In January, we will be reading and discussing The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Please post your questions and comments in this thread.
In January, we will be reading and discussing The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Please post your questions and comments in this thread.
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"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
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Wonderful. I will join this group!Originally Posted by Scheherazade
www.greenthumbdepot.com|Hydroponics
Some of my 6th graders read this- I am interested in what you all think of it, I have not read it.
seems like my former comment got duplicated...
but i am looking forward to a good read.
Last edited by j.hart; 01-06-2012 at 06:37 PM. Reason: duplicate post
www.greenthumbdepot.com|Hydroponics
I am waiting for my copy to arrive.
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"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
~
I really enjoyed reading The Giver. I think it is a great reminder for humans, that even though scientific thought is the greatest hope for mankind we will need to tread carefully. This book shows us that we will always need to remember compassion, kindness and love as the basis for our mammalian brains.
I am reading this book to my child who is ten years old and know that it is going to be a bumpy road when we get to the explanation of what it means to be "released".
Wish me luck!!!!
I have realized that the past and the future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is. Alan Watts
Spoilers.
Yes, the scene of the baby being released struck me as quite disturbing, mostly because of how it is done by the main character's (forgot his name) father in such a disconnected, dispassionate way. There's no malice and it isn't gory, but it really did strike me as one of the more effective death scenes I've read.
I don't think there is really an absence of love or compassion in their society, it's just warped.
I'm looking forward to what people have to say about the ending.
Love and compassion are removed from their society as it is not rational. Death is removed because it is not efficient to suffer or mourn.
I would like to believe that IN THE END Jonas and Gabriel live but I get the feeling they may be carried off to heaven. Though it is also possible that the baby they have been waiting for (Gabriel) might be a Christ like savior or prophet.
I understand this is the first book in a trilogy. I am not sure if they are mentioned again in the other books.
I have realized that the past and the future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is. Alan Watts
Love and compassion are removed in the traditional sense, but that doesn't mean they are completely absent. For example, Jonas's father shows obvious compassion for the baby he releases--he is regretful that he has to be released, but in his mind he is doing the right thing by releasing the child. Jonas parents also show love for Jonas. The love shown is just subdued, or muted--it's intensity has been dialed down. If there was absolutely no love or compassion in their society, we wouldn't see friendships and relationships portrayed the way they are.
Ending spoilers:
I didn't like the ending, I'm quite tired of the ambiguous ending where the reader has to figure out or "decide" for himself what has happened. And, in this case, it seemed like the author didn't know where to go if Jonas to find another society, so she just ended it without actually having to think something up.
I do not think that any of the basic human sentiments are removed in the story. The book revolves around the subtle repression of these, but one can see that the villagers do, indeed, show these kind of emotions.
It is just that sending off people has become so much integrated in their daily lives that it changes the morality of the whole society. Then again, only a designated number of people truly know the happenings... so...
And, in my opinion, the reason as to why Jonas leaves is because he craves these emotions; to feel them to a greater degree. If these didn't exist in the village, why does he have to desire to love and be loved genuinely in return, then? The love and compassion portrayed may be a set-up but the fundamental idea is that they do emote feelings of love and compassion.
Yes I do agree that the sensations such as love, compassion and friendship are there but it might be more accurate to say muted and confused. Without loss (death), conflict, competition how could you truly comprehend love or friendship?
I apologize to my learning community for saying "removed" when I should have used the appropriate description... repressed.
I enjoy compositions that are left open at the conclusion. It allows the possibilities to develop. I dislike when a good read finishes and nothing is left to ponder.
I have realized that the past and the future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is. Alan Watts
An actual ending to the story doesn't mean one will have nothing to ponder. There are hundreds of examples that show this is true.
But you also have to consider the demographic; this is for grade-schoolers, and with this comes the restriction of the length.
It wouldn't have taken more than a few pages to come up with something a little more final.
Isn't The Giver part of a trilogy? I just assumed the story wasn't over yet.
I get your point though, MM. It was a terrible way to end a book. It seemed like what you have if you wrote a book, some editor told you to cut 100 pages, so you just took off the last 100 pages.
I like poetry,long walks on the beach and poking dead things with a stick.
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