Lois Lowry

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The Giver

• By
• Lois Lowry

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Cover of Novel
Lowry photographed painter Carl Nelson in 1979
for a magazine assignment. He talked with her
about the importance of color. Years later she
had learned he had become blind.
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Lois Lowry

• Lois Lowry has written over 20 novels spanning
  several genres.
• Her father was a career military officer so she
  traveled all over the world.
• Her son was killed when the Air Force plane he
  piloted crashed.
• She was inspired to write The Giver by her
  fathers illness and his loss of memory.

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Themes

• Themes are the fundamental and often universal
  ideas explored in literary work. They are the
  underlying message.
• The importance of memory
• The relationship between pain and pleasure
• The importance of the individual
• Other themes Family, diversity, feelings, making
  choices.

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Symbols

• Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or
  colors used to represent abstract ideas or
  concepts.
• The Newchild Gabriel
• The Sled
• The River

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Motifs

• Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or
  literary devices that can help to develop and
  inform the texts major themes.
• Vision
• Nakedness
• Release

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Foreshadowing

• Jonas apprehension about the Ceremony of Twelve,
  foreshadows his future disillusionment with the
  community.
• His feeling of closeness and freedom with the old
  woman while he bathes her foreshadows his longing
  for grandparents and other close, personal
  connections.

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Conflicts

• Man vs. Self (inner conflict) At the beginning
  of the story, Jonas is torn by internal conflict
  as his accepts his training as the Receiver of
  Memory but yearns for his childhood and the
  normal lives his friends lead.
• Man vs. Man or society(external conflict) His
  flight to freedom plunges him into an external
  conflict as planes search for him and Gabe.
• Man vs. Nature (external conflict) Jonas
  struggles against the cold to stay alive and
  bring Gabe to safety.

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Characters in The Giver

• Jonas-Eleven year old Protagonist of the story
  chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory when he
  turns twelve.
• The Giver -former Receiver of Memory
• Jonas Father- works as a Nurturer
• Jonas Mother- works in the Department of Justice
• Lily- Jonas 7 year old sister
• Gabriel- a new child Jonas family takes care
  of
• Asher- Jonas best fried
• Fiona- Jonas friend. She has red hair that Jonas
  can see.
• Larissa- A woman Jonas bathes in the House of the
  Old.
• The Chief Elder- The elected leader of the
  Community.

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Utopian Society

• In 1516 Sir Thomas More made up the word utopia
  (from the Greek, not a place) for the island
  society in his political essay.
• In Mores Utopia every individual thrives, and
  injustice, poverty, and inequality no longer
  exist.
• Utopia refers to an ideal society.

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Utopian Societies

• The Shakers
• The Acorn Community of Virginia
• The Farm in Tennessee
• Twin Oaks in Virginia

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Dystopian Society

• A dystopian society is the opposite of a utopian
  society.
• It is a fictional society that is characterized
  by an oppressive social control, such as an
  authoritarian or totalitarian government.

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Dystopian Societies

• George Orwells 1984
• Aldous Huxleys A Brave New World
• Ray Bradberrys Fahrenheit 451
• Ayn Rands Anthem
• V for Vendetta
• The Island

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Is the Society in The Giver Utopian or Dystopian?

• All children are wanted
• No one gets divorced
• No one is hungry
• No one is homeless
• No one is jobless
• No one has choices
• No one feels love
• No one sees color
• No one has memories
• Release