The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver, a Newbery Medal winning book was published in 1993 so I never read it in school. In fact, even though I think a few of my kids might have read it in their English classes, I didn’t read it until I found it on my Mom’s book club list.
The book follows the life of Jonah, a 12 year old boy who lives in a “perfect society” where there is no hunger, no thirst, no suffering, and as it turns out, no connection with the outside world. Jonah lives in a utopian society where every need is taken care of and there is no reason to complain or question anything.
It is a perfect society filled with compliant, perfect people.
Until it isn’t.
Jonah attends a “job naming ceremony” where he is assigned the job of receiving training from the Giver – a man who holds all of the town’s history through memories from the residents in the town. He alone holds the history. In preparation for his death, each memory is transferred to Jonah who will eventually become the new Giver.
All memories open Jonah’s eyes. Some of the memories are painful including physical and mental anguish – again nothing that belongs in a perfect society.
While we’re on the topic of a perfect society, non-perfect people do not belong. Twins are seen as unnecessary duplication and so one is always chosen to, well essentially, go “live on a nice farm.”
Babies who don’t thrive are invited to this “farm.”
As are older people who end up outliving their usefulness.
It’s all so civilized, until Jonah figures out what the “farm” truly is.
When he discovers that a toddler his family had been fostering was being prepared for the “farm.” Jonah decides to escape his community with the child.
In the middle of winter, with not enough clothing, food, or protection from the elements. Remember Jonah is only 12 so we have to cut him a wee bit of slack on this one and besides, it adds to the pace of the story. Jonah must reach his destiny before he and the child freeze to death – which would trigger the end of the perfect society.
The ending – I wish I had read this in a book club because I’d love to talk about that ending. Was it a hallucination? Was it a memory? Was it death? Was he rescued by a new society?
Or did he end up at the “farm”?
I typically like dystopian, end of world kind of books. I’m intrigued by how people might behave (or not behave) when society has failed. Loved, loved, loved The Hunger Games (first book only). Loved The Handmaid’s Tale.
This one? Was only meh. I mean it was okay and had a great premise, but…. I think it left too many questions. And let’s just put to rest that I wasn’t captured by this book because It is Young Adult. I have read so many FANTASTIC young adult books.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just the wrong audience. Someone gave it an award, so I’m willing to admit that I’ve clearly missed something but, again, bottom line – meh.
Mom’s Verdict
I don’t read mom’s thoughts on her book club selection until I’ve read the book and written down mine. I was anxious to see what she thought of this book. Was she as frustrated as I was?
Imagine my surprise when I found the page and this is what she wrote.
The title.
And nothing else.
Apparently mom was a little underwhelmed with The Giver as well.
Once again, like mother, like daughter.
