The Giver: Discussion Questions

1. Throughout the novel, Lowry presents complex issues that all children will face as they become adults: sexuality, individuality, and politics, to name a few. However, Lowry’s interpretations of these events have often caused the novel to be banned in schools and communities. Why do you think that The Giver is so often a banned book? How can the issues presented in The Giver be helpful to children who are on the brink of adulthood?

The Giver’s social critique has resulted in controversy and multiple attempts to ban it from schools. In some quarters, the book’s mention and treatment of sex, suicide, hunger, infanticide, and euthanasia are seen as unsuitable for kids. Further, Jonas’ rebellion and his assertion of his individuality might have made parents uncomfortable. Some people notably objected to the violence in the book.

However, The Giver does have the potential to help children deal with their complex emotions. It is, after all, impossible to protect children from everything. Although it is dark, it sends out the important message that authority and rules are not always for one’s betterment. If unjust and unfair, they ought to be challenged. Even though humans might not always make the right choices, it is still important to have the freedom to make those choices and learn from them.

2. The Giver presents its story exclusively through Jonas’ point of view. How do you think the novel would differ if we learned the story through Jonas’ father’s point of view? The Giver’s point of view? Rosemary’s point of view?

Any story becomes richer when told from different points of view. The novel would have had a different texture and conclusion had it been told from the father’s point of view. Jonas’ father is an unquestioning rule-follower. In fact, he always argues in favor of following rules. However, had he been the narrator, readers might still have been able to gain an insight on the changes engendered by the introduction of sameness.

The Giver’s point of view might have focused a great deal more on his challenges and responsibilities. Since the Giver is required to place the common good ahead of personal good, it might have given readers an account of how he came to terms with the harsh demands of his position, of the many compromises and decisions he must have made to carry out his role efficiently.

Rosemary’s point of view could have revealed more. She would have narrated the story from a female point of view, thereby giving the story a gendered aspect, which in turn would have given more insight into Rosemary’s motives for her suicide.

All characters think and act differently, and with a change in the narrative voice and style, the conclusion and the reading experience would likely have been different, too.

3. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Sameness in Jonas’ community.

Sameness was introduced in the hopes of building an ideal community. The original intent had been to eliminate all wrong choices by making decisions on the people’s behalf. Sameness, to an extent, helped to maintain peace and order in the community. Everyone followed a certain set of rules, and all decisions were taken by the Elders. Society was free of conflict.

However, sameness had major drawbacks, too. The residents lived under an authoritarian regime where they did not have any kind of freedom. People had not been transmitted any memories and, therefore, were not equipped to deal with serious emotions. They had grown into apathetic individuals with no regard for anyone’s feelings or thoughts.

4. Comment on the author’s use of style and language in The Giver.

Lowry narrates The Giver in a simple, straightforward journalistic manner. Her clarity of style and her portrayal of everyday details conveys what it means to lead an ordinary life in Jonas’ community. However, she uses a more lyrical style to describe memories. Lowry’s imagery is rather similar to the imagery commonly found in poetic language: snow, cold, war, etc. Lowry also uses euphemisms. Euphemisms are usually deceptive, hiding the real meaning of a word or an incident. For instance, in the novel the term “release” is used to talk about death. Release tends to cover up the violence inherent in the act of death in the novel.

Lowry also uses this style to create an ambiguous ending, which, much like poetry, is layered and open to interpretation.

5. The Giver is a dystopian novel. Discuss.

Utopia and dystopia were topics of interest in the nineteenth century. In particular, fantasy and sci-fi works mostly made use of these literary devices. “Utopia” signifies a place that one can only dream about, a true paradise. “Dystopia,” which is the opposite of utopia, is a term used to describe a utopian society in which things have gone wrong.

Jonas’ community appears to be a utopia, but soon the readers realize that it is indeed a dystopian land. The residents’ lives are determined by rigid rules. All critical decisions, such as those related to career, marriage, or childbirth, are taken by the Community of Elders. Although there is no poverty, starvation, unemployment, the community is beset by oppression and hypocrisy. The residents have had to give up their freedom to choose, think, and question to achieve this. They have also had to give up their individuality to achieve a semblance of peace and a nominally conflict-free society.

The novel also shows how this society is especially unfair to the weak and old. There is constant surveillance, and residents live in constant fear. The community also actively suppressed natural desires such as love and sexuality.