The Giver
By: Lois Lowry
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993
Utopian/Dystopian
Grade level advanced 5th, 6-8
Jonas is an eleven year old boy who awaits his twelfth birthday, where he will be given his official assignment as an adult member of his community. Jonas lives in a Utopian society that experiences no pain, hunger, diversity, etc. Jonas receives the duties of the Receiver of Memory. This person contains the memories of the past and everything it includes. The receiver of memory knows about war, peace, love, emotion, hunger, etc. This person must make sure that the past never repeats itself. As Jonas works with the giver, the current receiver of memory, he realizes how much is missing in his life and community. Meanwhile, Jonas helps take care of a newborn baby named Gabriel. When Jonas hears that Gabriel is to be released (killed), he takes Gabriel and escapes to "Elsewhere". Once he escapes, he sees a cheerful town in the distance and is sure that someone will be waiting there to welcome him and Gabriel.
I read this book in the AG program of my fifth grade. I remember loving this book because it was like nothing I had ever read. While reading, I got to live in a different society and experience events from a different person's point of view. I would love to teach this book in my classroom because it introduces a completely different society. This society appears to be Utopian, however, as you read you discover that it is actually a Dystopian society. It teaches students the importance of individuality and to not take anything for granted. This book is very interesting and I think it could get students excited about reading.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment