Chapter 16 ---> My favorite part!

Jonas starts to think back to his childhood. After the sad, frightening and painful memory of war he's sure that he did not want to go back to the Annex room. As well he didn't want the memories equal if they are full with happiness or pain. He starts to hate the honor and wisdom. But most he is sick and tired of the pain. But the choice was not his. He returns every day to the Annex room, but the Giver is gentle with Jonas at this time. Jonas experiences countless memories full with happiness. Also things he hadn't known before.

Jonas attends a birthday party. He starts to understand the joy of being an individual, special and unique and proud. He is able to see all the different colors.

In one memory Jonas goes riding a horse across a field.

He perceives the strong bonds between animal and human. He has already learned about the pain of loss and loneliness, but in another memory

he sits at night beside a campfire and understands the feeling of solitude and its joy.

He attends a family who is celebrating Christmas together. There is snow outside, a room full of people, there are colored lights and candles, the smell of cooking, there are many packages, there are sitting young and old people together smiling filled with happiness. The children sit on the lap of the old and they hug each other.
Jonas feels warmth, happiness and family. He learns something about the relation between children and grandparents.
After this memory Jonas apprehends that he will not have a time together with his parents in the future. When he and Lily will become a full adult, they will leave their parents. His father and mother will live with the other Childless adults and they won't be a part of Jonas' life anymore.
Furthermore, there is one feeling which describes the whole memory of Christmas which Jonas received. But he can't find the right word for such a strong feeling.

The Giver tells him that the word is called "Love". That's a word and concept new to Jonas. And at this moment Jonas desires that love would still exist in the community. But he knows that it's too dangerous.
Jonas is back at home. They are eating and he has a special question to his parents. "Do you love me?" His father says amused: "Jonas. You of all people. Precision of language, please!" Jonas' parents explains that he used a word, so meaningless, that it's become almost obsolete. Jonas is stunned. He doesn't understand how someone could call a strong feeling like love just meaningless. When his parents asked, whether he understood why it's inappropriate to use a word like 'love', he answers with "Yes, thank you,I do". This is the first lie to his parents.
Gabriel sleeps in Jonas' room for a while. He develops very well and the Nurturers are optimistic about his future. Every night, Jonas gives nice memories to Gabriel, although it's forbidden. And at this night Jonas tells him that "Things could change," "Things could be differnet and everybody would have the memories." At the end he says: "There could be love." in a low voice.
This is a first sign that Jonas wants to break free from the community.
Sources:

http://eot-clan.net/attachments/allgemein-weltweit/4471d1299885439-happy-birthday-sativia-happy-birthday.gif

http://www.tiere-kleinanzeigen.com/export/d153c98b29a3624bd88bbf66cdd44.jpg

http://mannesfoto.de/fotolabor/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/mensch_tier-01_1_20090110_1434333851.jpg

http://www.khg-erlangen.de/media/esg/bilder/veranstaltungen/Lagerfeuer.jpg

http://www.wissen.de/wde/generator/substanzen/bilder/sigmalink/f/fa/fam_/familie_freude_weihnachten_8843246,property=zoom.jpg

http://www.geschenke-bestellen24.de/geschenkideen/images/items/wondercandle-love-im.jpg

Summary of chapter 15

Jonas walks to the Annex room to pass his training. He finds the Giver in pain today, normally he would send Joans away, but he begs him to take some of the pain.

Jonas finds himself on a kind of field. There is much smoke and the air smells foul. Everywhere lay groaning men around him. The color of the blood is grotesquely bright. One man in a gray uniform begs Jonas for water. Jonas is hurt by himself but accomplishes to give this men water from his container. Then the men is silent,  his face and his eyes are blank. He’s dead. Jonas hears cannons and the cries of wounded men.

He opens his eyes and is again in the Annex room. The Giver is rally sorry . He can’t look at his face, because he can not bear to see what he does to him.

At this time Jonas learns what warfare mean.

