The Giver Essay, Research Paper

Albert Giorgio July 14, 1999

Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Setting: The setting of this story is in a community that is confined with strict rules.

Main Characters: The main characters are Jonas, Lily, Asher, Fiona, Jonas’s Mother, Jonas’s Father, and the Giver. Jonas is a twelve year old boy that is very keen, clever and kind. Lily is seven and is Jonas’s little, baby sister. Asher is a very fast-talker and is one of Jonas’s best friends. Fiona is a very kind and sweet girl who is Jonas’s other best friend. Jonas’s Father works at the Nurturing Center. On the other hand Jonas’s Mother works at the Department of Justice. The Giver holds the most important job in the community, the Receiver of Memory. The Giver is the wisest man in the community.

Summary: There was a boy name Jonas that is twelve years old. He had a little sister like just about every boy in his community. His best friends are Asher and Fiona. He lives in a community which is very different from ours. There is no love, choices, war, pain, fear, or colors. Basically his world is just about perfect. But, when he turns twelve his whole life changes.

When he became a Twelve year old, he was elected for a job in the community, just like everyone in his age group. The committee of elders elects the people for these jobs. Well anyway, Jonas is selected to be the Receiver of Memory, which is the most important job in the community. Before his training for this special and unique job, he was handed a folder of rules by the Chief Elder. His rules were

1. Go immediately after school hours each day to the Annex entrance behind the House of the Old and present yourself to the attendant.

2. Go immediately to your dwelling at the conclusion of your training hours each day.

3. From this moment on you are know exempted from any rules governing rudeness. you may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.

4. Do not discuss your training with any other member of the community, including parents and Elders.

5. You are prohibited from dream-telling.

6. Except for illness or injury unrelated to your training, do not apply for medication.

7. You are not permitted to apply for release.

8. You may lie.

These rules had stunned Jonas because he had never accustomed to being rude or lying.

Well every day after school Jonas and Fiona both rode together to their training facilities. One day Jonas saw this funny thing that was in Fiona’s hair. He had asked the Giver why this was, and he replied and said that he was seeing the color red. As the Giver gave Jonas more and more memories, the more colors Jonas saw. Unlike all of his friends he saw colors and he felt different and apart from everybody else.

So Jonas told the Giver that he wanted to share the memories to the other people in the community. The Giver agreed, but said that not everybody is as strong emotionally like us two. So they both had devised a plan. This plan would have everybody feel the memories of what Jonas had in him. Although everybody would be in a Frenzy. The plan was for Jonas to run away. This would happen at the ceremony that his sister would get her first bike and would turn nine. First he would write note saying that he will be at the ceremony but don’t worry. Really he would runaway at midnight so when they found him missing he would have a good start. That’s when the Giver will reinforce them and start chanting his name and that’s when they’ll feel the memories of what Jonas had. Then the Giver will calm them down when they get nervous.

When Jonas ran away, everything went to plan, but by like midday the community sent out search planes, but never found him. Then as Jonas saw no more planes, he could have swore that he heard music coming from the community. Think of it this way Jonas still doesn’t know if his plan had worked. Neither do you and I.

Theme: I think the theme is that not every world is really perfect.