the giver movie essay

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

20 years ago, Lois Lowry's dystopian YA novel "The Giver" won the Newberry Medal. Creepy and prophetic, told in a kind of flat-affect voice, it has been a staple in middle-school literature curriculum ever since, introducing young students to sophisticated ethical and moral concepts that will help them recognize its precedents when they come to read the works of George Orwell or Aldous Huxley. Jeff Bridges has been attached as a producer to the film project for almost 20 years, and finally, "The Giver" is here, with Bridges in the title role. Directed by Phillip Noyce, with an adaptation of the book by Michael Mitnick , "The Giver" gives us the overall structure of Lowry's original work, adds a couple of understandable details like a sweet little romance and then derails into an action movie in its final sequence, complete with attacks from the air and a hi-tech command center. Children have been thrilled by the book for 20 years, and a chase scene still proved irresistible. Despite a truly pained performance from Jeff Bridges and a beautifully imagined, three-dimensional futuristic world, "The Giver," in wanting to connect itself to more recent YA franchises, sacrifices subtlety, inference and power.

"The Giver" takes place in a community at some point in the indeterminate future where "Sameness" is prized above all else. Multiple factors have gone into creating a monochromatic world (literally, colors have been erased) where individuality is crushed, a citizen's every move is monitored from the moment of birth, natural families have been replaced by artificial "family units" and choice has vanished. A soothing voice makes passive-aggressive scolding announcements over loudspeakers. The Giver's cavernous dwelling, perched on the edge of a cliff, is a gloomy and masterful set, overlooking the clouds gathered below, making The Giver appear like Citizen Kane, holed up in his mansion surrounded by accumulated possessions and raw pain.

"Precision of language" is enforced, and so people are constantly apologizing and saying "I accept your apology" to each other, but in a rote way that drains the language of meaning. "The Giver" is a cautionary tale about what happens when language is controlled and limited—ground well covered for all time in "1984"—where citizens have no language available to them outside of "newsspeak." Memories are gone, too, in "The Giver". One person in the Community is chosen to be "The Receiver" of a collective memory, memories of now-extinct experiences like love and war and sex and pain. Through the course of the film, the young Jonas ( Brenton Thwaites ), chosen to be the next Receiver, is introduced to complexity and emotion and his entire concept of the world as he knows it shatters. He must now make a choice: to stay or to flee. It's a powerful set-up, made even more stark by Noyce's choice to film the majority of the film in black-and-white. When Jonas starts to see colors again, there are unavoidable " Pleasantville " connections.

Jonas is raised in a family unit, with Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgård acting as parental units. He has two best friends, Fiona ( Odeya Rush ) and Asher ( Cameron Monaghan ), and they are about to "graduate from childhood," and take on their assigned jobs in the community. There is a gigantic ceremony, led by the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep, who shows up as a holograph the size of a building), and each child is called to the stage to receive their assignments. The entire community gathers in a massive stadium, everyone dressed in identical white, so it looks like a gigantic celestial choir or a formal-dress LGAT workshop. Everyone speaks in unison. Everyone claps the same way. Everyone looks forward. No one moves. The effect is eerie.

Jonas is surprised when he is not assigned a job at all. He is, instead, "selected" to be the next Receiver, because he apparently has the ability to "see beyond." He has no idea what that means. Jeff Bridges, who becomes The Giver once a new Receiver is chosen, sits in the front row of the stadium, grim and remote. The thousands of people present start to chant in a repetitive whisper, "Jonas … Jonas … Jonas …"

The training sessions, when they come, are part Mr. Miyagi, part vision quest, and part "Quantum Leap." The Giver bombards Jonas with memories from all of humanity, memories that thrust Jonas into the thick of the action: he feels snow falling for the first time, he is shown the full spectrum of colors, he is given shaky-cam experiences of war, he also dances around a Maypole with a saucy wench while wearing a pirate shirt. There are multiple quick-shot montage sequences of smiling babies, praying Muslims, crashing waves, paper lanterns, crying elderly people. The music swells, pushing the emotions on us, but the montages have the opposite effect intended. Instead of revelatory glimpses of the rich tapestry of human experience, they seem like Hallmark-collages uploaded on YouTube. Noyce has also made the questionable choice to co-opt real-world events, and so suddenly we see Tieneman Square in the montage, or the Arab Spring, or Nelson Mandela. It's cheap, hoping to ride the coattails of others, as opposed to finding a visual form and style that will actually express the strength of the human spirit.

Jonas begins to look around him with new eyes. He wants to kiss Fiona. He wants to have the choice to feel things that may be unpleasant. He is not allowed to share his training with others.

The young actors in the film are pretty nondescript, the lead included, although Thwaites seems to come alive in mischievous ways when he starts to take care of a fussy newborn who can't stop crying at night. Holmes and Skarsgård are both strange and unplaceable, playing human beings whose emotions are entirely truncated. "Precision of language, please," says Mother at the dinner table when one of her children starts to speak. Bridges galumphs across the screen, a madman out of Melville, tormented, lonely, in and out of reality. His memories sometimes flatten him. There is one moment where he tells Jonas what the word is for the "feeling between people," and his eyes burn with pain and loss as he says, "Love. It's called love." It's the only powerful moment in the film. His emotion is so palpable it reaches off the screen and grips your throat.

The use of heavy explanatory voiceover to open and close the film is disappointing, especially since a couple of lines have been added to the famous last paragraph of the book. Not surprisingly, the lines added remove it from the moody ambiguous statement of hope that it is in the book, and turn it into a complete platitude. We've heard it a hundred times before. It emanates Sameness with every word.

Sheila O'Malley

Sheila O'Malley received a BFA in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island and a Master's in Acting from the Actors Studio MFA Program. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Now playing

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Jim Henson Idea Man

Peter sobczynski.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Peyton Robinson

Taking Venice

The Big Cigar

Robert daniels, film credits.

The Giver (2014)

Rated PG-13 for a mature thematic image and some sci-fi action/violence

Jeff Bridges as The Giver

Meryl Streep as Chief Elder

Brenton Thwaites as Jonas

Alexander Skarsgård as Jonas's father

Katie Holmes as Jonas' mother

Odeya Rush as Fiona

Cameron Monaghan as Asher

Taylor Swift as Rosemary

Phillip Noyce
Michael Mitnick
Robert B. Weide

Cinematography

Latest blog posts.

The Unloved, Part 126: Zardoz

Cannes 2024: Ghost Trail, Block Pass

At the Movies, It’s Hard Out There for a Hit Man

Far, Far Away: How to Get People Going to Movies Again

Skip to main content
Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

'the giver' strikes old and ominous notes about the dark side of serenity.

Mark Jenkins

Jeff Bridges (left) produces and stars as the title character in The Giver , alongside Australian actor Brenton Thwaites, who plays Jonas, his young apprentice. The Giver is the first film rendition of the popular 1993 young adult novel by Lois Lowry. Courtesy of The Weinstein Co. hide caption

Multiplexes Heat Up For Summer Blockbuster Season

Arts & life, australian filmmaker phillip noyce gets serious.

It might seem hard to describe The Giver without revealing some of those plot points that touchy suspense fans call "spoilers." But this brisk, deftly art-directed parable is basically unspoilable. Even viewers who know nothing of its source, Lois Lowry's 1993 novel, will be able to anticipate every development.

That's because Lowry's vision of a serene but secretly corrupt future society offers little that wasn't imagined decades earlier in 1984 , Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 . Lowry just cooked such books down for a preteen audience that hasn't read them.

After years of trying, producer and star Jeff Bridges finally got The Giver made because of the success of The Hunger Games and similar tales of noble teens in a world run by manipulative adults. So the first task was aging the novel's protagonist (Jonas, played by Brenton Thwaites) from 12 to 16.

Jonas lives in a community, called "the community," that's any high schooler's vision of hell: It's run by guidance counselors. Where in Divergent the kids were separated into different castes upon graduation, in The Giver they're given specific assignments. None is more specific than Jonas'. He's the new receiver, assigned to learn the real history of humanity from the bearded, avuncular title character (Bridges, clearly enjoying the sound of his own voice).

Katie Holmes (left) and Alexander Skarsgard play Jonas' parents, who support the efforts of The Giver 's dystopian government. David Bloomer/Courtesy of The Weinstein Co. hide caption

Katie Holmes (left) and Alexander Skarsgard play Jonas' parents, who support the efforts of The Giver 's dystopian government.

Among the many questions the movie barely attempts to answer is, why do the positions of giver and receiver exist? The elders, led by an often holographic Meryl Streep, don't want anyone else to know about the bad old days of war, famine and hatred. So why not assign Jonas to flip burgers for the rest of his life, and send the Giver on a long walk off a short pier?

Because, of course, there is violence just beneath the community's veneer of calm. That's one of the alarming if unsurprising things Jonas learns once he starts receiving — and stops taking his daily dose of mood controller. As in the substantially more macho Equilibrium , ingestion of a Valium-like drug is required. This relaxant suppresses emotion and individuality, and even its users' ability to distinguish color. So the first part of The Giver is in black and white, like Pleasantville .

If the movie hits ominous notes, they've all been heard many times before: There are no books or music in the futuristic planned community, human reproduction is controlled by the state, kissing is unknown, and families are not genetically related. Jonas has merely been assigned to his father (Alexander Skarsgard) and mother (a drawn-faced Katie Holmes).

To make it less of a kiddie story, director Phillip Noyce and scripters Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide have added romance (Jonas has the unauthorized hots for a classmate played by Odeya Rush) and boosted the action. There are chase scenes — including one on a bike path that's lighted even though people aren't allowed to go out at night — and confrontations. Also modestly exciting are the fragmentary flashbacks to a former receiver, played by Taylor Swift. (She and the community broke up, and they are never ever getting back together.)

Ultimately, Jonas must make a choice, and leave his sterile home for the forbidden outback. It's not a spoiler to reveal that he finds a refuge there. Or that this new abode offers the sort of picture-postcard coziness that could have been simulated by his former community's devious elders.

FILM TECHNIQUES

SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS

Film techniques.

Composition

Symmetrical : posed, calm, formal

Asymmetrical : natural, everyday, unposed

Static : lack of conflict

Dynamic : disturbance, disorientation

Selective focus : draws attention, foregrounds

Soft focus : romance, nostalgia

Deep focus : all elements are important, commanding the gaze

High key : happiness, positive

Low key : sombre, downbeat

High contrast : theatrical, dramatic

Low contrast : realistic, documentary

Grainy : realism, authenticity

Smooth grain : normal, everyday

Video : modern, immediate, journalistic

Warm : optimism, intense emotion

Cool : pessimism, clinical calm, reason

Black and white : realism, actuality, film noir

Cinematic codes

Zoom in : observation

Fast zoom in : passing of time, humour, suspense

Zoom out : context, location

Pan : survey, follow, eye witness

Track : intimacy, immediacy, urgency

Tilt : survey, follow, eye witness

Types of edit

Fade in : beginning of new section

Fade out : ending, contemplative

Dissolve : passage of time, link between scenes

Wipe : Conclusion or transition imposed externally

Cut : normal change of shot

Cut to black : abrupt ending

Introduction to The Giver

The Giver is a dystopian story by Lois Lowry , an American writer. It first appeared in the United States in 1993 and became an instant hit on account of the unusual story it presents. The story comprises a boy, Jonas, who experiences disenchantment with the living style of his community based on the sameness and ordinariness through the community’s own decision-making process. Recognized quite later in life, The Giver won Newbery Medal in 1994. It was later adapted into a movie in 2014.

