The Giver Lois Lowry

The Giver Author Plot Setting Characters Lit Elements

Author Lois Lowry Attended University of Maine - majored in writing. Didn’t start writing professionally until she was in her mid-30s Author of over 20 novels Newberry Award winner tackled a number of topics in her literature including adoption, mental illness, cancer, the Holocaust and futuristic societies.

Plot of The Giver Written from the point of view of Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy living in a futuristic society that has eliminated all pain, fear, war, and hatred. The society has eliminated choice, prejudice and competition – everyone looks and acts the same At age twelve every member of the community is assigned a job based on his or her abilities and interests. Citizens can apply for and be assigned compatible spouses, and each couple is assigned exactly two children each. Citizens who break rules or fail to adapt properly to the society’s codes of behavior are released (killed).

The Giver - Plot Continued Jonas (protagonist) lives with his father, a Nurturer of new children, his mother, who works at the Department of Justice, and his seven-year-old sister Lily. Jonas is 12 and attends the “Ceremony of the 12” to receive his career. Jonas is given the highly honored Assignment of “Receiver of Memory” - the sole keeper of the community’s collective memory.

Setting A perfect community that is part of a larger perfect society, presumably on Earth Story takes place during an unspecified time in the future

Characters Jonas Eleven-year-old protagonist of The Giver Sensitive and intelligent, with strange powers of perception, Jonas is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory for his community Awareness of strong emotions, beautiful colors, and great suffering makes him extremely passionate about the world

The Giver  The old man known in the community as the Receiver of Memory. Uses his wisdom to help the Committee of Elders make important decisions Haunted by memories of suffering and pain for her carries the memories for an entire community of people Excellent Teacher and mentor

Jonas’s Father Jonas’s mother mild-mannered, tenderhearted Nurturer who works with infants very sweet with his two children. He enjoys his job and takes it very seriously constantly trying to nurture children who will stay alive until the Ceremony of Names. practical, pleasant woman with an important position at the Department of Justice. Wants to help people who break rules see the error of their ways

Lilly Gabriel Jonas’s seven-year-old sister. She is a chatterbox and does not know when to keep quiet extremely practical and well-informed for a little girl. New child that Jonas’s family cares for at night sweet and adorable during the day, but has trouble sleeping at night unless Jonas puts him to sleep with some memories He and Jonas become very close

Asher Fiona Jonas’s best friend Fun-loving, hasty boy who usually speaks too fast, mixing up his words to the exasperation of his teachers Assigned the position of Assistant Director of Recreation. Another of Jonas’s friends. She has red hair, which only Jonas can see, and works as a Caretaker in the House of the Old. She is mild-mannered and patient. Jonas’s first sexual stirrings come in the form of an erotic dream about Fiona.

Larissa The Chief Elder A woman living in the House of the Old. Jonas shares pleasant conversation with her while he gives her a bath during his volunteer hours. Like many inhabitants of the House of the Old, she enjoys gossip and looks forward to her release The elected leader of Jonas’s community. She shows genuine affection for all of the children at the Ceremony of Twelve, knowing of their names and an anecdote about each one.

Themes The fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Importance of Memory The community in The Giver eliminated all pain from their lives. They had to give up the memories of their society’s collective experiences. Not only did this allow them to forget all of the pain that had been suffered throughout human history, it also prevented members of the society from wanting to engage in activities and relationships that could result in conflict and suffering Eliminated any nostalgia for the things the community gave up in order to live in total peace and harmony.

Themes The Importance of the Individual At the Ceremony of Twelve, the community celebrates the differences between the twelve-year-old children for the first time in their lives. The novel encourages readers to celebrate differences instead of disparaging them or pretending they do not exist.

Symbols The New child Gabriel The River symbol of hope and of starting over The River symbolizes escape from the confines of the community

The Sled The first memory Jonas receives from the Giver, symbolizes the journey Jonas takes during his training and the discoveries he makes. It is red, a color that symbolizes the new, vital world of feelings and ideas that Jonas discovers.