“We gained control of
many things. But we had to let go of others.”
This is the story of Jonas. He lives with his family
in a futuristic Utopian world. It is a place completely isolated from the rest
of the planet, where everyone's decisions are made for them.
Colors are not seen. The people only see black and white;
their memories of color are gone. Their memories were suppressed, along with
their ability to experience emotion.
Everything in the community is in order; no one breaks
the laws,
The community advisers “protect” the people from
making the “wrong” choices. In essence, they completely eradicate the
freedom of choice.
“When people have the
freedom to choose, they choose wrong.”
There is continual sameness. There is nothing unique,
or special defining their lives.
Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver, the only mind
receptacle for all the world's memories. There is one only, in the whole community.
When Jonas receives from the Giver, the memories of history, he starts to
question the leaders. He wants to share the happy wonderful things he can
share, the colors he can now see, and the wonderful smells. Even after he
starts learning about pain, and war, and starvation, fear, and many horrible
things, he still wants to share the memories with the rest of the community.
He starts breaking the rules. His friends question his
decisions to speak out against the authorities, and the perceived way things
are “supposed to be”, because they don’t, and can’t, understand.
“The way things look
and the way things are, are very different.”
We should question the stories fed to us, we should questioning
their validity and accuracy. Far too often, in our world, we take the
information that is given to us, and don’t bother to do our own research, or to
even think for ourselves. That is a worthy part of this story: it reminds us to
live with eyes wide open. Things are not always as they appear.
My overwhelming feeling, upon finishing this book, was
disappointment. I know there are many people who love it, but it was not a
great story for me. It’s possible that reading books like 1984, The Hunger Games, and
Divergent have ruined me for this
type of story. I do wish I had read The
Giver first.
Jonas did take a baby, Gabriel, and save him from
“Elsewhere” but we never find out what happens.
It ended in a weird, unsolved way. There was no real
resolution.
Undoubtedly, I need to read the rest of the four-book
series. Perhaps the entire story will make more sense if I read them all.
The Giver, Lois Lowry, 1993
This post is part of the 31 Days of Bibliophilia series.
Did you see the recent movie? I saw a play and I didn't really get it. I need to read the book, perhaps. I'm really not one for dystopia though I loved the writing of the Hunger Games series.
ReplyDeleteGreat to read your 31 days series!
Judy, I did see the movie. In fact, the movie was why I read the book - I had to read it before going to the movie. It was good, just had the same, odd ending. I really need to read the rest of the series.
DeleteJessica, they will! They truly will! The Giver is a difficult book to take in, alone. There are so many lines in The Giver that speak into our human condition. Glad to have read your post from 31 Dayers group!
ReplyDeleteI will! I need to get them from the library. And thank you!! :)
DeleteI haven't read The Giver. Thanks for sharing your insight!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading!!
Delete"The Giver" is one of my absolute favorite books, and you did a beautiful job highlighting what makes the story unique and powerful. Although it is a challenge to get some of my students to read it, I love discussing the hidden messages with them. Not sure if I'm willing to watch the movie since I have such beautiful images of the story in my head from my many readings of it. But then again, I do love Meryl Streep...
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I do think the movie was done fairly well, and stayed true to the story.
DeleteI read this 6 or 7 years ago, and I agree with your comments about the ending. I had no idea it was the beginning of a series, though, and that may make all the difference.
ReplyDeleteWe really need to read the rest. :)
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