Summary of The Giver

The story starts with a 12 year old boy living in a seemingly ‘perfect’ community with no war, hatred, hunger, poverty and crime. The community is established to spread sameness among all of its members for justice and fair play . Jonas, the boy, sees that the community elder, the Chief Elder, has assigned a specific role to every infant he is going to assume in the future after he grows up. Jonas’ father works as a Nurturer, while his mother works in the Justice Department in the community. When his Ceremony of Twelve, a ceremony to allot roles to each 12-year old person, arrives, he is rather shocked but seeks no guidance from his parents. They assure him that the Elders never commit a mistake.

On that day, all of his classmates receive orders to stand in the order of their birthday dates during the ceremony presided over by the Chief Elder. Jonas becomes surprised when he comes to know about his assigned role of getting training as the Receiver of Memory, a high official, who sits beside the Chief Elder during ceremonies. Despite his initial jubilation for having status and position in the community later, he finds himself isolated at this stage even from his childhood friends. He gets further instructions about the secrecy of his job and training with orders not to reveal details even to his close family members.

The main task of the Receiver of Memory is that they should have the collective memory of his community not only of the present but also of the past generations. Once the training starts, he becomes happy that at least he is the Receiver of Memory, having everything at his fingertips tips. The current Receiver of Memory, ‘the Giver’, trains and instructs him how to store vast data in his mind. The very first lesson in memory retention techniques is of the sliding down which surprises him that such a simple task receives such as high confidentiality merely for the sake of sameness, a plan that involves that involves uniform geography, climate and discouraging individuality including skin color. Sameness involves eliminating choice, emotions which could possibly lead to happiness or pain in turn causing war-like situations. As the time passes, he learns about colors, human nature, war, and several other such things strange and bizarre to him. Although he tries to learn about Rosemary, the former student of the Giver but does not get any information about her.

Soon his father informs about his worry about a fragile child in his custody at the Nurturing Center. He has won permission to take him home to improve his health. Eventually, Gabriel, the same boy, grows into a healthy child. His pale eyes, like that of Jonas, attract his attention toward the boy who finds him similar to himself, having the capability of retaining memories. However, it also transpires to him that if Gabriel does not become strong, he will be “released” soon to reach Elsewhere, a concept equal to death and graveyard. The Community has rules to send all such persons including the former student, Rosemary, to Elsewhere where they live in peace.

The Giver further informs Jonas about such things through a video camera in which he sees his father, the Nurturer, sending two boys to Elsewhere through a poisonous injection. This video rather shocks his morality after watching his father killing two children. Also, his friend Fiona is being trained in the fine art of ‘released’. However, the argument of the Giver to justify this action falls on deaf ears. He tries to explain that his father and people like who are being trained for this job do not know this is evil since feeling are not part of the life. He informs him that Rosemary has released herself. The ensuing polemic wins Jonas a place in the heart of the Giver who acquiesces to his argument that they must do something to change the Community and join hands in this venture. Jonas’s idea is that he can do it by leaving the community early, providing the Giver an opportunity to help the people to manage memories.

Feeling the intense need for such an operation, the Giver devises a plan, helping Jonas escape the Community, showing the Community that he has been drowned. However, Jonas comes to know that Gabriel is going to be released prematurely at which he has to amend his plan and take Gabriel with him.

During the hard journey, Jonas ponders if he has made the right choice since the bike journey becomes even more difficult and experience starvation for the first time. But later realizes that if he had stayed back he’d have starved for the feelings and most importantly Gabriel would have not been alive. He dwells upon the risk of making a ‘choice’ has consequences but concludes that ‘physical hunger is less destructive than emotional one’. He feared for the life of Gabriel than his own expressing compassion, love which was never felt by his community.

After many hardships and travelling in the snow , both of them reach near Elsewhere where he comes across the same sled riding that he sees in his first experience as the Receiver of Memory Both ride a sled and see colorful lights with a Christmas tree, hears music for the first time and while experiencing the symptoms of hypothermia.

Major Themes in The Giver

Individual and Freedom: The Giver demonstrates the theme of individuals and their freedom through the character of Jonas as well as Gabriel, the child that his father brings home to save from the likely release. Even Jonas experiences restrictions once his ceremony of twelve is held and he later comes to know that he is going to be the new Receiver of Memory after the departure of the Giver. When both realize their role in molding the Community into sameness, they plan to release the memories to revive the community. However, coincidently, Gabriel is released too early at which Jonas has to drop his plan and move ahead with his plan earlier than the fixed time. It shows that an individual has no freedom and choice of freedom except to merge with the community.
Threats of Stability: As the Community requires stability, it is decided by the Chief Elders of all the communities that sameness must be applied at all levels. However, this sameness has its own risks; it does not make all the people same, it robs the people of their individual qualities, and it forces them to adapt to the sameness forced upon them. It happens with Jonas despite his being unable to follow it. He feels disgusted toward his father when he releases two kids to Elsewhere. When his plan fails and he releases his memories, the attempts of the sameness cause threat to the stability rather than vice versa .
Human Emotion: The novel highlights the theme of human emotions through the character of the Nurturer, Jonas’s father, Jonas as well as Rosemary. When Jonas is inducted into the memory retention department as the Receiver of Memory by the Giver, he feels as if he has been alienated from his close and childhood friends. Almost the same goes with his father when he sees him through a video camera, showing him releasing two innocent kids with poisonous injections. He feels the same situation of having no human emotions in the Community when he hears the tale of the death of Rosemary, the daughter of the Giver.
Memory and Wisdom: The Giver shows the relationship between memory and wisdom through the character of Jonas and his selection for being the Receiver of Memory. That is why the position of the Giver is significant, for the Committee of Elders turns to him to have the sane advice after he reviews the whole history where such instances might have caused disruption or havoc on account of the destabilizing roles such incidents might have played. It is stated that although Jonas has no wisdom having practical value for the Community. Yet as the retainer of the memory, he would be playing a positive role as the successor of the Giver. So, memory and wisdom have been shown going together.
Dystopia : Despite having initial signs and symbols of building a utopia , the ultimate community that comes into existence is a dystopia where the craziness for the individual sameness takes not only the lives of individuals but also robs them of the natural human emotions. Jonas is surprised at his selection as well as forced isolation that he is not permitted to meet even his childhood friends. He is also horrified to learn that his father, the Nurturer, is involved in the murder of the kids not able to live for adaptation. He also feels for Rosemary who has committed suicide after she is unable to cope with the memory retention task. These developments have made the Community a dystopia instead of a utopia.
Isolation: The novel also shows the theme of isolation through the Giver as well as Rosemary, for each of them experiences extreme isolation and becomes the victim of its consequential impacts. For example, the Giver experiences it as his own daughter has become the victim of his obsession with memory retention after she commits suicide. She herself experiences the torture from the looming isolation and resultant alienation. This is almost the same isolation that Jonas experiences and comes to the point to spread or release memories to make the Community return to its normality.
Death: The theme of death occurs in the meanings of release from the Community that initially Jonas does not understand but becomes familiar with it during the anecdote of Pilot-in-Training. Soon he comes to know that release is used to make the Old people, kids, and those who do not fit into the Community, leave it for Elsewhere.
Individual and Society: The novel shows the significance of individuals and society and their interdependence through Jonas, Rosemary, and Gabriel as well as the Community in which they live. The storyline, activities of Jonas, and death of Rosemary show that individuals suffer because of the demands of the Community to transform it into utopia but their interdependence continues.
Rules: The novel shows the reverse use of rules not to facilitate individuals and society but to create a new experimental society based on individuals already trained to live in that society. This distortion of rules has been shown through the elders, their sameness, and Elsewhere.

Major Characters in The Giver

Jonas: Jonas is the central character and the protagonist of the story. He’s12-year-old, who has to join the professional life of the Community by becoming an intern of the Giver as the Receiver of Memory. Yet he soon becomes disenchanted after reviewing two events: first his father’s act of sending two kids to Elsewhere by injecting them poison and second the death of Rosemary, the daughter of the Giver. His work of acquiring and keeping memories expands with his intimate relations with the Giver who also joins him to plan their release into Elsewhere after spreading their memories to make the Community properly humane. However, it happens that his father brings Gabriel who is to be released earlier. After this, he prematurely leaves the Community causing the release of memories earlier than the planned time after which both Jonas and Gabriel freezes to death. However, his perceptual power , his wisdom, and his intelligence won him laurels from the readers on account of his struggle to pull the Community out of the clutches of the autocratic dystopian government.
The Giver: Despite his being a significant character, the Giver does not stand tall before the young and little Jonas with his ancientness likening to Tiresias of the Grecian plays. His worldly wisdom seems to surpass his memory acquisition job, the reason that he tolerates the suicide of his daughter, Rosemary, and continues working as the Giver. The weight of the memories of the entire Community and his responsibility of making decisions on the behalf of all makes him crumble down before Jonas after which both of them plan to release all the memories. It could be that he gives way to Jonas’s energetic efforts to bring transformation in the Community by making people independent and humane instead of making individuals the same.
Father: Working as a Nurturer in the Community, Jonas’s father takes care of the toddlers and dedicates his life to them, yet he does not believe in love as he states it clearly to his wife. Although when releasing two kids with poisonous injections he does not feel anything, yet his concern for Gabriel makes his family members feel the transformation in him, though, he is to live in the system and perform as per his duties. So, his character stays flat until the end of the story.
Mother: Jonas’s mother is an ambitious and career-oriented woman who has killed all of her emotions for her progress in the justice department where she punishes the rule-breakers of the Community. The training that she imparts to Jonas and other children shows her qualities akin to Lady Macbeth in resolution , yet she joins her son to deride the sentimentality of her husband when he fondles with his daughter, Lily. She becomes a model in society who wants societal ideals to be followed at every cost.
Gabriel: The young toddler that the Nurturer intends to save at every cost, Gabriel becomes a lively child whom Jonas loves for his excellent memory and intelligence. As soon as he becomes dependent on Jonas for his sleep, his father resolves to send him to Elsewhere by releasing him. Although this premature action of his father disrupts Jonas’s plans, Gabriel causes a stir in society by releasing memories.
Asher: Jonas’ childhood friend, Asher realizes others his discomfiture in such a Community due to the failure of the concept of Sameness. Although he does not seem capable of winning release from the Community, yet his foibles continue flabbergasting the people around him. Finally, both of them part ways after Jonas joins internship of the Giver and stops meeting him.
Lily: Lily is Jonas’s sister shows great love for him nurtured by her father, the Nurturer when he fondles with her. She is a chatterbox and lively and takes care of Gabriel when her father brings him home.
Fiona: Fiona has distinct red hair, and one for whom Jonas feels love. She joins a Caretaker to train herself to become one in the future to take care of the Old. As the story progresses, her character diminishes on account of the roles both of them choose to play.
Rosemary: Rosemary is The Giver’s daughter, the incumbent Receiver of Memory, and commits suicide after she could not tolerate the pressure of the task.
Chief Elder: The significance of the character of the Chief Elder lies in that she directs all the operations in the Community and decides the role allotted to every twelve-year-old teenager. This is called the Ceremony of Twelve that she presides to see how it goes along.
Larissa: Her character is significant in the novel on account of her humor and chattiness. She informs Jonas about the release of Roberto.

