Post-Reading Task – Book review

The novel “The Giver” written by Lois Lowry deals with Jonas, who’s living in a community, where everything is very controlled and Jonas is selected to do the most honored job.  The book was published 1993 and is a soft science fiction novel.

The novel “The Giver” is set in a perfect world. In the Ceremony of Twelve Jonas, the main character is selected to be the new Receiver of the Memories of his community. During his training, performed by “The Giver of Memory”, Jonas finds out about the dark secrets that underlie the apparent harmony of his world.

I think the book is nice to read it in school or something like that, but I wouldn’t recommend it to people, who want to read it privately. In the beginning of the book, you get to know many information about the community and Jonas, the story is interesting, but how further you read you lose your interest. Especially in the end, the action takes place about a huge time period and that isn’t very interesting. I have to say that the book has an open ending and I don’t like that, because I want to know how the story ends and I don’t want to imagine how the end might be. 

All in all, for reading the book in school and something like that I would recommend it, but for reading it privately I don’t recommend it.

Post-Reading Task – Another title for the book

In my opinion the book title should be something like “Jonas – The Receiver of the Memories” like my blog name, because the current title “The Giver” doesn’t give you any information about what the book is about neither the cover does and I think the new title would give you some hints, that there is a boy, who will be or is the Receiver of the Memories and that he receives memories.

Therefore I would change the cover too, to give you a first clue, what the book might be about in addition to the title. I didn’t find a picture nor could create a picture, which fits to my imagination of the book cover so I will describe it.

At the book cover you see a boy, who has lighter eyes, and a old man. The boy is lying on a bed an the old man has his hand on the boy’s back. The boy has a thought bubble above his head, which contains the memory of riding the sled in it. At least the book cover itself should be in black and white, only the thought bubble I imagine to be coloured

All in all the new title should give you the information that the boy Jonas is the Receiver of the Memories and the book cover should show you from whom he receives them.

Chapter 20-23 – Newspaper article

Without a Trace

The community is shocked! This morning: The parents of Jonas, the new Receiver of the Memory, got a mysterious message from Jonas, which said, that he’s doing a morning walk through the community. But then they realized Gabriel, the newchild, is also gone.

The police said that Jonas is gone. Has vanished! The Receiver is vanished, the most dreaded case since 10 years. What will happen next? Does the community get the mysterious feelings like ten years ago? And why is Gabriel also gone? 

The police already started a big search. Planes overflew the community and the area nearby every 30 minutes, but there isn’t anything new. The police talked to his parents whether Jonas behavior was different than the time before, but nothing.

The final question is: Why did he run away? And what will happen to the community?

Chapter 19 - A Release

In Chapter 19 we get to know some information about the process of a release, because Jonas’ father has to release the lighter twin.

The release takes place in a small windowless room, empty except for a bed, a table with some equipment on it. A scale and a cupboard.

It’s just an ordinary room without windows.  Jonas’ father weighed the twins and rewrapped the bigger one and gave it to his Assistant, who left the door with it.
Jonas’ father  took out a syringe and a small bottle and began to fill the syringe with the liquid from the small bottle.

Finally his father injected the liquid in a vein in his head, because the veins in the arms of the newchild are too tiny and the father dropped the syringe into a waste receptacle.

Then he cleaned it up and made him comfy. The newchild was no longer crying, it moved his arms and legs in a jerking motion and then he went limp, his head fell to the side and his eyes were half open, but he was still.

His father was putting the things away and put the motionless twin in a small carton and threw it in a small door in the wall.

That was it and how we know, the father killed the newchild, so If someone ask to for release, he or she will be killed by a syringe with a mysterious liquid.

Chapter 18 - The Fail of the Selection - Part 2

In chapter 18, we get to know the last information about the fail of the previous selection.

The Giver said, after Jonas said, that he’s thinking about his release, that the committee hammered out the rule after the failure ten years ago.
The Giver said that she was a female, how we already know, and that “she was a remarkable young woman. Very self-possessed and serene. Intelligent, eager to learn” (p. 108 l. 33). 