Something on chapter 13

I want to quote some sections from chapter 13 and explain or comment on them. I think that particulary the beginning is very important for the whole story.

page 79/80:
"Days went by, and weeks. Jonas learned, through the memories, the names of colors; and now he began to see them all, in his ordinary life (though he knew it was ordinary no longer, and would never be again)."
--> This is an information which you can interpret in two ways. On the one hand it explains the changing in Jonas' life. He begins to see colors and gets to know that his life will never be the same again. On the other hand it is maybe a kind of sadness in this phrase. He starts to receive memories and there is no way back.

"The Giver told him that it would be a very long time before he had the colors to keep. "But I want them!"  Jonas said angrily. "It isn't fair that nothing has color!""
--> This phrase shows the first protest of Jonas. He has the power, now, to see colors. I think he really likes to see the world or the community in a brighter way. He enjoys the colorful things. But as well he thinks that it's unfair for all the other community members. Everything is black and grey for them and they will never discover the beauty or the reality.

""Not fair?" The Giver looked at Jonas curiously. "Explain what you mean." "Well ..." Jonas had to stop and think it through. "If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things! A blue tunic, or a red one?" ... "But it's all the same, always.""
--> This shows that Jonas gets stronger and more self-confident. He questions things and isn't conservative to say his own opinion any more. He says what he feels and calls the decisions of "their people" into question.

""I know it's not important, what you wear. It doesn't matter. But-" "It's the choosing that's important, isn't it?" The Giver asked him. Jonas nodded. "My little brother-" he began, and then corrected himself. "No, that's inaccurate. He's not my brother, not really. But this newchild that my family takes care of - his name's Gabriel?" "Yes, I know about Gabriel.""
--> This phrase shows how connected Jonas and the Giver are. Jonas has no secrets towards him. Normally a newchild doesn't have a name befor it's sharing a family unit. Jonas father could get a punishment for that but Jonas didn't hesitate to tell this. Jonas feels responsible for Gabriel and wants that he could choose. Instead of the Sameness.

""He might make wrong choices." "Oh." Jonas was silent for a minute. "Oh, I see what you mean. It wouldn't matter for a newchild's toy. But later it does matter, doesn't it? We don't dare to let people make choices of their own." "Not safe?" The Giver suggested. "Definitely not safe," Jonas said with certanty. "What if they were allowed to choose their own mate? And chose wrong? Or what if," he went on, almost laughing at the absurdity, "they chose their own  jobs?""
--> At this point Jonas suddenly noticed the danger in the choices. There is a change in his behaviour. (Maybe not the best changing. Now he's again for the Sameness.) But this phrase shows too, how accustomed he is to the rules of the community. It's "absurd" to think that people could make their own chices. Jonas isn't able to imagine a life with decisions. The community made a good work...

Rhetorical/Stylistic Devices (chapter 12)

This shouldn't be a long task or something but I want to pay special attention on the stylistic devices which I noticed at the beginning of chapter 12.

Some examples:
page 73; line 1: "... slept soundly, ..." "... morning meal."
              line 13: "Again and again, as ..."
---> ALLITERATIONS

page 73; lines 3-4: "... not ready to lie, not willing to tell the truth."
---> OXYMORON (connection between two contradictory terms)

page 73; lines 19-20: "That it was welcoming. That it was significant."
---> ANAPHORA

page 73; lines 14-15: "... it seemed as if there were a destination: 
                                      a something - he could not grasp what -
                                      that lay beyond the place..."
---> INTERCALATION  (in german: Einschiebung)

page 73; lines 24-26: "The classes were the same: language and
                                  communications; commerce and industry;
                                  science and technology; civil procedures and
                                  government."
---> ENUMERATION  (in german: Aufzählung)

page 74; lines 2-5: "How could you describe a sled without
                              describing a hill and snow; and
                              how could you describe a hill and
                              snow to someone who had never felt
                              height or wind or that feathery,
                              magical cold?"
---> RHETORICAL QUESTION
---> ANAPHORA
---> REPETITION
page 74; lines 7-8: "... what words could you use which would give
                                  another the experience of sunshine?"
---> RHETORICAL QUESTION
---> the reader is directly accosted
                              

Just to give an idea how "The Giver" could live.