Writing Style of The Giver

Lois Lowry has adopted a very euphemistic style in this novel, The Giver, using usual sentences but they are sometimes interspersed with run-on and broken sentences. The diction used in these sentences is twisted to suit the new context of the futuristic type of society where the Sameness has been implemented to achieve equality . Most of the diction is formal, though, at some places Lowry has used informal language. For literary devices , Lowry has relied on alliteration , consonance , metaphors , and similes.

Analysis of the Literary Devices in The Giver

Action: The main action of the novel comprises the story of Jonas, the new Giver, who has become the Receiver of Memory until he releases himself prematurely. The rising action occurs when he becomes an intern of the Giver. The falling action occurs when Gabriel is released prematurely, and the plan of Jonas and the Giver has to be unfolded before its time.
Anaphora : The below examples of anaphora are given below, i. Frightened meant that deep, sickening feeling of something terrible about to happen. Frightened was the way he had felt a year ago when an unidentified aircraft had overflown the community twice. He had seen it both times. (I) ii. Though Jonas had only become a Five the year that they acquired Lily and earned her name, he remembered the excitement, the conversations at home, wondering about her: how she would look, who she would be, how she would fit into their established family unit. (2) iii. His father smiled his gentle smile. (2) iv. A silence fell over the room. They looked at each other. Finally his mother, rising from the table, said, “You’ve been greatly honored, Jonas. Greatly honored.” (9) These examples show the repetitious use of “frightened”, “she would”, “smile” and “greatly honored.
Allusions: The novel shows the use of allusions as given in the below sentences, i. Jonas had casually picked up an apple from the basket where the snacks were kept, and had thrown it to his friend. Asher had thrown it back, and they had begun a simple game of catch. (3) ii. There had been nothing special about it; it was an activity that he had performed countless times: throw, catch; throw, catch. It was effortless for Jonas, and even boring, though Asher enjoyed it, and playing catch was a required activity for Asher because it would improve his hand-eye coordination, which was not up to standards. (3) iii. Yes, I think I will,” Lily said. She knelt beside the basket. “What did you say his name is? Gabriel? Hello, Gabriel,” she said in a singsong voice . Then she giggled. “Ooops,” she whispered. “I think he’s asleep. (3) These examples show the use of allusion such as Jonas as Johana of the Bible, the apple as the allusion of the first apple, and Gabriel, the allusion of the angel .
Antagonist : As there is no person who could make life difficult for Jonas, society itself is the obstacle in the way of every individual. Therefore, society is the antagonist of the novel, The Giver .
Conflict : The novel shows the internal conflict as well as external conflict . The external conflict is going on between Jonas and the Community, while the internal or mental conflict is going on in the mind of Jonas due to his obligations to his position and his moral awakening.
Characters: The novel shows dynamic as well as static characters . Jonas, the young boy, is a dynamic character as he witnesses a considerable transformation in his behavior and actions. However, all other characters are static characters such as his father, mother, Larissa, Lily, and Gabriel.
Climax : The climax in the novel occurs when Jonas sees that his father has killed the boys which means he has released them from the Community.
Hyperbole : Here are two examples of hyperboles from the book, i. For a moment he froze, consumed with despair. He didn’t have it, the whatever-she-had-said. (8) ii. A silence fell over the room. They looked at each other. Finally his mother, rising from the table, said, “You’ve been greatly honored, Jonas. Greatly honored.” (9) Both of these examples exaggerate things as a person does not actually freeze and that silence never actually falls.
Imagery : The Giver’s imagery examples are given below, i. Jonas shrugged. He followed them inside. But he had been startled by the newchild’s eyes. Mirrors were rare in the community; they weren’t forbidden, but there was no real need of them, and Jonas had simply never bothered to look at himself very often even when he found himself in a location where a mirror existed. Now , seeing the newchild and its expression, he was reminded that the light eyes were not only a rarity but gave the one who had them a certain look— what was it? Depth, he decided; as if one were looking into the clear water of the river, down to the bottom, where things might lurk which hadn’t been discovered yet. He felt self-conscious, realizing that he, too, had that look.. (3) ii. Jonas nodded. “But it wasn’t really the same. There was a tub, in the dream . But only one. And the real bathing room has rows and rows of them. But the room in the dream was warm and damp. And I had taken off my tunic, but hadn’t put on the smock, so my chest was bare. I was perspiring, because it was so warm. And Fiona was there, the way she was yesterday. (5) iii. Jonas obeyed cheerfully. He closed his eyes, waiting, and felt the hands again; then he felt the warmth again, the sunshine again, coming from the sky of this other consciousness that was so new to him. This time, as he lay basking in the wonderful warmth, he felt the passage of time. His real self was aware that it was only a minute or two; but his other, memory-receiving self felt hours pass in the sun. His skin began to sting. Restlessly he moved one arm, bending it, and felt a sharp pain in the crease of his inner arm at the elbow. (10) These examples show images of feelings, sight, movement, and color.
Irony : The examples of irony are given in below sentences, A committee was studying the idea. When something went to a committee for study, the people always joked about it. They said that the committee members would become Elders by the time the rule change was made. (2) These sentences show the irony in the word joke that people used to cut at the committee e members.
Metaphor : The examples of metaphors are given in the sentences below, i. Many of the comfort objects , like Lily’s, were soft, stuffed, imaginary creatures. Jonas’s had been called a bear. (2) ii. Sometimes he awoke with a feeling of fragments afloat in his sleep, but he couldn’t seem to grasp them and put them together into something worthy of telling at the ritual. (5) iii. He sank back down into his chair, puzzled. (5) iv. The old man shrugged and gave a short laugh. “No,” he told Jonas. “It’s a very distant memory. That’s why it was so exhausting—I had to tug it forward from many generations back. It was given to me when I was a new Receiver, and the previous Receiver had to pull it through a long time period, too.” (10) These examples show that several things have been compared directly in the novel such as the first shows objects as creatures, the second shows feelings as ducks, the third shows chair as a lake and the fourth shows memory compared to some trolley.
Mood : The novel shows very light and happy mood in the beginning but turns to dispassionate, sad as well as tragic during different events in the story of Jonas.
Motif : Most important motifs of The Giver, are overtness, vision and release or death.
Narrator : The novel is narrated from a third person omniscient point of view .
Paradox : The below sentences are the examples of paradox , i. Jonas thought about it. The details were murky and vague. But the feelings were clear, and flooded him again now as he thought. (5) ii. This time the hands didn’t become cold, but instead began to feel warm on his body. They moistened a little. The warmth spread, extending across his shoulders, up his neck, onto the side of his face. (10) iii. “It’s just that I don’t know your name. I thought you were The Receiver, but you say that now I’m The Receiver. So I don’t know what to call you.” The man had sat back down in the comfortable upholstered chair. He moved his shoulders around as if to ease away an aching sensation. He seemed terribly weary. “Call me The Giver,” he told Jonas. (10) These examples show paradoxes as the first one shows two contradictory ideas of vague and clear, the second shows cold and warm, while the third shows receiver and giver given side by side in these sentences.
Personification : The below sentences are good examples of personifications, i. “It took me many years. Maybe your wisdom will come much more quickly than mine.” (12) ii. And the strongest memory that came was hunger. It came from many generations back. Centuries back. The population had gotten so big that hunger was everywhere. Excruciating hunger and starvation. It was followed by warfare. (13) These examples show as if wisdom and memory have life and emotions of their own.
Protagonist : The young boy, Jonas, is the protagonist of the novel. The novel starts with his entry into the story and ends with his plans to release memories in the Community.
Repetition : The examples of repetitions are given in the below sentences, i. His father smiled his gentle smile. (2) ii. Almost every citizen in the community had dark eyes. His parents did, and Lily did, and so did all of his group members and friends. (3) iii. There had been nothing special about it; it was an activity that he had performed countless times: throw, catch; throw, catch. (3) iv. The prohibition of dream-telling, he thought, would not be a real problem. He dreamed so rarely that the dream-telling did not come easily to him anyway, and he was glad to be excused from it. (9) These examples show repetitions of different things and ideas such as of “gnawing”, “enjoyment” and “over and over.”
Rhetorical Questions : The rhetorical questions are used at several places in the book. Two examples are given below, i. “Yes, I think I will,” Lily said. She knelt beside the basket. “What did you say his name is? Gabriel? Hello, Gabriel,” she said in a singsong voice. Then she giggled. “Ooops,” she whispered. “I think he’s asleep. (3) ii. Jonas was stunned. What would happen to his friendships? His mindless hours playing ball, or riding his bike along the river? Those had been happy and vital times for him. Were they to be completely taken from him, now? (9) This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed but different characters not to elicit answers but to stress upon the underlined idea.
Setting : The setting of The Giver is a fictional distant society called the Community.
Simile : The below sentences are examples of similes from the book, i. Lily considered and shook her head. “I don’t know. They acted like … like…” “ Animals ?” Jonas suggested. He laughed. (2) ii. Look how tiny he is! And he has funny eyes like yours, Jonas!” Jonas glared at her. (3) iii. Then, as the angle of incline lessened, as the mound—the hill —flattened, nearing the bottom, the sled’s forward motion slowed. (10) iv. “It’s full of electrical impulses. It’s like a computer. If you stimulate one part of the brain with an electrode, it—” He stopped talking. He could see an odd look on The Giver’s face. (13) These similes show that things have been compared directly such as the first shows their action like that of animals, the second shows a comparison of the eyes of two persons, the third one shows a comparison of the sled and the hill, and the third one shows the comparison of electrical signals with a computer.

Post navigation.

Review by Brian Eggert August 16, 2014

For some of us, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953) was mandatory middle school reading. Nowadays, Lois Lowry’s similarly themed young adult novel The Giver (1993) has become the dystopian text of choice for school curriculums. And while Bradbury’s text was made into a serviceable film by François Truffaut in 1966, the film of Lowry’s text is nowhere near as accomplished. Lowry’s heady exploration into the importance of shared learning and emotion in society through a muted, deeply philosophical narrative, has been exchanged for a paranoid teenage dystopia escape movie, the likes of which we’ve seen before (recently in The Hunger Games and Divergent ). Producer-star Jeff Bridges and director Phillip Noyce ( Salt ) deliver a conceptually interesting production of modest budget and notable castmembers, but the abbreviated runtime of 94 minutes is too long concerned with perpetuating a white-knuckle thriller than embracing the thoughtful discussions of Lowry’s book. But this film review is not just the ranting of a reader devoted to the source material; those unfamiliar with the book will undoubtedly feel plagued by the story’s sense of implausibility as well.

