I am currently in a young Adult Literature class, and i have been reading many books I have never read before (partyly because of going to a small christian school). I just finished reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. I really enjoyed it; though it left me with many questions. The book reminded me of a younger version of 1984.
The story is about a Utopian community. They believe in sameness, and there really is not concept of individuality. The elders make the choices and rules for the community. The community does not feel pain, no one has the same name, each family can only have two children, you have to apply for a spouse and children, and the community can not accurately describe its emotions. At twelve years old all the children are assigned their jobs in the community. Jonas, the protagonist of the book, gets the job of Receiver and is trained by the old Receiver who now takes the name of the Giver. As the Receiver he receives memories that no one else has. He feels love, snow, war, loneliness, extreme hunger, family, and colors. Jonas is sad that the others cannot feel and see what he does.
This book brought a lot of things too my attention. I never really thought about the fact that if we were restricted in the words that described our emotions we would never really know what we felt. The people do not know what love is and do not even understand. This made me think like how can we really know that we are satisfied if we don't know what it is to want. We need both sides.
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I read that book for school also. When I read it, it made me angry. I couldn't believe that the people sacrificed all these memories and their individuality. The idea of applying for a spouse appalled me and giving jobs to 12-year-olds make me practically sick (I was 13 at the time and couldn't imagine actually having a job). I'm glad I don't live in a world even remotely close to that because I would hate it.
~Jax
"Everyone has the right to their own opinion, I just prefer mine."
This is one of my favourite books ever. The first time I ever read it, I was on a road trip through Colorado, Utah, Arizona... we did 4 corners and grand canyon and all that. I was reading a book where they lived in a world that had no colour. It made me appreciate a lot of things that I didn't before.
It is a very watered down, childlike version of 1984. In lots of schools it's becoming required reading for Jr. High.
"Only someone who has suffered the deepest misfortune is capable of experiencing the heights of felicity" - from the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
What I didn't understand was how the kids were assigned their jobs. How come only one person was assigned the Receiver role, and why did they kill of people in the book because they were a certain way. I didn't completely understand the book when I read it in 6th grade.
You should definitely probably read it again. The people in charge kind of like elders watched the kids and decided what jobs were best for them. Only one person was Receiver b/c it was for a distinct person that did not come around often, if you remember the giver and receiver had light eyes whereas everyone else had dark eyes. and they killed the people off b/c they were seeking a sort of harmony and perfection. They also killed rosemary b/c she knew too much and couldn't handle. I really enjoyed it. Go grab it and read it, it would seem really short for you now.
Danielle ~"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think." -MLK, Jr.~