The Giver

Can you imagine living in a world with no color, no sun, no snow, and no choice? In The Giver that is the very life that a boy named Jonas lived in. The novel The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, is by far one of my favorite novels. Aside from The Giver, I have read three of Lois's many books, and I have loved all three of the books. The other books that I have had the privilege of reading are Messenger, Giving Blue, and Gossamer. All three of the books are truly captivating, but The Giver is the book that really hooked me in, and kept me enthralled throughout the whole adventure.

When I sat down and began reading The Giver, I was instantly engrossed and I wanted to keep reading. The book is set some time in the future, and everyone lives a life of sameness. In this world of sameness, there is no fighting and no war, but there are other differences as well. In Jonas's society, there are no colors, no weather changes, no animals, and no choices. The people of the society are not able to experience the joys of colorful flowers, or beautiful snowfalls. They are not able to experience the bliss of beautiful fall leaves falling from the trees, waiting to be racked and jump in. Everyone is a "whole," and everyone has their life decisions made for them by the city council. The city council decides whom people marry, when they will marry them, and when they are ready to be given children. The city elders also assign the citizens the jobs they will have for the rest of their life when the people are only 12 years old.

The main character in this novel is a young boy named Jonas. Jonas is different from the rest of the people is his neighborhood. Jonas is much more observant, and watchful. Jonas can see beyond. At the beginning of the novel Jonas is very nervous about the "ceremony of twelves" that was approaching, because in the ceremony Jonas would be turning twelve, along with all the children born the same year as him, and he would be assigned his career. Jonas had no idea what to expect. He had no idea what job the Elders were going to assign him, because he had not focus on one activity in his past years. Later, Jonas attends the ceremony and receives his job assignment. He is given the respectable job of Receiver. When he obtains this job, Jonas gets to meet the Receiver that was before him, and that receiver now known as the Giver. Jonas goes to his first day of training and learns a lot. Jonas receives the memories from the past that the Giver has had passed down to him and that he has held for years.

As Jonas receives these new memories of color, war, love, and much more, he becomes frustrated with everyone around him. Jonas does not understand how they can all live without the memories, whether the memories are good or bad. Jonas feels that the people should know all about the past, and that the people should be able to experience all the great experiences that they are missing. Jonas and the Giver talk, and deliberate about Jonas's feelings and what actions they should take. When all is said and done, Jonas has to make a hard and hasty decision.

I love the way that Lois wrote this book. Her portrayal of socialism is somewhat similar to Ayn Rand's in her novel Anthem. Both authors wrote in a way that truly pulled me in. I devoured both of their books within hours of starting them. I could not bring myself to put the either book down for one second. Lois, and Ayn, created a very strong, independent, courageous, influential main character. Both were also able to create very vivid images, and scenes in my head with all the detail they used. Lois Lowry and Ayn Rand are two of my favorite authors.

I am trying to get my little brother to read The Giver, because The Giver is an outstanding novel. Everyone should read this novel; I highly recommend that everyone have his or her own copy. After reading this novel, I recommend that everyone read The Messenger, and Gathering Blue, because they are, in a way related to The Giver. Jonas is not the main character, but you find out how he and one of his friends are doing. I am afraid that if I say much more ten i will ruin t novel for everyone so this is my curtain call. Go out and enjoy a great novel!