 

(I can't give all the sources (from all over google), but I do not own any of those pictures.)

I tried to create the living area which is partial descripted in the book.

Here in more detail:

- comfortably furnished living area

- a bed for sleeping

- a table for eating

- a desk for studying

- spacious room

- fabrics on the upholstered chairs and sofa are slightly thicker and more luxurious

- table legs are slender and curved with a small carved decoration at the foot

- bed in an alcove at the far end of the room, draped with a splendid cloth embroidered

  over its entire surface with intricate designs

- room's walls are completely covered by bookcases

(page 62; ll.:10-30)

Throughout the community is the furniture standard. That means: practical, sturdy, the function of each piece clearly defined.

But the reader finds out that there is a difference between the family unit's dwellings and the house of the Giver. I would say that this underlines the honored Assignment as "Receiver of Memory" and is another point which shows that the Receiver is a special and important person in the community.

Acrostic (Chapter 11)

T houghtful but filled with
H onor, not power.
E xhausting experiences.

N ew things to learn
E very single day
W ith happiness and pain.

R ecognizing that there is more.
E xciting things but
C ONTROLE everywhere to
E veryone.
I t started with snow and a sled
V ery fast.
E ndless
R ecovering.

O nce he felt the
F rigid and received this

M emory.
E verytime he will be
M ore and more
O mniscient.
R eceiving some things and losing his
Y outh.

As I said, some pictures.

http://api.ning.com/files/Inrif6ntWVAKRxFcDwY-x9Oh2*zdPlZi5ogSbJA2MuL1iv6CYpF49*sD2kFcjwYwkQ*xpds3urGRjpOYLUj66tCFLcS53q-x/einsamkeit.jpg

Feeling alone, being thoughtful, don't know what to do or what will happen. Maybe feeling different and separated. 

(I think that the picture with the following link fits better, but I couldn't upload it. Sorry.)

http://view.stern.de/de/picture/1567698/Junge-Zaun-allein-Alleine-Gitterst%E4be-Allein-sein-510x510.jpg

 http://www.stockfood.de/Pix/SEKT/W20/932424_T.JPG

Being happy and proud. Celebrating the new and honored Assignment of the son. 

 http://games-news.xchar.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/fragezeichen300.jpg

Being confused and astonished. Many questions - no answers. Being strong enough to keep the pain?

  http://img.fotocommunity.com/images/Himmel/Wolken/schonmal-im-regen-stehen-ueben-a22732596.jpg

Black and grey but the colour red. Feeling the aloneness right know but there is hope at the horizon. Being confident despite the situation and events. Expecting a new time. Everything will be changed.  

 

Chapter 9 - full of feelings

This chapter takes place briefly after Jonas' selection to be the new "Receiver of Memory". He gets his folder with introductions and rules and goes out of the Auditorium. He feels separate and different. He remembers what the Chief Elder said about his training. (His training would be alone and apart.) And Jonas already feels the apartness, now. I would say that Jonas feels bad when he notices that the other citizens speak about him in a whisper. Worse they look at him. Jonas searches Asher, because he was ever a friendly and familiar part of his life. Jonas wants to ride back with him but he feels that there is a moment of hesitation in Asher's reaction. That makes him unconfident. Lily in contrast is solemn. At home, the evening meal is much quieter than before. His parents are proud of him because he's greatly honored and has a position of importance. Then they talk a little bit about the failed selection of a female before Jonas was selected. That makes Jonas very nervous and he doesn't really understand what could or must have happened there. Later he's alone in his room. He read the rules and feels stunned. There are many questions in his head. I would say that his feelings are very strong but mixed. He's frightened and surely sad. He's afraid but already looks forward to his training and work. There are many unexplained things and I think he hasn't really realized what happened to him at this day.
(Maybe I will post a few pictures, if I find some which fit into this situation.)

