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Analysis of The Giver Book by Lois Lowry

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The Giver starts off as the ordinary story of an eleven-year-old boy named Jonas. When we meet the protagonist, he is apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve, at which he will be assigned his job. Although he has no clue as to what job he might be assigned, he is astonished when he is selected to be the Receiver of Memory. He learns that it is a job of the highest honor, one that requires him to bear physical pain of a magnitude beyond anyone’s experience. As the story progresses, we realise that the society in it is not as ordinary as it seems. Among the inklings that we get that something is unusual is when the author describes elephants as “imaginary creatures”. Later we learn that this “community” is governed by a Committee of …show more content…

Meanwhile, Jonas’ father, a Nurturer, has brought home a baby, Gabriel, who has had trouble sleeping in the Nurturing Center. Jonas volunteers to have Gabe sleep in his room. While patting Gabe’s back, Jonas unintentionally transfers a memory to him. Gradually, Jonas develops an attachment to Gabriel, one that mimics the familial attachments he has experienced in his memories. He forges a similar bond with the Giver. Subsequently, Jonas discovers that release, the ultimate fate of old people, problematic children and disobedient citizens, is synonymous with death. Jonas is shocked to see his own father kill an innocent baby. Disgusted by his hypocrisy, Jonas refuses to go home. That night, the Giver and Jonas devise a plan to change the community forever. According to the plan, Jonas will escape and the Giver will remain to help the community deal with the memories that will return from Jonas. However, Jonas is forced to change this plan and set out with Gabriel when he finds out that the latter is to be released the following morning. With nothing but a few meals to help them through the journey to Elsewhere, Jonas perseveres, seeking comfort in his memories. Eventually, they find their way to a world full of colours, animals and seasons. The book ends on and ambiguous yet hopeful note. The community depicted in the book

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