The Giver (11)

Nowadays, it seems that every popular book becomes a movie. However, The Giver has not be adapted. Why do you think that might be? Do you think The Giver would make a good film? Why or why not?

The Giver (10)

Consider the following quote from e. e. cummings:

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else--means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight: and never stop fighting."

Reflect on this quote, both in terms of the The Giver and the real world.

The Giver (9)

At one point in his training, Jonas observes that allowing people to have feelings such as love can be a dangerous way to live. Is love dangerous? Consider both the novel and real life as you formulate your answer.

The Giver (8)

In her Newbery Medal acceptance speech for The Giver, Lois Lowry refused to say exactly what happens at the end of the novel. The end of The Giver can be interpreted many different ways...or at least it could have been until Lowry wrote Gathering Blue and The Messenger. Pretend, for a moment, that we are back before she wrote the two companion novels. What is your interpretation of the end of the novel? What support can you find in the text that make you positive that it is the correct interpretation?

The Giver (7)

Safety is something at the forefront of many conversations today in our society. The people in Jonas' community gave up their freedom and individuality to live in a safe environment. Discuss whether or not the community is a safe environment in which to live. How would you define what a safe environment is? Think about our world as well as Jonas's world.

The Giver (6)

If ignorance of the past is a benefit to the citizens of the community, why do you think that the Receiver of Memory exists?

The Giver (5)

Lois Lowry helps create an alternate world by having the community use words in a special way. Though that world stresses what it calls "precision of language," in fact it is built upon language that is not precise but deliberately clouds meaning. What is the danger of such misleading language? Is there anything good about using language in this way?

The Giver (4)

In Jonas's community, "everything" is the same. Every person has the same experiences at the same time while growing up. The climate is controlled, and competition has been eliminated in favor of a community in which everyone works only for the common good. What advantages might "Sameness" yield for contemporary communities? Would there be any benefit to "Sameness" in our society? Is the loss of diversity worth it?

The Giver (3)

In Chapter Ten, The Giver and Jonas have the following discussion:

The man shook his head. “No, no,” he said. “I’m not being clear. It’s not my past, my childhood that I must transmit to you.”
He leaned back, resting his head against the back of the upholstered chair. “It’s the memories of the whole world,” he said with a sigh. “Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and generations before him.”
Jonas frowned. “The whole world?” he asked. “I don’t understand. Do you mean not just us? Not just the community? Do you mean Elsewhere, too?” He tried, in his mind, to grasp the concept. “I’m sorry, sir.I don’t understand exactly. Maybe I’m not smart enough. I don’t know what you mean when you say ‘the whole world’ or ‘generations before him.’ I thought there was only us. I thought there was only now.”
“There’s much more. There’s all that goes beyond--all that is Elsewhere--and all that goes back, and back, and back. I received all of those, when I was selected. And here in this room, all alone, I reexperience them again and again. It is how wisdom comes. And how we shape our future” (Lowry 77 – 78).

Visit the American Memory Website: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html. Click on "Today in History." Click on "archives." Enter a date (maybe your birthday?) where you can jump to a date. Find a collective memory that is interesting to you. Comment on why it might be important for future generations to know about that event. How does this relate to this passage and what The Giver is explaining to Jonas?

The Giver (2)

In the first eight chapters, there are many things that are quite different in Jonas's society from our society. Some of the things may seem good, while others feel uncomfortable. Choose one thing that is different from our society. Comment on how that change makes you feel. Be sure to support your answer with specific examples from the text and your own viewpoints.

The Giver (1)

In the first few chapters, it becomes clear that families are created by the society rather than letting them happen by chance. Each family unit is carefully and thoughtfully created, with one daughter and one son. Think about families in The Giver and how they are different from and similar to families in our society. Can family be defined in our society? Why or why not?

Posting Directions

Welcome to 7th grade Honors English. As a part of your summer reading, this blog is a forum for you to discuss The Giver while you are reading and after you complete reading.

Follow these guidelines:

• When you post, use your first name and last initial only. No last names, email addresses or other crucial identifying information. (Ex: Bobbert B.) Posts that do not follow this rule will not be published.
• Be reflective in your posts. Think about the guiding questions I ask. Reflect on your own thoughts. Consider the opinions and questions of others.
• Use this space to ask and answer questions you’re having, both while you read and after you get done.
• Use this space ONLY for blogging about summer reading. This is not a place for you to chat.
• Try not to reveal information about the text ahead of time. In other words, don’t be a spoilsport! If my questions are about Chapter One, your posts should be about Chapter One.
• Keep your comments and questions appropriate. (I will be forced to remove any posts that contain inappropriate language or comments. Don’t make me do it!)
• Enjoy yourself! Use this to learn something about the book, yourself, and your new classmates.

**Please Note: Your posting WILL NOT show up automatically. I will need to publish them. Be patient. I will attempt to publish posts every other day over the summer.

General Directions

Welcome to Summer Blogging. Here are a few things to keep in mind...

1. You need to post at least four times about The Giver.
   --twice in response to questions I pose about the book
   --twice in response to comments other students make or questions they post
2. Be original in your posts. It's okay to agree with other students. However, if you start your post with, "I agree with..." then be sure to follow it up with something new and insightful
3. Start early. Don't wait until the end of the summer. Likewise, please don't post all of your comments on one day. The point is to have an on-going conversation.