Her name was ‘Rosemary’. The first day, when she came to the Giver, she felt the same like Jonas’: She was excited and a little scared. The Giver mentions her eyes, which were very luminous. 

Then the Giver asked Jonas for the memory of the family with the grandparents and especially for the feeling 'Love'. Finally the Giver said that he loved her and that he liked her laughter, but it had broken his heart, because he had to transfer pain to her.
The training was the same like Jonas’: At first painful memories and in the end a happy one, but Rosemary was like Jonas, she wanted to experience everything and asked the Giver for more difficult memories. 

The Giver transmitted her loneliness, loss, a memory of a child taken from its parents. Finally she was shocked and everything had changed since she knew about pain. The Giver could see it in her eyes, but he didn’t give her physical pain, but he gave her anguish of many kinds like poverty, hunger and terror. 

After five weeks being a Receiver, it was the last session for her. The Giver said it had been a hard one. The times of laughter were gone by then. “She stood up very silently, frowning, as if she were making a decision. Then she came over to him and put her arms around him. She kissed is cheek.” (p.110 ll. 28-31)

She left the room and did not go back to her dwelling. She had gone directly to the Chief Elder and asked for release, which she could apply for, because this rule hadn’t been in the instructions of a Receiver there.

Chapter 17 – Jonas’ Diary

Dear Diary,
it’s a long time ago, since I wrote the last entry. 

Today wasn’t such a nice day.
In the morning, the speaker said, that we have the day free and we all were happy about it and everyone was doing what he wanted to do.

I don’t take the pills anymore! Mum and Dad don’t know it, nobody knows it, but I can’t live in a world without feelings. The dreams came back, at first I felt a little embarrassed, but now I can handle it.

I rode my bike to look for Asher. Riding through the community, I realized that I cannot imagine a life in the community without colors. Now everything is so beautiful and is shining with deeper feelings. Finally I saw Asher, who was playing with some kids and Fiona on the playing field ‘Good guys – Bad guys’. I played it a lot when I was younger, but know with all these memories of war I have, I cannot…
When I stood there, I was having a memory, in which someone was shot. I almost cried! Certainly the others don’t understand it and so they were just leaving, except for Asher and Fiona. Asher was upset, because I ruined the game… I wanted to explain it, but he didn’t understand it. No! He CANNOT understand it.

After refusing Fiona’s suggestion to ride the bikes together and hang out, I rode home. At home Lily talked about wanting to learn riding the bike. I think I will teach her, it’s almost December. Only a month left. 

Phew! Almost one year over… one year a Receiver…

Dad talked about going earlier to bed, because of the twins, which will be born tomorrow. The lighter one will be released. Simply released! Such a shame.

Well, Lily told some stories, I agree with Mom’s suggestion that Lily should be assigned as a ‘Storyteller’. It would perfectly fit to Lily’s behavior...or rather her speeches.

Well, I’m tired, I think I will go to bed now.
Good night, Jonas.

Chapter 13 - The Fail of the Selection - Part 1

During the ceremony of twelve we got to know that the Elders failed in their last selection for the Receiver of the Memory. In chapter 13 we get to know more details about the incident.
Now I will write how it could happen.

It was the second day of the ceremonies in December. It was pretty much the same process as at Jonas’ selection: During the distribution of the assignments the Chief Elder skipped one person, a female, in the end she said, that she was selected to be the new Receiver of the Memory.

The Chief Elder mentioned that the training would include indescribable pain and in chapter 13 Jonas asked the Giver, what happened. The Giver said indirectly that the girl died, because of the pain and then all the memories, which she already received, were gone and the whole community had access to them. Finally it was a chaos, because the community got to know the indescribable pain and the knowledge.illhill

Chapter 11 – Jonas’ Feelings

Here are Jonas’ feelings during his first transmission and the following day.
I will give the section, then briefly the content and finally Jonas' feelings/thoughts.

Section 1:
p.67 l.1 – p.68 l.28

Content:
The old man transmitted the Memory of snow to Jonas.