The film opens with voiceover narration from Lowry’s protagonist, Jonas, an 18-year-old boy (played by 25-year-old Australian actor Brenton Thwaites) who introduces us to his colorless world, which, for the first third is presented in black-and-white. The film’s narrator goes on to explain all the ways in which his world is different than ours. There’s no color, art, emotion, lying, platonic relationships, bad weather, war, or expression whatsoever, as the leaders of this isolated flatland community—which, similar to many others like it apparently, rests on a plateau surrounded by clouds—have suppressed such desires through a daily injection. Chemicals inhibit people’s desires and therefore, society can function peacefully, driven by the prevailing desire for peace, safety, and above all, a “sameness” of conduct and even race. And there’s a pointed concern for “precision of language”—as a result, metaphors have disappeared (at least no one will annoyingly misuse “literally” in a figurative sense here, such as “I could literally eat a horse”). But Jonas is different; he can see subdued impressions of color.

From the outset, the film’s biggest mistake is telling us how the setting is disturbingly different from our own, without letting us discover it, piece by piece, by ourselves. Screenwriters Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide may have included many scenes from the book, but their treatment, and the film’s approach with a narrator who has the benefit of hindsight to guide his voiceover’s observations, remove much of the surprise and shock that would normally come with many of the story’s most potent revelations. Moreover, the writers clearly have it in mind to make this the next teen phenomenon after Twilight or The Hunger Games , and in turn, fabricate a forbidden love subplot involving Jonas and his friend Fiona (Odeya Rush). All the while, Noyce seems to forget that he’s directing a world in which emotions have been suppressed. The characters, particularly the youngsters, laugh and play and worry without inhibition. The only emotions that appear to have been curtailed are those born in their loins. Once Jonas stops taking his shots and convinces Fiona to do the same, the “stirrings” below the belt return. (Then again, Lowry’s book has Jonas experience some “stirrings” while bathing an elderly woman, which may not have translated well to the screen.)

On this world’s version of graduation day, young adults like Jonas and his peers are assigned their job in the community. But at the ceremony, Jonas is skipped over and singled out. Because of his capacity to “see beyond,” Jonas has been chosen to be “The Receiver of Memory”, a mysterious position now held by a bearded Obi-Wan Kenobi-like figure (Bridges, using his Rooster Cogburn voice, but without the Southern drawl), who, now called “The Giver”, will transfer the vast majority of human memories into Jonas. Why The Receiver is a necessary community function isn’t really made clear in the film, although Lowry’s book suggests he guides the community’s elders, headed here by a resident Big Brother figure called The Chief Elder (Meryl Streep), by offering his insight based on his knowledge of history and human memory. The community has jettisoned all history, memory, and emotion so humankind can keep functioning safely, productively, mindlessly. And so, Jonas begins his training, and his marked ability to see colors is enhanced. Soon he’s feeling all sorts of emotions and can barely contain himself.

This becomes troublesome for The Chief Elder, who carefully monitors Jonas’ progress in fear of another failure, like the one ten years ago that is alluded to throughout. Jonas’ creepy parents, his regulator mother (Katie Holmes, whose casting may have an intentional off-screen parallel), and his baby-nurturing father (Alexander Skarsgård), also show concern that their son is dancing and smiling too much, while his younger sister, Lily (Emma Tremblay), persists as a happy little girl. Meanwhile, The Giver shows Jonas the joys and horrors of humankind before The Ruin—the cataclysm that impelled this world into existence. Passing on the knowledge and wisdom that weigh on him, The Giver encourages Jonas to escape when the young student can no longer bear the strain, or accept how wrong it is for the elders to deny people the basic freedoms of emotion. Before long, the film devolves into a chase sequence, complete with Jonas outrunning The Chief Elder’s motorbike goons and flying drones. It all leads to The Giver pleading to The Chief Elder in a puts-too-fine-a-point-on-it speech about the importance of love, and Jonas’ escape leading to the return of all emotions and history to the community.

As both an adaptation and a stand-alone film, The Giver is something of a mess. The emotional performances are out of touch with what’s supposed to be an unaffected environment, but nothing about this onscreen world is detached. It’s a world whose secrets are shared within the first few scenes, whose unknowns are strewn out for us, and whose sense of discovery is nonexistent. What’s more, Noyce’s conceptual choice to gradually move from black-and-white to color is inconsistent; since the effect is meant to represent Jonas’ perspective, we’re left wondering why there are still visible colors in scenes where Jonas isn’t present. Worst of all, the filmmakers of this modestly budgeted production remove Lowry’s thought-provoking intent from a book that, for some school districts, is potent enough to be banned. But no one will be thinking about the importance of memory and pain, love and history, and their impact on society after the film is over. But no one will be banning The Giver , because it’s not controversial; it’s a fascinating story that’s been reengineered to fit an overexposed, commercially viable Hollywood formula tuned for mass consumption and mindless viewership.

Related Titles

In Theaters

Recent Reviews

Hit Man 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Short Take: Night Shift 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Young Woman and the Sea 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
The Dead Don't Hurt 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
In a Violent Nature 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Handling the Undead 2.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Patreon Exclusive: The Prestige 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Patreon Exclusive: The Strangers: Chapter 1 1 Star ☆
Babes 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Evil Does Not Exist 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Coma 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
I Saw the TV Glow 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
The Last Stop in Yuma County 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆

Comparing The Differences: The Giver Book and Movie

Categories: The Giver

About this sample

Words: 748 |

Published: Sep 1, 2023

Words: 748 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1193 words

3 pages / 1153 words

3.5 pages / 1498 words

2 pages / 887 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on The Giver

Lois Lowry paints a dystopian world ostensibly utopian, which is thoroughly explored in this "The Giver" book review. In the novel, the people live in a colorless, monotonous society where music, emotion, and knowledge of death [...]

Lois Lowry’s novel "The Giver" is a thought-provoking and controversial work that delves into the concept of a utopian society that ultimately sacrifices individual freedoms and emotions. The use of euphemism in the novel plays [...]

In Lois Lowry's novel "The Giver," the concept of Stirrings plays a significant role in the protagonist Jonas's journey of self-discovery and resistance against a dystopian society that suppresses emotions and desires. Stirrings [...]

In Lois Lowry's dystopian novel, The Giver, Chapter 14 marks a pivotal moment in the protagonist's journey towards understanding the true nature of his society. As the narrative unfolds, the reader is drawn into a world where [...]

Jonas begins The Provider groping uneasy about the and coming Capacity of Twelve, where he will get the Assignment that chooses his business for whatever is left of his working life. That night, at the everyday sharing of [...]

The book The Giver is about a supposedly ideal society, however as the book continues it seems to be more of a dystopia with a totalitarian government. Everyday life is the same and almost never changes because the consequence [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Lois Lowry's The Giver . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Giver: Introduction

The giver: plot summary, the giver: detailed summary & analysis, the giver: themes, the giver: quotes, the giver: characters, the giver: symbols, the giver: theme wheel, brief biography of lois lowry.

Historical Context of The Giver

Other books related to the giver.

Full Title: The Giver
When Written: Early 1990s
Where Written: Maine
When Published: April 16, 1993
Literary Period: Contemporary
Genre: Dystopian novel
Setting: A managed community in a futuristic society. The community is cut off from the outside world, which is referred to as "elsewhere."
Climax: Jonas learns that when his father "releases" newchildren, he actually kills them. Jonas decides to leave the community.
Antagonist: Jonas's community and its system of Sameness
Point of View: Third-person limited, through Jonas's eyes

Extra Credit for The Giver

Awards: The Giver won the 1994 Newbery Medal, considered the most prestigious award for children's literature.

Banned Book: Although The Giver tops countless school reading lists, it has also been banned by some schools, which claim that some of the material, like euthanasia and suicide, is inappropriate for children.

One of Three: Lowry has written two more books set in the world of The Giver and including some of the characters from The Giver . The three books together are often described as a "loose trilogy." The second book in the series is Gathering Blue and was published in 2000. The third, The Messenger , was published in 2004.

by Lois Lowry

The Giver Summary

Jonas begins The Giver feeling uneasy about the upcoming Ceremony of Twelve, where he will receive the Assignment that determines his vocation for the rest of his working life. That night, at the nightly sharing of feelings, after his sister, father, and mother discuss their emotions, his parents comfort him about his worries. They remind him that his life will change after the Ceremony, but they reassure him that the Committee of Elders has been watching him closely and will give him an appropriate Assignment.

Jonas's father brings home a newchild who needs extra care, and they call him Gabriel , although Father is not yet supposed to know the child's name. Lily decides that she will begin volunteering hours at the Nurturing Center after she turns Nine, and Jonas recalls a strange incident where he saw an apple suddenly change before returning to the same nondescript shade as his shirt. The next day, he joins Asher and Fiona at the House of the Old, where Larissa tells him about Roberto's release ceremony, after which Roberto will go Elsewhere. Then, after a sexually charged dream involving Fiona that forms Jonas's first Stirrings, his parents give him the pills that will suppress these Stirrings.

At the Ceremony, Jonas sits through the Naming at the Ceremony of One, which Gabriel will miss because the Nurturers have decided to give him an extra year of care before deciding whether to assign him a family unit or to release him. Lily turns Eight, and the new Nines receive bicycles as a sign of new independence. The Ceremony of Twelve begins uneventfully, as the often hasty but always good-humored Asher receives the Assignment of Assistant Director of Recreation and Fiona receives that of Caretaker of the Old. However, the Chief Elder skips Jonas, which mortifies him until they announce that he has been selected as the new Receiver of Memory for the community, an important position that requires intelligence, courage, and the Capacity to See Beyond, which Jonas has previously experienced with the apple.

Jonas feels nervous and isolated at his selection, and his instructions are strange in that they allow him to be rude, ask questions, and lie, while prohibiting him from taking medication for his training and from applying for release. The old Receiver, who calls himself The Giver , informs Jonas that he is now the new Receiver and will have to receive the memories of generations of the whole world, which The Giver transmits by touch and remembrance. Jonas's first new memory is that of riding a sled down a snowy hill, and The Giver explains that after the establishment of Sameness and Climate Control, many of these things have been eliminated. The Giver also gives Jonas the memory of sunshine and sunburn to give Jonas a hint of the pain that is to come in his training.

After seeing a change in Fiona's hair, Jonas informs The Giver, who concludes that Jonas has the capacity to see color, unlike other members of the community. Scientists tried to get rid of color at the onset of Sameness, but they did not entirely succeed. Jonas and The Giver discuss how Sameness has gotten rid of individual choice, although it may perhaps have made the world safer by eliminating the possibility of wrong choices, such as in choosing spouses, although as The Receiver, Jonas will never be able to share his whole life with a future spouse, since he cannot speak of his work. They also discuss the previous Receiver-in-Training's failure, after which unwanted memories escaped into the community and caused havoc, an incident that reminded the community of The Receiver's role as the vessel for these memories.

