their survival isn’t entirely necessary, because Jonas’ departure from the community will require the community to take over the responsibility for their memories again.  By leaving the community, Jonas has saved his community, in a sense.  They will have to remember.  They will have to be aware of the cost of their “perfect” world.

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