I read The Giver, then watched the movie… and it made me cry.
So, here’s an effort to intellectualize the emotions away… because we’re supposed to do the things we’re best at, right?
The Giver Book Report
“The Giver” is a young adult dystopian novel set in a seemingly perfect society where everything is controlled and organized, including people’s emotions and memories. The story follows Jonas, a 12-year-old boy who lives in this society and is chosen to become the next Receiver of Memory. This means that he will receive all the memories of the past, including painful and difficult memories that no one else in the society is aware of.
As Jonas begins to receive these memories from the current Receiver, the Giver, he starts to realize the true nature of his society and how it is controlling everyone’s lives. He discovers the importance of love, individuality, and freedom, which are missing from his society.
With the help of the Giver, Jonas plans to escape from the society and share his newfound knowledge with the rest of the people. The book ends on an ambiguous note, leaving it open to interpretation whether Jonas and the baby he has taken with him have survived and found a new life or not.
Overall, “The Giver” is a thought-provoking and powerful novel that raises important questions about the value of human life, individuality, and freedom.
Some of the main themes in “The Giver”:
- Conformity vs. individuality: The novel explores the tension between the desire for a peaceful, predictable society and the value of individuality and diversity.
- Memory and history: The importance of memory and history is a central theme of the novel. The society in which Jonas lives has eliminated all pain and suffering, but at the cost of eliminating all memory of the past, and therefore, any appreciation of the present.
- The value of emotions: The novel suggests that emotions are a crucial aspect of human life, and that the suppression of emotions can lead to a lack of empathy and an inability to form authentic relationships.
- Freedom and choice: The novel raises questions about the limits of personal freedom and choice. While the society in the novel seems to offer safety and predictability, it also robs individuals of their ability to make choices and have agency over their own lives.
- The dangers of utopianism: “The Giver” also highlights the potential dangers of striving for a utopian society. While the society in the novel appears perfect on the surface, it is built on a foundation of control and manipulation, which ultimately stifles creativity, diversity, and individuality.