Jonas asks for more painful memories, so The Giver introduces him first to a broken leg and later to more serious pains such as starvation and neglect. These memories give The Receiver wisdom to advise the Elders, who do not want to bear the memories themselves. At home, Jonas discovers that Gabriel is capable of receiving memories, and at his training, he eventually helps ease The Giver's suffering by taking from him the terrible memory of war. As recompense, The Giver transmits some joyful memories, including that of family, grandparents, and love, all of which are missing in the community's family units. Jonas instinctively feels that the absence of love is wrong, although he initially denies his instincts in favor of what his society has taught him. Others in the community do not understand Jonas's thoughts, as his parents deride the term "love" as imprecise and as Asher fails to understand why Jonas does not approve of the imitation war games he plays with the children.

When Jonas's father is scheduled to release a newchild because it is a twin, Jonas asks The Giver about release, who mentions that in his previous failure, his daughter Rosemary became the Receiver-in-Training but chose release because she did not want to bear all the memories of pain. The Giver then shows Jonas a tape in which Jonas's father is shown to release the infant by euthanizing him through lethal injection. Jonas is devastated by this revelation, and he and The Giver decide that he should run away so that the memories will be released into the community. They both hope that The Giver can teach the community to regain wisdom and emotion through the memories rather than to force the memories away.

Jonas is forced to leave ahead of schedule in order to save Gabriel from release, so he sets off with inadequate supplies. As they leave the community, they experience first the joys of nature and wildlife and then the fear of cold and starvation as they leave the area of Climate Control into a snowy region. Finally, Jonas finds what he perceives as the hill from his first transmitted memory, and he hears music and sees Christmas lights, believing that he has found an Elsewhere that has what the community lacked. However, the ending leaves unclear whether Jonas has truly found Elsewhere or is simply hallucinating as he freezes to death.

GradeSaver will pay $15 for your literature essays

The Giver Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Giver is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does the author begin showing that Jonas may not quite fit in or not agree with everything in his community? How might these details contribute to the conflict in the story going forward?

Jonas interperets events like the jet at the beginning as the stringent rules differently than others. Jonas asks questions and doesn't take things at face value. He also begins to see colour which others do not see. Jonas eventually questions the...

What do you think of the morning dream telling ritual?

This question calls for your opinion. There is no right or wrong answer. In my opinion, dream telling is rather ridiculous. We all know that dreams are inexplicable for the most part.... and most dreams disappear when we wake up.

Should Jonas have asked them to stop playing the game of bad guys and good guys? CHAPTER 17

No, I don't think Jonas should ask them to stop playing. These kids cannot handle the emotional trauma of forgetting their lunch let alone understanding emotions behind war and death. They simply would not comprehend what Jonas is talking...

Study Guide for The Giver

The Giver study guide contains a biography of Lois Lowry, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of The Giver.

About The Giver
The Giver Video
Character List

Essays for The Giver

The Giver essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Giver by Lois Lowry.

The Cost of Security
A Lonely Mind With a Heavy Burden: Hope in The Giver
Is the Society of The Giver a Utopia?
Reproductive Regulation and the Construction of Relationships for Populace Control in The Giver and “Pop Squad”

Lesson Plan for The Giver

About the Author
Study Objectives
Common Core Standards
Introduction to The Giver
Relationship to Other Books
Bringing in Technology
Notes to the Teacher
Related Links
The Giver Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Giver

Introduction
Analysis of themes
Literary significance and reception

Plot Summary

By lois lowry.

'The Giver' is a Newbery Prize-winning novel by Lois Lowry and tells the story of Jonas, a young, eleven-year-old boy raised in a futuristic walled community.

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

The novel presents a dystopian community from the perspective of an eleven-year-old boy who is more perceptive, emotional, and thoughtful than any of the other community members.

‘Spoiler Free’ Summary

The Giver by Lois Lowry tells the story of Jonas, a young, eleven-year-old boy raised in a futuristic walled community. The community has eliminated pain, war, fear, and all negative and positive emotions. Everyone who lives there is content with the way things are and yet completely in the dark in regard to what life used to be like and the emotions, colors, and experiences they have all been stripped of.

When the novel begins, Jonas’s career is chosen for him. This sets him on a complicated path that leads to a series of horrifying revelations about his community, his family, and the parts of human history that have been removed from collective memory. Jonas’s relationship with his mentor, The Giver, helps him come to terms with the choices set out before him —either live with the knowledge he has or run and try to escape for a better life.

The Giver Summary

Spoiler alert – important details of the novel are revealed below.

The Giver is told from the point of view of Jonas, a young boy who has lived his whole life in a walled, futuristic community, in which everything is controlled by “The Committee of Elders”. He lives with his father, who works with children as a nurturer, his mother, who works at the Department of Justice, and his younger sister, Lily, who is only seven years old.

A the beginning of the novel, he’s considering the upcoming Ceremony of the Twelve. There, his career path will be laid out for him. He’ll be given a job that perfectly suits him and that he’ll keep for the rest of his life. But unlike his friends Asher and Fiona, Jonas is unsure what he’s going to be given, considering that he has no great passion for any of the many jobs he’s tried.

Citizens in the community apply to receive spouses, are assigned two children each, and upon adulthood, family units are dissolved. Citizens are eventually housed in the House of the Old when they reach a certain age. Then, they are “released” or killed in order not to place an additional burden on the community. The citizens believe that the process of being “released” means that one enters Elsewhere, the area surrounding the community, and into a new life. Death is not something that they have a firm grasp on. The old, ill, and nonconformists are all released.

Jonas’s appearance is described in these pages as well. He has pale eyes, rather than the dark eyes many in the community have. He is also far more perceptive than others. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that he has a deeper insight into others’ lives and a connection to his emotions that others do not. Objects appear different when he looks at them as if they’re in the process of change. It soon becomes clear that this world is devoid of color, something he’s initially unaware of.

The New Receiver of Memory

The Chief Elder reveals Jonas’s job at the Ceremony. He’s been chosen for his ability to see beyond to be the new Receiver of Memory, the highest position in the community. This means that he’s going to be the receptacle for the community’s collective memories before the Sameness, the painless and warless state they now live in. The memories might be partially gone, but they have to be kept somewhere. Someone has to keep track of them so that the community does not repeat the mistakes of the past, and that job is to be passed on to Jonas.

Jonas meets with The Giver, an old man who demonstrates how the memories are passed on. Jonas’s first memory received is that of sledding down a hill in the snow at Christmas time. He also gives Jonas good memories of sunshine, warmth, excitement, and love, as well as painful memories such as loneliness, starvation, and fear. Jonas longs to share those experiences with others and realizes that no one in the community cares for one another as they should.

During this period, his family elects to take care of a sickly Newchild, a baby named Gabriel. It’s revealed that Jonas’s father, whose career involves caring for new babies, is actually in charge of “releasing them”, or killing them by way of lethal injection if they prove to be sick or different in some way. Jonas’ father tells Jonas that Gabriel will have to be released the next day. Jonas is horrified by this revelation and is inspired to change things.

The Giver helps Jonas plan to leave the community, saving Gabriel, who’s been chosen to be released, and starting a new life. But it’s not quite so simple. The Giver tells Jonas what happened to the last Receiver of Memory, his own daughter. This young girl was given the same memories of war, loss, love, color, and the past that Jonas was, but she couldn’t handle them. She was asked to be released, and her memories were set loose back to the public.

The community members, who had lived their whole lives without any strong emotions, were suddenly inundated with new ones. This caused a major issue that the Giver knows needs to be avoided.

Leaving the Community

The two come up with a plan to get Jonas out of the community and to Elsewhere, the area outside their walls. There, his memories will disperse, and the Giver will help the remaining community members understand the truth of their existence and their new memories of the human past.

Jonas eventually flees the community in somewhat of a panic, desperate to save Gabriel. He steals his father’s bicycle and heads toward Elsewhere pursued by search planes. At the end of the novel, he enters into a striking landscape of color, which readers will recognize as their own world. There, he feels hunger and fear.

The novel ends with Jonas and Gabriel climbing into a sled at the top of a hill, featured in Jonas’s very first received memory. They ride down it towards a village in which they can hear music. Without stating it outright, the end of the novel alludes to a happy conclusion of events for Jonas. He believes someone in the village is waiting for him and/or willing to help him.

What is the main message of The Giver ?

The main message is the importance of memory to human experience–collective and individual. Without knowledge of the past, including mistakes and triumphs, humans cannot grow or learn.

Why is The Giver famous?

The Giver is famous for its unique characters, dystopian society, and the ways in which it makes adult themes understandable within a young adult novel. It also leaves readers with a cliffhanger ending.

What happened at the end of The Giver ?

At the end of the novel, Jonas rejects what his community has been asking of him (“the Sameness”) and runs from home. He takes Gabriel, his young brother, and they travel out into the winter landscape. It’s unclear how or if they survive.

What is the moral of The Giver ?

The moral is that memory and collective (as well as individual) human experience is necessary. Additionally, the suppression of identity in favor of collective morality and “sameness” is inherently damaging.

Who dies in The Giver ?

Depending on the reader, some believe that Jonas and Gabriel die at the end of the novel. (Seen through Jonas’ belief they are going to “Elsewhere.”) Others believe that Jonas and Gabriel live and find a life of peace and happiness in a new community outside the walls of their home.

Why was The Giver a banned book?

The Giver has been banned due to its adult themes. The book is intended for young readers, and some believe the discussions of suicide, murder, and euthanasia are too difficult for young adults to handle.

Join Our Community for Free!

Exclusive to Members

Create Your Personal Profile

Engage in Forums

Join or Create Groups

Save your favorites, beta access.

About Emma Baldwin

Emma Baldwin, a graduate of East Carolina University, has a deep-rooted passion for literature. She serves as a key contributor to the Book Analysis team with years of experience.

About the Book

Discover literature, enjoy exclusive perks, and connect with others just like yourself!

Start the Conversation. Join the Chat.

There was a problem reporting this post.

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

See blocked member's posts
Mention this member in posts
Invite this member to groups

Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

The Giver Movie And Movie Essay

1. No, the characters in the movie don’t visually look like the characters describe in the book. Asher didn’t look as it was described by Lois Lowry. The book said Asher was 12, but in the movie he looked like he was like a college student. Lois Lowry described him as a funny kid, and I was guessing in the movie he would be funny. Though in the movie he was a serious kid, and he followed the rules. He was so serious, he tried to stop Jonas from getting in trouble. Also, Asher refused to go down the arch on the food tray because he didn 't want to break the rules. 2. Jonas’s conflict with the rules in the movie were not as evident in the book. In the movie, Jonas broke the rule of not touch anyone out of your family unit. He tried to give Fiona …show more content…

There were many differences between the ending of the book and the ending of the movie. In the movie, Jonas had to pass a long pole to release the memories. The memories did pass through the whole community, and Fiona wasn’t killed. Though in the book, we never know if the community got the memories Jonas had. Also in the movie, Asher came and dropped Jonas into the river pretending he killed him, but in the book, Jonas had to hide from the heat sensor planes that were not controlled by Asher. In the book, Jonas gave Gabriel the memory of the sun to survive the cold weather, but in the movie, Jonas and Gabriel just kept on going and going. Lastly in the movie, Jonas reaches the house and started to hear music, but in the book, Jonas heard the music but never reached the house. 4. I liked The Giver book better than The Giver movie. Lois Lowry took her time, and the book flowed really well. Also, the book was more detailed with all the important parts. The movie on the other hand, lacked with details, and skipped important parts. I felt like the movie was rushed, and going too fast. Hollywood also added things that were not needed and unnecessary like the kissing scene. The movie was also offset with some parts like, Asher being a pilot when he is supposed to be an assistant director of the rec.