Feelings/Thoughts:
-First: Jonas felt the cold air and the soft feather-light touch on his body and face
-he knew that one part of him was still in the Annex room, but another “in” the Memory
-he knew the feather-light touch, is caused by the snow
-he saw where he was sitting on and finally knows that it is a sled and he was on a hill and was going downhill
-he enjoyed the speed, the clear cold air, the total silence, the feeling of balance and excitement and peace overwhelmed him

Section 2:

p.68 l.29 – p.70 l.37

Content:
The old man asked Jonas how he felt and Jonas realized that he took the Memory from the old man. Jonas asked whether his parents or the generation before them have had sleds and snow, but the old man said that the climate is controlled, because snow made growing food difficult and limited the agricultural periods and hill would make the transportation more difficult.  So the “went” to Sameness.

Feelings/Thoughts:
-the Memory surprised him
-he wanted to see the Memory again, because he liked it
-he’d like to have the snow and hills and thought he could change the “rule” because he thought as a Receiver he has power
-next Memory: the air was hot and heavy and receive the name sunshine

Section 3:
p.71 l.1 – p.72 l.10

Content:
Jonas didn’t know what the Chief Elder was meaning with the training would be painful, so the old man transmitted  the Memory of a sunburn to Jonas. The first day ended with Jonas asking how to call the old man, who said him “Call me The Giver”

Feelings/Thoughts:
-was confused about the alleged pain
-got to know what is a sunburn => it hurts => pain
-liked is first dayillhill

Chapter 9 + 10

Jonas’ feelings while he’s reading his instructions. 

Instruction one:

Go immediately at the end of school hours each day to the Annex entrance behind the House of the Old and present yourself to the attendant.

Thoughts:
Jonas is thinking what would happen with his friendship, if he has to go immediately to the house of the Old, because he doesn’t know what will happen with the activities, which he did with his friends (playing ball, riding his bike).

Instruction two:  

Go immediately to you dwelling at the conclusion of Training Hours each day.

Thoughts:
He doesn’t know where there will be time for recreation, pretty much the same as 1.

Instruction three:

From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. You may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.

Thoughts:
He’s frightened about the abolition from rudeness, but he would never take advantage of it.  Any intimate question would fall on his nerves, so he won’t do this.

Instruction four:

Do not discuss your training with any other member of the community, including parents and Elders.

Thoughts:
Didn’t say anything.

Instruction five:

From this moment you are prohibited from dream-telling.

Thoughts:
Jonas said that this would not be a problem, because he dreamed so rarely and if he dreams something he can say that he didn’t dreamed. (Last rule)

Instruction six:

Except for illness or injury unrelated to your training, do not apply for any medication.

Thoughts:
Jonas isn’t happy about this, because every time someone has, because of an injury or an accident, physical pains, he or she receives medication.  He realizes that he has to be carefully, but if the accident or injury is unrelated to the training, he could receive a pill. He remembers the time, when the Chief Elder was talking about the indescribable pain during the training, and he knows that he hasn’t any medication for that.

Instruction seven:

You are not permitted to apply for release.

Thoughts:
He never thought about being released or applying for release.

Instruction eight:

You may lie.

Thoughts:
Jonas is confused about this rule, because everyone taught the children and citizens not to lie.  He remembers back, when he said he was starving and that he had taken aside to a talk and that nobody in the community is starving or will be starving they’re only hungry and if he says he’s starving that that is a lie.
He thinks about asking other if they had all been instructed: You may lie? , but then he realizes they can lie when they answer.

Chapter 6 - The Ceremonies (Pictures)

As i promised: The different picture for the ceremonies.

The Ceremony of One:

 

The Ceremony of Three:

The Ceremony of Eight:

The Ceremony of Nine:

The Ceremony of Ten:

The Ceremony of Eleven:

The Ceremony of Twelve:

