The Giver

[namkcuR]

Has anyone read this Newbery Medal Award Winning novel from 1994? I just finished my second read of it. The first was when I was 12, and I liked it a lot then, but re-reading now at 20, there are themes in it that are much more hard-hitting and graphic to an adult mind. This is an amazing book. For those that don't know...

The Giver is about a futuristic utopian society where everything is uniform and planned, and there is no uniqueness in anything or anyone. They call it the 'sameness', and this society was engineered like that. No one can even see color, feel love, or remember anything beyond their own generation(so that they have no awareness of non-utopian society). There is a committe of elders that assigns people mates, children, and professions.

Jonas is about to turn 12, the age at which all Twelves are assigned their jobs and begin their training. Jonas is assigned the most honored job in the society: He will be the new Reciever, the one responsible for holding all memory of everything. All of this memory is transfered to him by the current Reciever, who is now the Giver. Together, they are the only two people in their society who are aware of such things as love, pain, warmth, coldness, color, LIFE. And together they decide to try to rid the Sameness from existance, and unleash all the memory back unto the people.

I shall say no more. If you haven't read this, do so. Please.

 

[Pearl]

I read it when I was in junior high, and I plan on rereading it to get a different perspective. I'm sure it would be a different experience as you said it would be.
Its one of my all-time favorite books, and I wonder what inspired her to write it, since it has a lot to say about all aspects of society and life

 

[~LadyLemon~]

It's a very interesting book I had to read it in college for an adolescent literature course.

 

[anitram]

It sounds like Ayn Rand's Anthem to me.

 

[beli]

Sounds like Logans Run to me.

Seriously, who is the author? I might have to give a whirl.

edited cause I said something dumb

 

[namkcuR]

Sounds like Logans Run to me.

Seriously, who is the author? I might have to give a whirl.

edited cause I said something dumb

The author is Lois Lowry. Give it a read, you won't be disappointed

 

[financeguy]

Also, sounds like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. A utopian or dystopian fantasy? (discuss)

 

[beli]

....and The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K LeGuin

 

[GibsonGirl]

The Giver was a very good book. My Grade 6 teacher read it to my class, but I did not fully appreciate it until I re-read it again this year. It's a bit disturbing at times, but in an interesting way. I recommend it.