How Is Freak The Mighty Movie Different From The Book

I think these differences make the book and the movie way both interesting. I think the differences are good because it sums it all up and with hearing both the book and the movie it fills in the blank questions in your

Jasper Jones And The Dressmaker Comparison

In my opinion there are a lot of comparisons between the film and the book, but there are also differences between them too, but also they have impacted the audience in both the film and the

Where The Red Fern: Comparison Of Book And Movie

It had more narration so the reader could understand what is happening. Secondly, the movie. The movie was different than the book. It had some parts that were in the book, but it lacked some details.

Compare And Contrast Watson's Go To Birmingham

Another difference is that in the movie they go into town, but in the book it 's never mentioned. Something else that was different was that in the book the mood was happy most of the time, while in the movie the mood was sad. A difference between the book and the movie is that in the book momma was going to burn Byron, but in the movie she does not burn him. A big difference is that in the

Compare And Contrast The Devil's Arithmetic Book And Movie

The Devil’s Arithmetic Book vs. Movie Essay The book and movie versions of The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen both had many pros and cons. However, the more preferable version goes to the book. The book had far more interesting and suspenseful moments. With the book having better characters, scenes, and themes, there is no point in arguing which adaptation of The Devil’s

The Host Book Vs Movie Essay

I prefer The Host book by Stephenie Meyer over The Host by Andrew Niccol the movie because the important lines, the emotion and the clear explanation. The movie cut out the important lines. What made them important was that they were deep. They had meaning to them.

Movie And Book Comparison Essay On Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken Movie and Book Comparison “A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.” Pete Zamperini told his younger brother Louie Zamperini when Louie was leaving for the Olympics. Recently, I have read and watched Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Upon doing so, I discovered that the book was better than the movie version of this best-selling novel. In the book, Louie started running because of eugenics.

Similarities And Differences Between The Giver Movie And Movie

Some of the major differences, such as the changes in Jonas, Fiona, and Asher’s characters in the movie as well as Jonas’s escape, really separate the movie from the book. However, that is not to say that there are not plenty of similarities. The descriptions and portrayals of Jonas’s feelings about the Community, The Giver, and the structure of the Community are very similar between the two stories. While the similarities greatly outnumber the differences, some of the differences are very major and can change the story a

Compare And Contrast The Hunger Games Book Vs Movie

There are details left out of the movie that were in the book, the movie doesn 't demonstrate the ongoing theme of hunger as well as the book does, and the the movie does a better job with

Lone Ranger And Smoke Signals: Differences

In the end I found the film to be easier to understand vs the book as it was an easier and more straight forward plot line whereas in the book it seemed to jump around leading to constant flipping between stories and pages to get a better

Jonas: Changing The Community In The Giver

Jonas plans to change the community by releasing memories to the community. When Jonas gets to elsewhere when he escapes the community all his memories will leave him and go to the citizens of his community. The people will be panicked. The Giver will stay in the community to calm the people and help them through it.

The Lion And The Wardrobe Comparison Essay

If I didn 't have the book I still think that I would be able to follow along with the movie and know what is going on. I really did like the story. It was different than any other books. It was funny and adventures but at times it was very mature. The lesson that anyone can learn is don 't change something you believe in because other people say it is not true.

Brief Summary From 'The Giver'

I think Jonas and Gabriel died. When I read the sentences about Jonas found a sled and went down the hills, I thought that’s not possible if someone just goes up the hill and finds a sled. I think what Jonas saw at the end of the book is not real, someone could see something that is not real when he/ she was really hungry and cold. When Jonas was going up the hill, he was really hungry, he didn’t eat anything through the past few days.

Adam's Mom Compare And Contrast

The book version of the story is more reasonably suggested. The book is the direct outcome of the author’s thoughts, which reflects author’s intention in the most pronounced way. 3 examples expound the reason of why the book intend to be recommend. In the aspect of character description, the book and the movie share many differences. In the movie, Adam’s mom doesn’t seem sad but more of an anger, anger of the never-knowns.

Chapter Summary: Jonas And Missed The Giver

Asher, his best friend. And there was sweet, caring Fiona. Most of all, however, he missed the Giver; the only one who ever loved him. While the sled sped down into the night, leaving behind Jonas’s memories, the sled suddenly skittered to the side. Panic filled Jonas as he realized what was about to happen.

More about The Giver Movie And Movie Essay

The Giver By Lois Lowry: Comparison Between Book And Movie

You’re eleven years old. All of the pain, fear, war, and hatred of the world has been eliminated from society. Everyone looks and acts the same, and your profession is chosen for you based on your abilities; at age twelve. The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, is a fascinating story about a different type of society and learning the secrets behind it. The movie of the same name directed by Phillip Noyce, is creative, but showed some very disappointing changes from the book.

All in all, the book is far more preferable because the plot is far more exciting, the characters are developed well, and the creativeness is more descriptive than that of the movie. The Giver is a novel about a young boy named Jonas. He is given the profession of the Receiver at twelve years old in which receives all of the communities memories from the past. He gets these memories from the Giver. The Giver “gives” him memories of war, love, and other things that are not present in the society anymore. Jonas is not permitted to tell anyone of the memories so he has a big responsibility.

His father is a nurturer of newborns and when Jonas’s little brother Gabriel is born he is a troubled child. Jonas finds out through the Giver that Gabriel will be taken away, so Jonas saves him. Jonas starts to grow apart from his family after he finds out the secrets of how things within the society work. His best friends are Asher and Fiona are introduced within the first couple chapters and Jonas tries not to share any memories with them because he is not supposed to, but because the Giver explained love to him, so he starts to fall in love with Fiona and wants to show her that feeling.

Jonas learns not to like the society anymore and gets himself into a lot of trouble. He is in danger and has to escape to a far away place. The movie compared to the book is rather vague and boring. It is set in black and white for a portion of the film. The characters are all older, eighteen instead of twelve, and the Giver is poorly portrayed. Jonas is Australian in the movie, but no indication of that is in the book. I guess you could say it’s because Jonas is different from everyone else. The movie has technological advances that were not read about in the book such as drones and high-tech computers.

The Giver does more explaining to Jonas than giving. Jonas spends less time with the Giver, and that is much different than the book because he always went to the Giver to find out more. As I previously stated, The Giver, is a much better read than a movie. First of all, Jonas is noted to be different from everyone else in society. Jonas matures from age eleven to a twelve year old that takes on a great deal of responsibility, which the movie lacks. The development of his character brings the reader to think of the morale behind the story .

Being granted the Receiver of memories at age twelve sounds like a big duty to handle, but the book’s detail and creativity with this profession really grasps the reader’s attention. Throughout the entire book the reader stays on edge. It may be an easy read, but it has enough suspension to keep the reader engaged. The story’s viewpoint is of Jonas, so reading first hand what he is feeling, thinking, and doing is on a far more personal level. Whereas in the movie all of these characteristics are not present. They way the memories are brought into the movie really puzzled me. The Giver did more explaining than giving and that was confusing.

The movie has many technological advances not heard of in the book, so the significance of the book being from an earlier time period is not important or relevant. Quite frankly, I thought the movie would be better because I tend to enjoy watching more than reading, but to my surprise the movie was much different. It is important to realize the character development throughout the book as compared to the movie. I believe the book did a much better job at describing the characters and the movie lacked important details. At age twelve you would not expect a child to have a job.

Jonas is given a job in which designates him to be responsible and mature more rapidly, whereas in the movie he is eighteen and you would expect him to already have these important aspects . I don’t like the age difference because I feel as if it lost the significance of such a young boy taking on so many responsibilities. Overall, I was frustrated with the several differences. According to The Guardian, the book is intended for younger people, yet convoluted enough for adults (par. 3). They also state that the book allows the reader to think in depth about the morale of the storyline.

The morale of the story is to become independent and not worry about what others say or think about you (par. 6). Also mentioned is the unique factor that the book relates to the reader through their perception of society (par. 7). Differently, well-known movie reviewer Roger Ebert had a slightly altered opinion about the movie. Ebert states that the movie was set up in a powerful way (par. 1), but Ebert was utterly disappointed with the voiceovers that had taken part in the film (par. 1). Ebert was also disgruntled with the movies lack of picture quality that should have revealed human experience (par. 6).

Ebert also claims that the only suspenseful part in the film was when Jonas learned about love (par. 10). A reviewer from The Guardian was very pleased with the book’s development of the characters. They comment about the importance of the characters relating to the reader when it comes to thinking about how life works (par. 3). They mentioned the main focus of the book is how Jonas develops into a young boy with great morals allowing the reader to follow along and think about morals themselves (par. 4). Also stated is the character’s uniqueness and interesting qualities (par. 6). In conclusion, the book is much better than the movie.

Although the movie is in color and has visuals, the book is descriptive and interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. It has a better plot, it’s more creative and the character development is much more detailed. I believe the better story lies within the text. Critical thinking and making your own visualizations while reading the book is far more fun. I highly recommend this book to any reader that enjoys an easy read with great morale hidden within the text. I have always enjoyed reading about life’s hard times and overcoming situations and you won’t want to miss Jonas’s perseverance.

