The Giver by Louis Lowery takes place in a community that is devoid of suffering, hunger, poverty, and war. Through Jonas we learn about how things are done in the community: the importance of precision of language, the selection of future careers at the age of twelve, the pills that are given to control emotions and urges, and the release that is given for members that deviate from the norm or have outlived their usefulness. We are introduced to Jonas as he faces anxiety about his assignment for life at the Ceremony of Twelve.
Though Jonas appears to have a typical family (a concerned mother, a nurturing father, and an impatient sister) we find that families are awarded one boy and one girl upon application. Children are born from birth mothers, women whose specific job it is to carry children, and then they are cared for until they are one at the Nuturing Center. On their first birthday children are given their name and assigned to a family during the Ceremony of One. Each birthday signifies an increase in independence from the community until at last they are ready to take their place in it as an apprentice at twelve.
Jonas' unexpected assignment as the new Receiver of Memory leaves him nervous and ambivalent. As Jonas begins working with the Giver he finds that his new job is to receive the memories of the community going back before its present peacefulness. As Jonas starts to receive memories that inspire awe, happiness, and suffering, he begins to see that his community is not quite the perfect place he thought it was. After asking to watch the tape of a release his father was involved in as a nuturer, Jonas' world falls apart as he knows it. Jonas and the Giver devise a plan to share their wisdom and experiences through memory with the community. The plan takes an unexpected turn when Gabriel, a young child his father has been bringing home from the Nuturing Center in order to help, is assigned to release.
Lowery's book is a strong warning against the dangers of taking away choice and differences in order to create a community free of conflict. Jonas' community is full of rules for the protection of its citizens and those who do not follow the rules are removed by the community through death. Individuals are parts of units, belong to careers, and are no longer recognized as significant for who they are. In the end we realize that sometimes the compromise is not worth the reward.
If you are interested in reading this book, the following links may be helpful:
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