Links:

http://typesofengineeringdegrees.com/images/engineering_woman.jpg

http://www.johnstonefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/doctor.jpg

http://www.bym.de/asset/Image/bym/images/style-beauty/mode/dessous_fruehling/bildergalerie/justfeel_calida_bh_30_panty.jpg

http://www.buyboots.com.au/webshots/8_pocket_cargo_pants_by_bisley_bpc6007_210_480.jpg

http://www.updoprincess.com/images/young-girls-haircut.jpg

http://www.firefly-power.de/Fahrrad-Symbol_01_KMJ.png

http://www.cheerleadingonline.com/img/AC244SM.jpg

http://www.king-t.de/bild/kuscheltier-stopfset-eisb-auml-r-kiru-1-60778.jpg

http://www.lushgreen.com/n2023a.jpg

http://www.tiltstudioinc.com/new/wp-content/gallery/tilt-cafe/family-eating-at-dinner-table.jpg

http://www.benitezfoto.com/baby-familie/images/014-baby-vaterarm-liegen-schwarz-weiss.jpg

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/volunteer-opportunities-for-kids-1.jpg

Diary entry of Jonas' point of view

Dear Diary,
yesterday I passed my Ceremony of Twelve, it was very strange. The Chief Elder said that I will be the next Receiver of the Memory. What is a Receiver of the Memory? I don’t know. I will tell you about my day, so you can see what happened.

It was the Ceremony of Twelve, my last and most important ceremony.  At first everything was normal, the Chief Elder made the initial speech, about the recollection of the time of childhood and the period of preparation, the coming responsibilities of adult life, the profound importance of assignment and the seriousness of the training to come.  She talked about the group and mentioned the hard work. Finally she started to call number one to stage.

I listened carefully when Asher was called to stage, who got the assignment of Assistant Director of Recreation. When he walked back to sit down, I already prepared to stand up and go to the stage, but the Chief Elder didn’t call my number. She skipped me! First I thought I heard it wrong, but I didn’t. She made a mistake. The entire community noticed it and was amazed, because the Chief Elder made no mistakes. NEVER! I couldn’t pay attention to Pierre’s assignment. I felt dizzy, I thought maybe I did something wrong, my group leader was worrying, but the Chief Elder continued.

Finally the last got his assignment.

Then she said that she knew that she skipped my number. She apologized to the community and to me and I had to go to stage. Then she said something weird: I’m not assigned. My heart sank, but I was selected? For what? She said I was selected to be the new Receiver of the Memory.  She added that the committee failed in their last selection, she was looking at a man, who I never noticed before, a bearded man with pale eyes. Further she said, sometimes the chosen assignment might not be the right one so they observe us during the training, but the Receiver-in-training can’t be observed. The Receiver is the most honored job in our community. 

Then she said that I have all the qualities that a Receiver must have: Intelligence, Integrity, Courage and Wisdom. The next thing she mentioned, was weird: The training involves physical pain? None of us here can comprehend it because it is beyond our experiences?  I don’t want to feel pain! 

But she continued. I have a one more quality: The Capacity to See Beyond. First I don’t know what she meant, but then I remembered the thing with the apple.
She left the stage and the community started to murmur my name.  Thereby I knew that they accept me as the new Receiver. My heart swelled with gratitude and pride. I was happy.

The final question is: “What will I become?” and “Which task has the Receiver?”

Jonas

Chapter 6 - The Ceremonies

Finally it’s December and the entire community attended the Ceremony each year. The parents get two days off and sat together in the Auditorium.  The children are sitting with their groups until they will go, one by one, to the stage.

Now I will write the procedure of the Ceremonies at the two days.

DAY 1

Ceremony of One: 
-babies receive their names and families

Ceremony of Two:
-Jonas didn’t mention ->boring

Ceremony of Three: 
-children have to attend the morning and evening ritual->share their dreams and feelings

Ceremony of Four: 
-didn’t mention ->boring

Break for midday meal: 
-is served outside

Ceremonies of Five, Six and Seven: 
-not mentioned

Ceremony of Eight:
-receive the identifying jacket
-attends smaller buttons and for the first time pockets
-have to do volunteer hours
-no longer comfort object
-no ribbons anylonger

DAY 2

Ceremony of Nine: 
-get their bicycles with their nametag attached

Ceremony of Ten:
-they get a neatly distinguishing haircut: females lost their braids; males too

Ceremony of Eleven: 
-new clothing: different undergarments for the females; longer trousers with a shaped pocket for the small calculator for the males

Ceremony of Twelve:
-get their assignments

Yeah that was the procedure of the Ceremonies, taking place over 2 days.
Maybe I'll add some pictures later.