To export a reference to this essay please select a referencing style below:

Related essays:

The Giver Moral Development
Heroes In The Giver Essay
Why Is Fahrenheit 451 Be Banned Essay
Book Report – The Giver
The Giver Memory Essay
Sameness In The Giver Essay
Essay on Who Is Stanley Kubricks A Clockwork Orange?
History of La Cosa Nostra
Jonas Edward Salk
Bad Memories Research Paper
One Of The Worst Illnesses In The History Of Man, Polio

The Giver Movie Analysis

Show More The movie the “The Giver” was about everyone being the same. In this particular film there was multitude of characters, but in my opinion there was only one who truly made a difference and his Jonas. Jonas was a character that wise beyond his years. He portray a character that was courageous, kind, and most of all loving. Jonas was the main character in the movie. From the very beginning of the movie Jonas knew he was different from the rest of his community. In other words, he express feeling of being lost and not knowing exactly what was his calling. Jonas affiliated with friends that had passion for work that they were voluntary involve in. For example his childhood friend Fiona love working with the babies in the nursery and Asher love …show more content… Now to be honest, I can admit I don’t think the memory of violence was a bad thing to apprehend, it does come a time in life where somethings have to be reveal to acknowledge the obstacle of life lesson. So, Jonas being hurt and shock was a natural reaction. His face so such much confusion and pain. The look in Jonas eyes appear like he was actually the one being harm. He was drain for that day mentally and physically and the worst part of that memory was he had no one he could genuinely share this hurt he felt but with Elder. I now understand why the receiver of memory in the movie didn’t really affiliated with the community. The memory receiver was in a world by themselves. They really didn’t have friends they could talk with about the past and they didn’t really have friends to relate to with their world but with the select few that was chosen for the memories, therefore Jonas was in uncharted territory that he really couldn’t share with his …show more content… When he finally came into the memory of love it was like he finally open Pandora box. For the first time Jonas understood what this feeling meant and had to great need to share this feeling with the ones that were close to him. Jonas was returning home everyday a brand new person which not only alert his family but also alerted the Chief Elder in the process. He started to ask questions to his family that was foreign to them questions pertaining to love was not a topic that was not bought up in Jonas house. I was more than surprise to see a family that interact with one another the way Jonas family did and not once did they display affection. A process family is what I thought it was or even a plastic family. It all seem surreal to me for the simple fact is families all the ones that are supposed to display affection. So to witness a movie where love wasn’t even a factor I was

The Giver: Similarities Between Book And Movie

In both the book and movie The Giver there are many similarities, but there are also many differences. One is that in the book Jonas receives the memories when The Giver puts his hands on his back but in the movie he puts his hand on his birthmark (Lowry 20-21). Another difference is that in the book Jonas sees the apple change color but in the movie doesn't show that (Lowry 24). Also, another difference is that the book Fiona, Jonas, and Asher are volunteering at the House of the Old but in the movie it is at the Nurturing Center (Lowry 29-30).…

Memories In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Jonas is responsible for carrying the weight and knowledge of the past through memories, so other people do not have to do so. Jonas does not have memories of his own past as Offred and Tim O’Brien do, but rather his memories of are the past of what society was before it had transformed into a dystopia of uniformity. Jonas sits in a room everyday to “re-experience the memories again and again,” until he is able to understand what they mean and why they are important (Lowry 121). While O’Brien and other soldiers are able to share these memories with others through storytelling, Jonas is forbidden from sharing the memories that he was given with anyone, even though he feels that “memories need to be shared” (Lowry 154). But both Jonas and O’Brien feel pressure to keep the past alive by preserving their memories.…

Differences And Similarities Between The Giver And Randy Pausch

There are a few similarities in the character Jonas from the book The Giver and Randy in the book The Last Lecture. Jonas is a character in a novel, while The Last Lecture is based on a true story of Randy Pausch. Jonas lived in a community designed by the Elder’s as an effort to live a life of utopia. Jonas grew up not knowing who his actual birth parents were, in his community married couples submitted an application to have children. Once the community children turned one-year old they are handpicked by the Elders and then given to a selected family.…

The Giver Quotes And Analysis

Jonas values life , but probably doesn’t know the reason of life yet, until he gets the memories. Additionally,”Sideways, spinning, the sled hit a bump in the hill and Jonas was jarred loose and thrown violently into the air. He fell with his leg twisted under him, and could hear the crack of bone. His face scraped along jagged edges of ice and when he came, at last, to a stop, he lay shocked and still, feeling nothing at first but fear.” He finally had fun doing something that wasn’t in his community.…

The Influence Of The Past In The Giver By Lois Lowry

During his training with the previous Receiver, he was given memories, good and bad, of the world around them, and how the community was. Jonas quickly disagrees with the choices made by the community and makes a plan to give all the memories back to the community. In her novel, Lois Lowry reminds us that one’s knowledge of the past can influence their future choices when Jonas receives the memory of…

Overcoming Obstacles In S. E. Hinton's The Giver

Even though he is angry, he uses determination to conquer the challenge. He turns his anger into determination to change the community. Although it took him a little while to comprehend why his father would do this to a baby, he eventually understands that his father didn’t know any better. Instead of being angry, Jonas decides to do something and doesn’t just rise to the small challenge he was facing, but instead rises up to a challenge that was larger than life. It was the challenge of changing life itself.…

The Giver Comparison

Jonas lives in the community where everyone is alike and there are many restrictions. During the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory, but the feelings he is given are too much to bear. There is no question…

Harrison Bergeron

This society had always seemed normal to Jonas until that day. He had been chosen to be the receiver, one who receives memories from the past in order to make decisions to better the society. Once his job was selected for him, he went to his job and received some memories from the giver, the old receiver who has to pass down the memories. This is when everything changed. Jonas realized that his society was completely controlling them and holding back their citizens from living life like they should.…

The Giver By Jaqueline Woodson Analysis

In The Giver, Jonas is given concept of love within a memory of safety warmth and safety. The memory the Giver had bestowed on him of a loving family during the holidays. The Giver asks Jonas what he perceived from this memory and he responds that he felt warmth, happiness, and something that he did know how to describe it or what the feelings word was. The Giver tells him it is called love. Once he received this memory it is all that he longed for.…

The Importance Of Memories In The Giver

Throughout the memories Jonas has learned many things that have benefitted him through knowledge. Every memory he has had transmitted to him he has taken something away from the memories have taught him something new whether it's negative and painful or exuberant and exciting. In the book Jonas explains how much he has learned and is beginning to understand from all of the memories. “ Although he had through the memories learned about the pain of loss and loneliness, now gained too an understanding of solitude and it’s joy”(page 151). Jonas is learning so much although it might not be the happiest memory he is still benefitting from it in some way.…

Coming Of Age Essay

Coming of age texts teach us that to grow up is to face unexpected and unknown obstacles that prepare us for adulthood. These texts teach us that growing up means taking responsibility and making choices that will change our lives forever. The coming of age novels I’ll Be There and The Giver both explore this idea, showing Jonas and Sam’s transition from childhood to adulthood. The central idea of both these texts is that through this coming of age journey all the experiences, choices, and conflicts the characters face help them transition from childhood to adulthood.…

Freedom In The Giver

The Giver, written by Lois Lowry, is about a boy named Jonas who lives in a community happily following the rules of the community. Everything changes when Jonas is chosen as Receiver of memory in which he will be experiencing learning things that are kept well away from the citizens of the community. Lowry’s characterization of Jonas reveals the importance of freedom through her development of the rules of the community, Jonas’s time with the Giver, and Jonas’s decision to leave the community. The community’s rules emphasizes that freedom is necessary to make choices.…

The Giver Perseverance

A Community With No Harm A community in which Lois Lowry created doesn’t have love, or emotion. It’s impossible right? No, not for Jonas’ community. Everyday before he becomes a Twelve he is left with black and white color, no emotions like love, anger, depression, and the most riveting thing, no hunger or crime. Jonas travels through an “incision” so he can give memories which are important to the community.…

What Is The Message Of The Giver By Lois Lowry

The Giver was written by Lois Lowry and was originally published in 1993. The book follows the story of a twelve year old boy named Jonas who lives in a dystopian world, in a place called ‘The Community’. I enjoyed reading this because there was a strong hidden message that carried on throughout the book. As a whole it was intriguing, but I found it slightly confusing because some details didn’t seem to have much of a connection to the overall story.…

Ready To Get Started?

Create Flashcards
Mobile apps
Facebook
Twitter
Cookie Settings

The Mythical Abode of Hades: a Glimpse into the Underworld

This essay is about the mythical abode of Hades, known as the Underworld, in Greek mythology. It describes the Underworld as a complex and multifaceted realm beneath the Earth’s surface, consisting of various regions and rivers with symbolic meanings. The essay explains the significance of rivers like Styx, Acheron, Lethe, Phlegethon, and Cocytus, and the different areas within the Underworld, including Elysium, Tartarus, and the Asphodel Meadows. It also explores the palace of Hades and his queen, Persephone, highlighting their roles and relationship. The essay touches on how Hades embodies the inevitability of death and the importance of respecting the natural order, reflecting ancient Greek attitudes toward mortality and the afterlife.

How it works

In the intricate and vivid world of Greek mythology, few places captivate the imagination quite like the realm of Hades. The very mention of his name evokes images of darkness, eternal rest, and a shadowy world beyond the reach of the living. Hades, who shares his name with both the god and his dominion, has intrigued and frightened people for centuries. But where exactly does Hades reside? What is this mysterious underworld, and what does it symbolize in the grand tapestry of Greek myth?

Hades’ domain, commonly known as the Underworld, is imagined as a vast and gloomy realm beneath the surface of the Earth.

This subterranean kingdom is not a monolithic, undifferentiated space but a complex and multifaceted world, replete with various regions, rivers, and notable inhabitants. According to ancient Greek belief, upon death, souls embarked on a journey to this underworld, guided by Hermes to the edge of the river Styx. Here, the ferryman Charon would transport them across the river, provided they had the necessary coin for passage.

The geography of Hades’ kingdom is as intricate as it is eerie. Central to the Underworld are its five rivers: Styx, Acheron, Lethe, Phlegethon, and Cocytus. Each river holds deep symbolic meaning, contributing to the overall atmosphere and function of the realm. The Styx, the river of unbreakable oaths, is perhaps the most famous, signifying the inviolable nature of promises made by the gods. The Acheron, known as the river of woe, adds to the somber mood of the underworld. Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, offers oblivion to the souls who drink its waters, erasing their earthly memories. Phlegethon, a river of fire, and Cocytus, the river of lamentation, further underscore the diverse and multifaceted nature of Hades’ domain.

The Underworld is divided into several regions, each serving different purposes and housing different souls. The Elysian Fields, or Elysium, is a paradisiacal part of the Underworld reserved for heroes and those who lived virtuous lives. This area contrasts sharply with Tartarus, a deep abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and for the Titans who defied Zeus. Between these extremes lies the Asphodel Meadows, a gray and indifferent place where ordinary souls wander without joy or sorrow, reflecting a more neutral afterlife for those neither exceptionally good nor evil.

The palace of Hades himself is another crucial aspect of this dark world. Often depicted as a grand, imposing structure, the palace is where Hades rules alongside his queen, Persephone. Their relationship is a poignant and complex tale of love and abduction, bringing a touch of human emotion to an otherwise somber narrative. Persephone’s annual return to the surface world, marking the change of seasons, serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and death, a theme central to Greek mythology.

Hades, as the ruler of this realm, is a god of great complexity. Unlike his brothers Zeus and Poseidon, who rule the sky and sea respectively, Hades presides over a world that is more feared than revered. He is often portrayed as stern, just, and impartial, ensuring that the dead receive their due according to their deeds in life. Despite his fearsome reputation, Hades is not evil; rather, he embodies the inevitability of death and the importance of respecting the natural order.

The mythological depiction of Hades’ abode reflects ancient Greek attitudes towards death and the afterlife. It serves as a reminder of mortality, encouraging the living to honor the gods and lead virtuous lives. The rituals and beliefs surrounding the Underworld also highlight the Greeks’ intricate understanding of the soul’s journey, emphasizing the transition from life to death as a significant and revered process.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Hades’ realm is the way it integrates with the natural world and the human experience. For the ancient Greeks, the Underworld was not merely a distant, otherworldly place but a part of the natural cycle of life and death. The changing of the seasons, symbolized by Persephone’s descent into and return from the Underworld, reflects the natural rhythms of the Earth. This myth highlights the Greeks’ understanding of death not as an end but as a transformation and continuation of existence.

