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more than just your average fourteen year old.this blog is solely for my reflections on the award-winning literature book, 'the giver'

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hey guys:D
this is my initial response to the giver. HAVE FUN READING(:
and comment!(:

Initially, I was very apprehensive about ‘The Giver’ and had my doubts about the book. This was largely due to my dislike for almost all things science fiction, and as ‘The Giver’ was classified under that, I dismissed the book as being one that brings in scientific facts and comes up with totally unrealistic situations with out of control creatures, or perhaps an experiment gone wrong. That was my very perception of the genre, and just by reading ‘The Giver’, it has changed my views and perceptions of science fiction.

I soon found myself being intrigued by ‘The Giver’, the way the community lived, worked, and went about their daily lives. Not only did I go on an emotional journey with the book’s main character, Jonas, but I also learnt about the society in this utopian world. I learnt that titles were given to the children in this community. For example, if one was a ‘Three’, it meant that the child was 3 years old. Likewise, a ‘Four’ meant that the child was 4 years old, a ‘Five’, five years old and so on. This title continues until one was a ‘Twelve’. Also, the community attended a ceremony every year, in which their title would change, for example, a ‘Three’ would attend the ceremony of Four, after which he or she would then become a ‘Four’. At certain ages, the children would get certain items that have certain significance.

This gave me the impression of the community being a very structured place. However, with all things good, there is definitely a down side to it. The way things were so structured, so orderly and neat appeared as a very good thing in the novel, perhaps because it was a stark contrast from our daily lives in which, there were many choices to be made and things seemed to be very ‘messy’ all the time. Whereas in Jonas’s world, everything was carefully laid out for the people, with very little decisions to be made, or things to do. However, this later on proves to be the community’s undesirable point.

Throughout this emotional journey I took with Jonas, it inevitably evoked certain emotions within me. Two of the main emotions I felt most throughout the book was pity and anger. I pitied Jonas and his community, for several reasons. Firstly, the thought of being in such a controlled, structured environment seemed horrible, after realising how restricted and barred Jonas and his community was. There were so many things they were barred from, resulting to ‘Sameness’. ‘Sameness’ ensured that everyone received equal treatment, yet it took away each child’s individuality and creativity. The feeling of being restricted and having to do what others wanted you to do is unbearable. Next, what made it even worse was the fact that these children, or people in the community did not know about so many things! They did not know about colours, memories, emotions or anything else that was not taught to them, or outside their community. This made me feel extremely angry because these people were deprived of so many things, things that other people would otherwise know. It seemed unfair, which is ironic since ‘Samenesss’ seemed to be aiming for fairness and equality, as these people did not have the choice to live their lives how they wanted to. They did not have the choice of choosing their jobs and spouses. They were just like robots, doing everything they were supposed to do. More importantly, it made me think to myself, “what are they living for?” living, studying, working and dying. All of this was not of their own accord. It seemed to me then that everything they were living was a lie, and they were in a sense ‘cheated’. At this stage,I would like to bring out the point that they did not have the understanding of ‘real’ emotions or feelings greatly disturbed me. They were only feeling what they perceived as feelings, like a statement ‘I felt angry’, perhaps, followed by one’s hand balled up into a fist. To me, it seemed like it was just the declaration of what they thought they were feeling, but not the actual feeling. Not the fury that one feels inside which slowly builds up and engulfs one.

Besides feeling sorry for the community, I most definitely felt sorry for Jonas. Maybe it was the personal connection that I shared with him. The fact that only the giver and him could understand and have the memories of colours, seasons, holidays, and even simple things like the warmth of the sun or the cold of the snow. They could never share it with anyone else, and even though these things were good, it seemed useless and reminded me of how good things only seemed good when shared with others. I pitied Jonas also because no one could understand the urgency he felt, and were ignorant of the truth. He could then only carry the ‘burden’ of all these memories, good and bad. It seemed too much to ask for from a twelve year old boy.

At some stages in the book, I remember thinking that author Lois Lowry could be considered ‘psychotic’ and perhaps a little ‘sadistic’, for writing such a novel. Why? You may ask. This relates to my earlier point as it was largely due to how her imagination of Jonas’s world was so vivid, so real, almost causing me to believe that such a place existed. How could she write of such a crazed, cruel world where everything seemed like a lie? Also, the cruelty of how controlled this place evoked true sadness within me.

One incident that is fresh in my mind right now would definitely be the ending of ‘The Giver’. Although there was still the tinge of pity that remained in me even until the very end, I was both sad and happy for the main character Jonas. I felt sad because he had to go through everything by himself, along with the giver. The discovery of the true world, and the tough journey out of his community, into ‘Elsewhere’. He had no one by his side during that journey, and had to face it alone. However, I felt happy too. The music and lights that he heard and saw at the very very last part of the book gave me a glimmer of hope, that Jonas would be able to start over, not denied from anything with Gabriel in a whole new world.

All in all, this vivid writing made me feel that I was part of jonas, feeling the very same emotions that he felt. The anger that he felt, I felt. The anguish that he shared, hit me like a ton of bricks. This book encompasses the values of courage and strength, leaving one astounded after reading this book. The Giver’ is an amazing book that will bring you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and connect to you in many personal ways that you would never have thought it would.

love,
sarah(:

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