Vocabulary list Chapter 1-5

Here's a short vocabulary list of chapter one to five.

Ocassionally – Gelegentlich
churn – aufwühlen
shudder – Schaudern
clenched – geballt
to  be thrilled – begeistert sein
to squeal – kreischen, quieken
delight – Entzücken, Freude
to glare – anblinzeln
droning – brummen
to be backed up by sb. – unterstützt warden von
Caretaker – Hausmeister
moist air – feuchte Luft
sb. steadied – sicher stellen
Stirring – Anzeichen

How will the story go on?

I think the story will go on like Jonas mentions: every day more differences between his and the other people from his community. Maybe he will feel little bit afraid, but I think because of the differences he will feel more self-confident.  He mentioned that his different eyes have a “Depth” and because of that he felt self-conscious (p.23 ll.25-30).

Finally when it will be December and Jonas will pass the ‘Ceremony of Twelve’, it could be that his assignment will be something special. He will be the Receiver of the Memory, because we all have read the blurb. :D

I think at first Jonas will be afraid, because he doesn’t know what he has to do as ‘The Receiver of the Memory’. But finally, I think, he will like the job, because it gives him a special place/position  in the community.

Hope you guys like my idea, how will the book go on.

Sectionalized reading - Chapter 5

First I will give you the line and page of the section and then I’ll shortly present the content and finally I will tell you my thoughts and feelings.

1.Section: p.34 ll. 1-16

Content: -they talk every moring about their dreams
Thoughts/Feelings:  I think it’s strange to talk about your dreams, because I think it’s kinda your privacy and I wouldn’t talk about something I dreamed.
-against the rules to have privacy/don’t talk about dreams?

2.Section p.34 l.27 – p.35 l.19

Content: - Jonas tells about his dream: wanted to bathe Fiona
Thoughts/Feelings: - normal that you have such dreams in your puberty, but I wouldn’t tell about it, I think it’s awkward to talk about this with your parents

3. Section p.35 ll.20-39

Content: -Jonas has to describe his strongest feeling in his dream
Thoughts/Feelings: -if I were in Jonas’ situation, I think I tried to leave as soon as possible, and he’s really naive, normally you know in that age why you dream something like that and Jonas doesn’t

4.Section p.36 ll.1-26

Content:-mother talks again with Jonas, but privately(without Lily),
Thoughts/Feelings:- Why doesn’t he leave?
-I think he feels uncomfortable in this situation
-afraid about if he has to report it someone else, I would feel the same, it’s strange enough that you have to talk about it with your parents and I would not want that someone else know it

5. Section p.36 l.27- p.37 l.18

Content: Jonas is ready to take pills against the “stirrings”
Thoughts/Feelings:- why does everybody take pills because of this?
-To keep his sexual actions/feelings/dreams under control? => confusing

6. Section p.37 ll.18-18

Content: Jonas rides his bicycle to school and remembers the dream
Thoughts/Feelings: -the pils let you forget the dream
-Jonas liked it => Does he have to take the pills if he likes the “stirrings”?

Summary - Chapter Four

The chapter begins with Jonas, who’s searching Asher to do his volunteer hours with him. You get to know that you can choose where you spend you hours and Jonas spend his hours at different places to experience the differences.

Riding his bike through the community he passes the Rehabilitation Center, where Benjamin does his volunteer hours each day since four years. Jonas is impressed that Benjamin is skilled now as a Rehabilitation Directors, but you can’t talk about that without breaking the rule that you talk too proudly of one’s own accomplishments.  Then he passes the Childcare Center, where Lily stays after school. 

Later he finds Asher, who’s doing his volunteer hours with a girl named Fiona at the House of the Old. All of his volunteer hours will be tabulated at the Hall of Open Records. Jonas helps Asher and Fiona to bath the Old. He’s thinking about the rule that you aren’t allowed to look at another’s nakedness, except of newchildren or the Old. 

While Jonas is helping “Larissa”, he’s talking with her about the Release of Roberto and Edna this morning. Larissa talks about the process of Release and says that Roberto even was happy to be released. Finally Jonas helps her from the tub.