The Giver by Lois Lowery by Jennifer Farina

week 1

jfarina10 — 2023-11-13 02:15:12 UTC

11/15 Ch 1

11/16 Ch 2

11/17 Ch 3

Control

jfarina10 — 2023-11-15 21:04:15 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, the author creates a world that seems to be controlling, which is an aspect of the dystopian genre. The novel begins with the protagonist, Jonas, riding his bike he remembers a time when he had felt frightened and was “ordered to go into the nearest building and stay there… Instantly, obediently, Jonas had dropped his bike on its side on the path behind his family’s dwelling. He had run indoors and stayed there, alone," (Lowry 2). Jonas’ instant obedience makes the world he lives in seem perfectly obedient. The people of his society listen to the speaker when given direction, they do not seem to disobey. Since Jonas does exactly what the speaker tells him to do, the society in which he lives seems to have control over the way people act and react, which is an aspect of the dystopian genre.

Week 2

jfarina10 — 2023-11-20 13:03:13 UTC

11/20 Ch 4

11/21 Ch 5

11/22 Ch 6

Perfect World

jfarina10 — 2023-11-20 17:19:25 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, the setting is what seems to be a perfect world. The community in which the protagonist lives seems orderly, peaceful, and inclusive. Jonas visits the House of the Old, which seems to be a perfect setting, "Each room was comfortably furnished, the floors covered with thick carpeting. It was a serene and slow-paced place," (Lowry 36). Even the places where the elderly lived seemed perfect. The description of the setting seemed ideal for the community and the elderly seemed happy to be there. Setting like this and others in the exposition, makes this society seem like a utopia.

Rules and Customs

jfarina10 — 2023-11-27 15:32:10 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, the customs and rules are very different from our society. The community in which the protagonist lives has rules for each age group. For example at the age of ten, "...each child’s hair was snipped neatly into their distinguishing cuts: females lost their braids at Ten, and males, too, relinquished their long childish hair and took in the more manly style which exposed their ears," (Lowry 59). In this future society, each age group had specific ways to look and dress that identified them by their age group. Unlike our society, where you may choose to look how you wish, this society has strict customs and rules that help to maintain order and peace.

Week 3

jfarina10 — 2023-11-27 15:32:57 UTC

11/27 Ch 7

11/28 Ch 8

11/29 Ch 9

11/30 Ch 10

12/1 Ch 11

jfarina10 — 2023-12-08 14:49:31 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, the overall atmosphere is one of unease. To establish this mood, the author uses the seemingly perfect structure of the society, to make it seem like a perfect world: “...the community carefully chooses each job for its members” (Lowry 21). In this future society, the members are removed from making their own choices. Unlike our society, where you may make your own choices, this society has strict customs and rules that help to maintain order and peace, which create an unsettling mood.

jfarina10 — 2023-12-08 14:58:34 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, the overall conflict is character vs society. The community in which the protagonist lives is controlled by the governing body. Jonas, in his new job as the Receiver is beginning to see that it is flawed. The committee is always listening to what everyone says: “...the speaker was always on” (Lowry 132). Every dwelling has a speaker that chastises them if they do wrong. Also, the speaker listens to what is always being said... Jonas is beginning to realize that the system is flawed and does not want the committee to always be listening to them. He wants change but cannot quite understand how to go about it.

jfarina10 — 2023-12-12 15:28:40 UTC

In the novel, The Giver, a symbol that the author uses is an apple. The protagonist, Jonas, has a strange interaction with an apple that causes him to question himself. While playing in the school yard with his friend Asher, “... the apple had changed,” (Lowry 30). This was the first indication that Jonas was not like everyone. The author used the apple as a symbol to represent the knowledge that Jonas was about to incur. The more Jonas learns about his society, the more he understands that with this new knowledge, he can see some of the evils in his world. The author uses the apple as a symbol to bring deeper level of understanding to the reader.

Choice

jfarina10 — 2025-12-15 15:57:15 UTC

A recurring motif in the novel, The Giver, is choice. In his new assignment, Jonas is made aware that choice is an old concept that does not exist in his community. He learns this through the memories that he is given. For example, Jonas learns that long ago, ...