In a society where everything is equal, one boy learns the shocking truth about the past—a time when people loved, cried and had the freedom to choose. Check out Lois Lowry’s The Giver.
Author: Lois Lowry
Somewhere in the not too distant future, there is a society ruled by sameness. There is no rich or poor, no racism or prejudice, no inequality of any kind. Sounds like the perfect world, doesn’t it? But just like every cloud has its silver lining, every silver lining has its cloud. And the cloud hanging over this society is all-consuming.
Words with No Meaning
The people grow up without feelings, physical sensations and color; hot and cold, pain and relief, red and green are words with no meaning. There is no music to sing and dance to, no [kwlink3896]animals[/kwlink] to keep as pets, no rain or sunshine to show the changing seasons. Husbands and wives are assigned by the Committee of Elders, as are their children—exactly one boy and one girl per household. The freedom to choose is unheard of. But despite the endless sameness, there is one person who holds the memories of the past. And that person must suffer their entire life in silence.
Receiver of Memory
When kids reach their twelfth year of life, they’re each assigned a profession. Jonas is assigned the most honored job of all—the Receiver of Memory. The Giver, a very old man who was once the Receiver of Memory, passes all the memories of the past onto Jonas—memories of sunshine and sunburns, snow and cold…and colors. Jonas must learn physical pain, as well as haunting emotions—fear, anger, and loneliness.
Change
Jonas soon realizes that a life without choice, feelings and pain is wrong. They’re deprived of their right to love and learn. Jonas knows their lives need to change. But how can he make a difference when only he and the Giver know what they’re missing?
The Bottom Line
Some love it, others hate it. Either way, The Giver is a modern classic that teachers will read in classrooms for decades to come. It discusses the age-old issue of equality in a very deep and insightful way. Whether you’ve heard
The Giver Rating: 
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