Banned Book Review #9
Written by AmericanGirlinChina, who has now left us
It’s not rare that a piece of writing grabs us in such a way as to pull us inward and make us search for something within ourselves. I believe it happens quite often in fact. It’s why we have best seller lists and renowned classics, but also dangerous books that expose society and push the envelope. The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is such a book. The subject matter is oozing with provocativeness at every turn while revealing a spiritual journey that, I believe, we are all hoping to travel to some extent.
Throughout the book, I remember thinking several times, “What is this?” I was constantly searching for the meaning behind Lowry’s words. The idea of a controlled community where every step of life is planned intrigued me. The world of sameness that the main character, Jonas, and his fellow community members live in is filled with social constrictions, semi-bliss and ignorance. Only one person, the Giver, is aware of the things the community has masked with the strive for sameness and peace. Only the Giver can truly feel. When Jonas begins to train as the Giver’s replacement, everything changes. Jonas feels true human emotion and has hope that his community can overcome the clouds of darkness covering their awareness of life. It is this hope that drives Jonas’ spiritual journey. As he becomes conscious of real pain, death and love, he wants to share his awareness with others. He struggles to do so at first, but in the end he achieves something greater than himself for the sake of humanity.
It’s a great read, but speaking of the ending, I was left a little disappointed by it. The plot and spiritual richness of The Giver is enough reason to dive in and read, but I still feel that the conclusion was lacking for me. Since the book is drenched in real substance, I was hoping for a major finale with fireworks and a brass band. Instead the ending is more subtle, which is fine, but there could have been more to it in my book. Perhaps Lowry didn’t want to take the book too far into the abstract realm of spirituality in order to make the book more relatable. No matter the ending, the book is a classic and a great read. For my disappointment with the ending, I rate the book 4.5 stars instead of five.
However, above everything else, the overarching message is about awareness. Sometimes we refuse to hear and see beyond our own faces and our own lives because of pain or shame or whatever other thing holds us back. Fear certainly is a big obstacle. Jonas was not afraid of what was beyond. He wanted others to have to the awareness as well. For me, The Giver speaks to us and pushes us towards awareness. We can’t understand what we refuse to even look at or listen to. We must face the things we avoid in order to change the world.
The Giver
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It sounds like a commentary on the 50s. I'm going to have to read that now.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tricia0711