News report

Heart-stopping event at the Ceremonies of Twelves!

Yesterday, at the Auditorium: The Ceremony started as always. The new twelve years old children are ready to get their Assignments thereby to become an adult. The Chief Elder arranged the different Assignments but skipped the number nineteen. The citizens thought that it was a mistake, but at the end the boy "Jonas" with the number nineteen had to go to the stage. He will be the new "Receiver of Memory". The committee was agreed that Jonas is the right person for this important job which is the most honored in the community. The reason why the community gets a new Receiver is that the current Receiver had this job for a very long time. He will teach Jonas in his special task. The Chief Elder said that Jonas had shown all of the qualities that a Receiver must have. Including "Intelligence", "Integrity", "Courage", "Wisdom" and the "Capacity to See Beyond". Jonas was surprised but said at the end that he thought it's true. He didn't understand it yet and he didn't know what it was, but sometimes he saw something. And maybe it was beyond. This are the words of the new "Receiver of Memory".

(This is a try to create a newspaper article to chapter eight. I hope it's okay.)

Diary entry for chapter six

Dear Diary,
today the Ceremonies for this year started. It was hectically at home this morning. I think Lily was very irritable and nervous and so we talked about the different ages. She said that I should get the Assignment as Pilot so that I could fly with her. I really liked it, because I felt like a role model for her. A person to whom she can look above. But Mum didn't find it so funny. Unfortunately.

We went with our bicycles to the Auditorium, Lily at her seat on the back of Mum's.
The newchildren were named and given to their new family units. Fiona got a little brother named Bruno. She said that he was cute but that she didn't like his name. I like Fiona. She's a good student, quiet and polite. And I have a lot fun with her when we are together like in the House of the Old. But at the Naming Ceremony was one exception. Gabriel was missing. He didn't develop in the adequate way but isn't released. He isn't Elsewhere but in the Nurturing Center again. He will have another year to develop and will join my family unit for a time as a little temporary guest. You can't believe how happy Lily was about this introduction. She's dote on him. (in German: vernarrt in jemanden sein)
Later Lily-billy became an Eight. She was really proud when she got her identifying jacket. But I have seen her looking at the row of new bicycles. I think she would be ready now but has to wait one year.
I don't know. Maybe I will show her how to ride a bike and get a little chastisement.


Tomorrow will be my Ceremony of Twelve. I have no idea what my Assignment will be, but I'm sure that the Committee of Elders will find the right one for everyone. I'm a little bit excited and I hope that Asher will be my friend as well as after our Ceremony. And I want to see Fiona, too.
But that's it for now.
I will write soon.
Jonas

Timeline

In "The Giver" you can find out in which age what will happen. I tried to create a timeline with the ages and the events. (only from chapter one to chapter five, because I didn't read more until now) Hope I didn't forget something. :)

The changing of the apple.

http://www.sagen.at/fotos/data/560/SW-Apfel-1.jpg       
http://www.pascoe-global.com/sites/bt/content/e434/e642/e559/e609/apfel_ger.jpg

How would you feel? What would you think?
From one second to the other you can see the same apple, only changed.
How would you describe the feeling?

Content of chapter 3 and some own thoughts

Jonas' father takes a newchild named Gabriel home. Lily is enthused about Gabriel and notices his "funny" eyes. They are similar with Jonas' eyes. He doesn't like that Lily mentions his eyes because they are different to nearly the whole community. The eyes are normally black, but Jonas' are pale. (So like Gabriel's) It isn't against a rule to pay attention to things which are different about individuals but it's rude. And Lily has to learn it soon otherwise she will get a chastisement.

Later when Jonas thinks about his certain look by his light eyes he feels self-confident. He decides that his eyes have a depth.

