Megan+-+The+Giver

**PLOT SYNOPSIS:** try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our //__The Giver.__// Written by Lois Lowry and published in 1993. This exquisite piece of literature is a play on words; weaving together common life and understanding with communism. The main character, Jonas, enters his twelfth year in mid-December, the twelfth year signifies that he is becoming an adult and him and the other Twelves are given their job placements. During this ceremony they are arranged in order of their original number. // "Jonas was Nineteen. He had been the nineteenth new child born his year" (Lowry 50). //Other Twelves became Fish Hatchery Attendant, Birthmother, and Instructor of Sixes. Although, when they reached Jonas, the Chief Elder, who announces job placements, skipped him. The crowd noticed; but at the end of the ceremony the Chief Elder called him to the stage. She gave him the job of Giver. The most highly respected job in the community. The Giver is The Receiver of Memories. The Elders believe only The Giver should have memories, and then the people in the community will not have to suffer. There had not been another Giver for ten years, and she had asked to be Released. Releasing is mistaken within the community; they believe the Released just leave the community and do not return; in actuality, they are euthanized.

The Giver that Jonas is retrieving training from teaches him of the sameness in the community. He shows him memories, the memories of pain, and snow, and the one with the most imprints on Jonas was the memory of // love. // The Giver gives him a memory of love and his response is: // "'I liked the feeling of love... I wish we still had it. Of course, I do understand that it wouldn't work very well. And that it's much better to be organized the way we are now. I can see that it was // dangerous // way to live'" (Lowry 126). //

The community does not have the feeling of love or hate, but what feelings they are told to have. They must be uniform, by following the rules they are given; also all of them are colorblind. Except the Givers. Jonas realizes this is not how life should be, he decides to leave the community. The ending of the book has a surprising twist, Lois Lowry leaves you in awe of such a young child being so strong; and a community that seems so strong, will crumble with the loss of one component.


 * LOIS LOWRY: **

Lois Lowry was the middle child of three, and older sister Helen and a younger brother Jon. Jon and herself were very close growing up, but they drifted as she became more engulfed in her books and vivid imagination. Her father was part of the military, so they moved around a lot. She was originally born in Hawaii, she moved around throughout her life; finally settling in Maine. She got married at nineteen to a Naval Officer, and she got divorced at forty. She has four children, and she lives a very content life with her family. //"I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another" (Lois Lowry).

 // OTHER LOIS LOWRY BOOKS:
 * //__Gathering Blue__//
 * //__Messenger__//
 * //__The Silent Boy__//
 * //__A Summer to Die__//
 * //__Find A Stranger, Say Goodbye__//