#4 - My Initial Response to The Giver

Looking at the dull cover of The Giver set my first impression of the book: Boring. What could be interesting about an old man?  However, I learned not to judge a book by its cover.


When I first started reading this book I didn't understand any thing about the book. It seemed rather confusing at first. It seemed like a completely different world from what we live in.

Jonas lives in a Community where everything is meticulously ordered: houses look alike, people dress alike, each family unit includes a father and a mother. Children begin their volunteer hours when they are Eights, and the Committee of Elders assigns them their roles in the Community at the Ceremony of Twelves. In addition, fear, war, suffering and pain have all been eradicated. You might think that Jonas lives in a perfect world, right? Wrong!


The people living in this controlled world have chosen Sameness. They have no hills, no colour, no sunshine, no snow, etc. Furthermore, feelings are superficial and their memories encompasses only one generation.


At the center of the novel is Jonas, a twelve year old boy who, along with the rest of the "Twelves", is about to be given his life assignment.   His friends are given standard assignments as Caretaker of the Old, Fish Hatchery Attendant, and Assistant Director of Recreation. However, Jonas is singled out for an unusual assignment. Because of his intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and Capacity to See Beyond, Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. The current Receiver, who has held the position for decades, then becomes the Giver. Jonas is then sent to The Giver for training.

What is "The Receiver" ?

The Receiver of Memory holds the position of highest honor within the Community, serving as the repository for the memories and knowledge of generations. Whenever the Committee of Elders are faced with a new situation or problem, they are able to seek advice from the Receiver.

The Giver explains that Jonah has been selected to become the repository for all of the memories of what life was like before the Community, and to advise the Elders and the people about what they should do when they have to make choices.  It is the Receiver who steers people away from choices that might lead to trouble. This is to prevent any possible disruption to the Community. 

This training consists of The Giver transferring memories to Jonas , and as the transfers begin, Jonas comprehends the importance of his new role. For the first time, Jonas experiences snow, warmth, colour and physical pain.

Over the next year, The Giver transfers more and more memories to Jonas, some happy, some painful, some terrifying, but all new and beyond the comprehension of the rest of the Community.

In the last section of The Giver, Jonas and the Giver choose life for the Community. Life: the freedom to make choices, the freedom to choose you spouse, and the freedom to choose the colour of your tunic. For the community is not good; it is actually cruel. Hence, Jonas sets out together with Gabriel, into Elsewhere.
Firstly, I was disheartened by the fact that the citizens were released, not by their own choice. People who broke the rules more than thrice got released, if there were twins, the lighter of the two got released. In addition, The Old got released before they even died of natural causes.This heartless action shows that the people do not love and treasure their lives of their people! This is the complete opposite from the world we live in.

After reading The Giver, I personally feel that it's plot is very original. 

1. I found the setting very creative : A community without freedom, with no choices and with no feelings.

2. Also, I liked the part about a family being depicted as a temporary place to live in rather than a permanent  home.

3. The reference of "Stirrings" to sexual desires was really cool too. Since "Stirrings" are not allowed in the Community, young people begin taking a pill upon first experiencing them and continue taking it daily until they enter the House of the Old.

6. The concept of "release." This pervades the book, but its meaning remains uncertain until Chapter 19, when Jonas witnesses a release conducted my his father.

7. The transfer of memories by placing your hand on one's back. This is done throughout Jonas's training with The Giver, and when Jonas transmits memories to Gabriel to help him sleep.

8. Referring to everyday concepts in a slightly unusual way which helps to set that society apart from our own. Babies younger than one year are called "newchildren," and children of the same age are "groupmates"; the elderly, the unhealthy, or those who have broken the rules three times may be "released."

The book striked as a powerful reminder that there is not a better world than that the one we live in. If it were the same as the Community, there would be no feelings. Without feelings, we are not human. Furthermore, how could one live in a world without love?

In my opinion, this book beautifully illustrates why God gave us freedom of choice. Yes, our freedom has resulted in a world full of people who have and continue to make bad choices that have caused pain and suffering. Yes, through our freedom we have slowly destroyed the incredible world the Lord has created for us. But the alternative which is skillfully portrayed in The Giver, is terrifying. Would you like having someone assign a job to you, without giving you a choice? Would you like being assigned a spouse and allowing you to have only two children, a boy and a girl? Certainly not!

However, I feel that the beginning of the book was too slow, in comparison to the short ending, which was filled with excitement. Also, I didn't really like the ending. I found it to be rather short and brief. I wished to know how Jonas and Gabriel lived in Elsewhere, and how the Community would react upon receiving all the memories which Jonas once had.

My favorite part of the book was when Jonas started his training, and all throughout his training. Each memory was vividly described.

Peronally, I feel that this book really makes you think. After almost every chapter you’ll want to stop and sort out what happened. For example it is hard to imagine a world in which your parents think love is not real, that it’s a meaningless word. It is also strange to try to understand a world in which the government decides your life for you.

After reading The Giver, I appreciate and am thankful for the world we live in.



I can celebrate my own birthday, ride the bicycle whenever I want and I can choose what to wear. In addition, I can feel love from my family and care from my friends. I can enjoy the warmth of the sun, I can enjoy the coolness of the snow. Unlike the Community where everything is the same, we are all different!

Overall, The Giver was an interesting book. It dealt with a future that is both frightening in its reality and illuminating in the way their society is run.  Also, Lois Lowry combines the idea of communism to the extreme with the idea that even a twelve-year-old child can change society. Also, this book is very suspenseful and makes you want to keep reading the next chapter — there is always a question that lies ahead.

Lastly, I strongly recommend this excellent read to everybody. Not only engaging, it makes one think and reflect about certain issues that one would never think about. In addition, it teaches you to appreciate the world we live in. It had a great plot, together with a fascinating Community and a interesting ending!