The Giver Essay, Research Paper

Mr. Kester

English

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver is a fiction novel about a boy named Jonas and his life

in a perfect world of ?Sameness?. In this world there were no colors,

feelings, or choices. In this world everything was decided by the

Commitee of Elders and took place in a ceremonious way. There was

the Matching of Spouses and the Naming and Placement of new

children. There was also a ceremony of Nines where all the Nines

received their bikes and the Ceremony of Twelve?s where they

received their life long occupations.

In the beginning of the story, Jonas was a normal boy who was

nervous about the upcoming Ceremony of Twelve?s. He was anxious

to find out what job he would be performing for the rest of his life ( or

at least until he was ?released? when he turned 70 years old). Even

though he felt apprehensive about the ceremony, it helped for him to

talk about it at the nightly talks about feelings. Everyone had to tell

how the felt during the day after supper was eaten.

They spoke of feelings as if they were real even though they

have never actually had a feeling. Nobody in the community was

permitted to have confidential feelings for another person either.

When they began going through puberty or what they called ?stirrings?

they had to begin taking a pill daily for the rest of their lives. Both

males and females had ?stirrings? which usually began with a dream

and had to be reported immediately.

It was finally the big day of the Ceremony of Twelve?s. Jonas

heard stories about previous ceremonies that didn?t help the nervous

feeling in his stomach. Jonas was number 19 and stood on stage

between Asher and Fiona. It was almost Jonas?s turn, Asher had

received the job of Assistant Director of Recreation and Jonas was

next. The assignments continued and Jonas became more and more

apprehensive about his Assignment. All of a sudden Fiona?s

Assignment was given. Jonas was shocked, they had skipped him.

He wasn?t sure what it meant and he felt dizzy. The Chief Elder would

never make a mistake especially at the Ceremony of Twelve?s.

When the last Assignment was given the crowd cheered, but

whispers of confusion filled the room. What had Jonas done wrong?

After the applause quieted, the Chief Elder began speaking. He

Announced that Jones would be the new Receiver-in-Training. He

went on that Jonas was chosen because he had all the qualities, such

as, intelligence, integrity, and courage. For the first time Jonas felt

different, but he also was upset that he would have to isolate himself

from his friends and family. The Chief Elder promised that his

Assignment would give him great wisdom though.

Jonas no longer had to take his medicine to control his

?stirrings?. He began his training immediately and was surprised to

find that the annex was the only building in the community that had

locked and the Giver was the only person who had books. He found

out that his job was to receive all the memories of life that the Giver

alone held for the community. He learned that nobody in the

community had feelings, saw color, or made choices. The first

memory he received was of sled-ridding and snow. He received many

memories of good and bad things and began seeing colors. He

realized that Fiona?s hair was red. It angered him when he heard his

family tell of their feelings because he knew they didn?t have any.

The most horrible thing Jonas experienced during his training

was the ?release? of a baby boy. The boy was a twin and only weighed

5 lb. 10 oz. The regulation weight for a baby was 6 lb. The baby was

considered an inadequate shrimp and Jonas?s father was ordered to

?release? him.

Jonas watched as his father as he cleaned the baby and made

him comfy. He then opened a cupboard and removed a syringe and a

small bottle. He began to fill the syringe with the clear liquid. His

father carefully insert the needle into the top of the baby?s head to

release the liquid in his vein. The baby squirmed and went limp.

Jonas was horrified. He hated his father for killing the baby even

though he didn?t understand what he was doing.

Jonas found out that Gabriel was going to be ?released? and

Jonas decided to run away to another world named ?Elsewhere?.

Jonas planned to run away in the middle of the night before the

Ceremony because the night time attendant wouldn?t be working.

Jonas grabbed Gabriel and was on his way to Elsewhere. When he

left ?Sameness? all the memories he had received would be given to

the community and panic would break loose.

Jonas finally made it to Elsewhere, but faced problems on the

way such as, hunger, coldness, and bad weather. As Jonas and

Gabriel were entering Elsewhere on the sled they heard people

singing and knew that they were waiting for them. ?Behind him,

across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left,

he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo,? and

Jonas and Gabriel entered Elsewhere. What happened in the world of

?Sameness? will never be known.