has anybody read the book the giver,(if you did did you like it, i didnt)?

Answer 1

Hi, Olivia, and thanks for your question. I'm a teacher, and I've taught _The Giver_ for about seven years now. And yes I like it.

The Giver is a deceptively simple book. It's about totalitarianism and fascism -- that is, complete control of people's lives by the government. If you read George Orwell's book _1984_ you'll see that the main character, Winston Smith, really fights and rages against the government and against being controlled. But the people in Lois Lowry's book are comfortable.

And that's what's so dangerous. Lowry doesn't depict a society where anyone has to fight against anything. Everyone is comfortable. Everyone has a home, food, clothing, and a good education -- things not everyone has here. Every child is planned and wanted -- which doesn't happen here in our world.

But the rules are harsh. Three major mistakes and a citizen gets "released". And you know that that means they are given a lethal injection. Can you imagine living in a world where you're only allowed to make three major mistakes before you are killed? That's harsh, and it's of course massively unfair. And all smaller babies are killed if they are identical twins. I imagine that any baby with a birth defect is killed. And the elderly are killed as soon as they reach a certain age. (See the 1970s movie "Logan's Run" where people have to be killed by age 30! It's the same kind of society.)

Jonas and his family and the entire Community live in a gilded cage. That phrase means that they live in a trap, in a prison, but a prison that looks nice and feels very comfortable... but it's still a prison. When Jonas sees colors and is chosen to be the next Receiver, his whole life path starts to veer away from his family and friends. He sees color and experiences pleasure and pain. He sees -- really sees and understands -- just how rough the world used to be before the Community went to Sameness. But what Jonas longs for is the realness outside the Community. He longs to travel new roads and see new things. And that kind of feeling can't be satisfied with Sameness.

And that is why he has to leave. He has to be part of the real, living world, because the Community isn't really living -- it's existing. For every new baby born, an old person dies. Families are limited to just the nuclear family of father, mother, son and daughter. The old don't see anyone but other old people. The Community lacks any life spirit, and when the Giver transmits his memories to Jonas, Jonas sees that the life outside the Community is real, and colorful and has so much more to offer.

Most of my students who say they don't like the book say that because of the ending. Lois Lowry deliberately left it to where it could be interpreted one of two ways: did Jonas escape to Elsewhere for real and start a new life in the real world, or was he hallucinating and imagining Elsewhere as he was being released?

I think Lowry was brilliant for NOT giving a concrete ending to the book. That way, you have to choose the ending that you think is best. You can use your imagination. Sometimes it's good not to be told "and they all lived happily ever after" because that's not how life works out, no matter how nice endings like that are, and how satisfying. Life is all ad lib and we're constantly figuring it out as we go.

I'd say read _The Giver_ again and give it a chance. Read _1984_ for a completely different view of totalitarian society. Then compare the two books. They are alike, but they are way, way different as well. See "Logan's Run" and "Blade Runner" too.

I hope I gave you some more insight onto this. Thanks again for a good question. I hope this helps.

Cheers, K

Answer 2

I loved "The Giver." It was a simply told story, but I really liked how the world was slowly revealed in Jonas' eyes, and how all of his illusions were shattered when he sees the reality of their perfect existence. For a children's book, it deals with very serious issues and deals with anti-utopian themes.

Answer 3

I did learn one in all his books. I began off with prime expectancies given that I suppose he is splendid on Top Gear however after a couple of chapters it obtained rather tedious. I could not even conclude the publication. So disappointing.

Answer 4

I have read it. The things about him seeing snow and red and all that, that's pretty interesting. I thought it was okay when I first read it. I thought it was interesting. But then I read it again recently, and I didn't like it near as much. Besides, I'm worried that they died at the end. It seems like they may have. Do you think they died?

Answer 5

it was a good book until the ending. the author left a clif hanger almost like it was written for a school project which consisted of writing the last chapter.

Answer 6

I liked it, but the ending SUCKED.

Answer 7

that book is boring as hell!