In contemporary culture, the influence of Hades and his realm continues to resonate. From literature and film to art and video games, the Underworld remains a source of fascination and inspiration. It represents a space where human imagination can explore themes of death, justice, and the afterlife in ways that are both timeless and profoundly moving.

The portrayal of Hades in modern media often shifts between the terrifying and the sympathetic. In some stories, he is depicted as a malevolent figure, while in others, he is shown as a misunderstood deity performing a necessary role. This duality reflects the complexity of his character in ancient myth, where he is neither entirely villainous nor heroic but occupies a space that is essential to the balance of the cosmos.

The various depictions of the Underworld across different cultures and time periods underscore its enduring significance. While the ancient Greeks had a detailed and specific vision of the afterlife, other cultures have their interpretations of what lies beyond death. These varied depictions all speak to a common human desire to understand and give meaning to the unknown aspects of existence.

Ultimately, the question of where Hades lives invites us to delve into one of the most captivating aspects of Greek mythology. The Underworld is not just a physical location but a symbolic landscape that offers insights into ancient beliefs and human nature. Through the stories and characters associated with Hades, we gain a deeper understanding of how the ancient Greeks viewed the world beyond and the enduring legacy of their mythological heritage.

The mythology surrounding Hades and his realm provides a rich source of material for exploring themes of mortality, morality, and the natural order. It encourages us to reflect on our beliefs about life and death and to consider the ways in which these ancient stories continue to shape our understanding of the world. In this way, the myth of Hades serves as both a window into the past and a mirror reflecting our contemporary concerns and aspirations.

Cite this page

The Mythical Abode of Hades: A Glimpse into the Underworld. (2024, Jun 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-mythical-abode-of-hades-a-glimpse-into-the-underworld/

"The Mythical Abode of Hades: A Glimpse into the Underworld." PapersOwl.com , 1 Jun 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-mythical-abode-of-hades-a-glimpse-into-the-underworld/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Mythical Abode of Hades: A Glimpse into the Underworld . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-mythical-abode-of-hades-a-glimpse-into-the-underworld/ [Accessed: 3 Jun. 2024]

"The Mythical Abode of Hades: A Glimpse into the Underworld." PapersOwl.com, Jun 01, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-mythical-abode-of-hades-a-glimpse-into-the-underworld/

"The Mythical Abode of Hades: A Glimpse into the Underworld," PapersOwl.com , 01-Jun-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-mythical-abode-of-hades-a-glimpse-into-the-underworld/. [Accessed: 3-Jun-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

IMAGES

😀 The giver book review essay. Major Themes in The Giver. 2019-02-22
Photo du film The Giver
Argumentative Essay; The Giver.docx
The Giver Essay
The Giver Turns the Gentle Book Into a Gripping Dystopian Tale
The Giver DVD Release Date

VIDEO

The Giver (2014)
The Giver Press Conference
The Giver (2014)
The Giver trailer
The Giver in a Nutshell (school project)
The Giver Part 2 the movie

COMMENTS

The Giver movie review & film summary (2014)
20 years ago, Lois Lowry's dystopian YA novel "The Giver" won the Newberry Medal. Creepy and prophetic, told in a kind of flat-affect voice, it has been a staple in middle-school literature curriculum ever since, introducing young students to sophisticated ethical and moral concepts that will help them recognize its precedents when they come to read the works of George Orwell or Aldous Huxley.
Movie Review: 'The Giver' : NPR
Jeff Bridges (left) produces and stars as the title character in The Giver, alongside Australian actor Brenton Thwaites, who plays Jonas, his young apprentice.The Giver is the first film rendition ...
The Giver Study Guides & Sample Essays
act of receiving - symbolises the attainment of knowledge. personal growth. • Jonas notices a tree amidst the fog through The Giver's window. The Triangle of Rocks!'. Note the triangular shaped camera surveying the area. restriction. triangle. a possible symbol of sanctuary and growth. truth.
The Giver
Summary of The Giver. The story starts with a 12 year old boy living in a seemingly 'perfect' community with no war, hatred, hunger, poverty and crime. The community is established to spread sameness among all of its members for justice and fair play. Jonas, the boy, sees that the community elder, the Chief Elder, has assigned a specific ...
The Giver Themes and Analysis
By Lois Lowry. 'The Giver' is, at times, a dark and disturbing novel, touching on themes of loss and control. Article written by Emma Baldwin. B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University. At the same time, it's also a novel of hope, depicted through the beauty of colors seen for the first time ...
Major Themes in The Giver
Generations ago, they chose Sameness over freedom and individuality. Now, they know no other way of life. Other themes in The Giver, such as family and home, friendships, acts of heroism, as well as the value of remembering the past, are familiar because they are themes in Lowry's previous novels also. Like Rabble in Rabble Starkey, Jonas has ...
The Giver (2014)
For some of us, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (1953) was mandatory middle school reading.Nowadays, Lois Lowry's similarly themed young adult novel The Giver (1993) has become the dystopian text of choice for school curriculums.And while Bradbury's text was made into a serviceable film by François Truffaut in 1966, the film of Lowry's text is nowhere near as accomplished.
Comparing The Differences: The Giver Book and Movie
Get original essay. The differences between the book and movie versions of The Giver are evident from the outset in their portrayal of characters. In the book, readers are provided with intricate descriptions and insights into the characters' thoughts and emotions. This allows for a deeper understanding of their motivations, fears, and growth ...
The Giver Themes
The annual December ceremony, when the "birthdays" of all children are celebrated simultaneously, is a ritual full of rites of passage. As children grow older, these rites allow them more responsibility; at eight, for example, they are given pockets and stuffed animals are taken away. At Nine, children are given bicycles.
The Giver Study Guide
Awards: The Giver won the 1994 Newbery Medal, considered the most prestigious award for children's literature. Banned Book: Although The Giver tops countless school reading lists, it has also been banned by some schools, which claim that some of the material, like euthanasia and suicide, is inappropriate for children. One of Three: Lowry has written two more books set in the world of The Giver ...
The Giver Essays and Criticism
The man that I named The Giver passed along to the boy knowledge, history, memories, color, pain, laughter, love, and truth. Every time you place a book in the hands of a child, you do the same ...
The Giver
The Giver is a 1993 American young adult dystopian novel written by Lois Lowry, set in a society which at first appears to be utopian but is revealed to be dystopian as the story progresses.. In the novel, the society has taken away pain and strife by converting to "Sameness", a plan that has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. In an effort to preserve order, the society also ...
The Giver Essay Questions
9. Write a second ending for The Giver that tells the fate of the community after Jonas's departure. Answer: This question asks you to engage in a creative exercise. One might address the community's reaction to the loss of Jonas and what the people and The Giver are thinking as the people search for him. More importantly, one might consider ...
The Giver Summary
The Giver Summary. Jonas begins The Giver feeling uneasy about the upcoming Ceremony of Twelve, where he will receive the Assignment that determines his vocation for the rest of his working life. That night, at the nightly sharing of feelings, after his sister, father, and mother discuss their emotions, his parents comfort him about his worries.
The Giver Plot Summary
By Lois Lowry. 'The Giver' is a Newbery Prize-winning novel by Lois Lowry and tells the story of Jonas, a young, eleven-year-old boy raised in a futuristic walled community. Article written by Emma Baldwin. B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University. The novel presents a dystopian community from ...
The Giver Movie And Movie Essay
The Giver Movie And Movie Essay. 706 Words3 Pages. 1. No, the characters in the movie don't visually look like the characters describe in the book. Asher didn't look as it was described by Lois Lowry. The book said Asher was 12, but in the movie he looked like he was like a college student. Lois Lowry described him as a funny kid, and I was ...
The Giver By Lois Lowry: Comparison Between Book And Movie
The Giver does more explaining to Jonas than giving. Jonas spends less time with the Giver, and that is much different than the book because he always went to the Giver to find out more. As I previously stated, The Giver, is a much better read than a movie. First of all, Jonas is noted to be different from everyone else in society.
The Giver Movie Analysis
The Giver Movie Analysis. The movie the "The Giver" was about everyone being the same. In this particular film there was multitude of characters, but in my opinion there was only one who truly made a difference and his Jonas. Jonas was a character that wise beyond his years. He portray a character that was courageous, kind, and most of all ...
The Mythical Abode of Hades: a Glimpse into the Underworld
Essay Example: In the intricate and vivid world of Greek mythology, few places captivate the imagination quite like the realm of Hades. The very mention of his name evokes images of darkness, eternal rest, and a shadowy world beyond the reach of the living. Hades, who shares his name with both

Movie Reviews

Sheila O'Malley

Now playing

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Jim Henson Idea Man

Matt Zoller Seitz

Peyton Robinson

Taking Venice

The Big Cigar

The Giver (2014)

Cinematography

The Unloved, Part 126: Zardoz

Cannes 2024: Ghost Trail, Block Pass

At the Movies, It’s Hard Out There for a Hit Man

Far, Far Away: How to Get People Going to Movies Again

Movie Reviews

Multiplexes Heat Up For Summer Blockbuster Season

Table of Contents

SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Introduction to The Giver

Summary of The Giver

Major Themes in The Giver

Major Characters in The Giver

Writing Style of The Giver

Analysis of the Literary Devices in The Giver

Related posts:

Review by Brian Eggert August 16, 2014

Related Titles

Recent Reviews

Recent Articles

Comparing The Differences: The Giver Book and Movie

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

Still can’t find what you need?

Related Essays on The Giver

Related Topics

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

The Giver: Introduction

Historical Context of The Giver

Extra Credit for The Giver

by Lois Lowry

The Giver Questions and Answers

Study Guide for The Giver

Essays for The Giver

Lesson Plan for The Giver

Wikipedia Entries for The Giver

Plot Summary

‘Spoiler Free’ Summary

The Giver Summary

The New Receiver of Memory

Leaving the Community

What is the main message of The Giver ?

Why is The Giver famous?

What happened at the end of The Giver ?

What is the moral of The Giver ?

Who dies in The Giver ?

Why was The Giver a banned book?

Join or Create Groups

About Emma Baldwin

Block Member?

The Giver Movie And Movie Essay

How Is Freak The Mighty Movie Different From The Book

Jasper Jones And The Dressmaker Comparison

Where The Red Fern: Comparison Of Book And Movie

Compare And Contrast Watson's Go To Birmingham

Compare And Contrast The Devil's Arithmetic Book And Movie

The Host Book Vs Movie Essay

Movie And Book Comparison Essay On Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

Similarities And Differences Between The Giver Movie And Movie

Compare And Contrast The Hunger Games Book Vs Movie

Lone Ranger And Smoke Signals: Differences

Jonas: Changing The Community In The Giver

The Lion And The Wardrobe Comparison Essay

Brief Summary From 'The Giver'

Adam's Mom Compare And Contrast

Chapter Summary: Jonas And Missed The Giver

More about The Giver Movie And Movie Essay

The Giver By Lois Lowry: Comparison Between Book And Movie