In the second part of this chapter Lily says that she wants to be assigned to be a Birthmother, because of her interest and love for the newchildren. But when her mother specifies this Assignment and appeals to Lily's conscience she decides that she won't be a Birthmother later. (A Birthmother has three births, consequently three years of laziness/fun, and never gets to see newchildren. After she will be a Laborer for the rest of her life until she will enter the House of the Old.) Lily's father has the opinion that she should hope for an Assignment as Nurturer.

In the third part of this chapter Jonas remembers an event which happened one month ago. He played with Asher in the recreation area. Jonas picked up an apple and threw it to Asher. He threw it back and like this it goes on and on. But one time Jonas noticed that the apple changed in mid-air. It was only for a short moment. When he held it into his hand again, it was the same fruit. Unchanged. This happened four times but Asher didn't notice it. Jonas was interested in this curious change and took the apple home. But it didn't happen again. Later there was an announcement over a speaker. Without saying Jonas' name everyone knew to whom this announcement was.
"This is a reminder to male elevens that objects are not to be removed from the recreation area and that snacks are to be eaten, not hoarded."

 My idea: - maybe Jonas noticed the change of the apple because of his different eyes
               - creation of suspense

My own expressions to some quotations:
page 23, (ll. 11-13) --> "No one mentioned such things; it was not a rule, but was considered rude to call attention to things that were unsettling or different about individuals."

It is alarmingly how all people have to be the same, or nearly the same. I would say that everybody is an individual but in Jonas' world it isn't accepted. You could say that all have different status objects and different Assignments but as well these things are chosen by someone else. The people in this community haven't the right to decide something by themselves. Furthermore this sentence makes clear that they will be punished if they don't follow the rules.

page 24, (ll. 8-11) --> "I think newchildren are so cute," Lily sighed. "I hope I get assigned to be a Birthmother." "Lily!" Mother spoke very sharply. "Don't say that. There's very little honor in that Assignment."

I think that this extract is different to all the other things before. Every time the parents had said that the Elders will find the right Assignment for everyone, but right here you can see that Lily's mother has some own ideas how the future will look like and as what Lily should work. She prefers some Assignments more than others. (Maybe it's because of her prominent position at the Department of Justice that she wants success for her children.)

Picture of Lois Lowry

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/authphoto_110/18179_lowry_lois.gif

Some biographical notes about Lois Lowry

Hey all of you! I want to give you some information about Lois Lowry (author). I think this could help to understand the background of the story "The Giver". Furthermore I think if you read a book it might be important to know something about the author so that you can imagine similarities or differences. You can find some connections.

She was born in 1937 in Honolulu as a daughter of a military dentist. She spent parts of her youth abroad / far away from her home country. Especially in Japan. One of her wishes as child was to become a writer. Lowry married young and had four children. Soon she started writing children's books. She is awarded with several prizes in 1989 and '94. Her most successful book is "The Giver". In this story she reproduced experiences which she made as a child in a kind of ghetto in Japan. "She recalls feeling herself like a stranger as well as perceiving other people as unfamiliar, strange or even outcast." Bikes, colours, smells and uniforms play a role in "The Giver" with which we are confronted in the text. (connection to her childhood) She still has familial relations to Germany (for example a daughter-in-law) and she usually lives in Massachusetts.

(source: the book "The Giver" written by Lois Lowry / pages six and seven "About the Author")

Only for some more information.

Hey :)
I found a video on youtube.
It is an interview with the author Lois Lowry who tells something about "The Giver".
Maybe you are interested in watching it. It is without subtitles but I think you will understand it.
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYGGs2lxtjY

Summary --> Chapter One

In this chapter you get to know the protagonist "Jonas" and find out in what world he lives with his family.
In the beginning Jonas THINKS that he is frightened because what he feels there reminds him of an event a year earlier. Later another word comes to his mind which describes his feeling better. Jonas feels apprehensive, because it's almost December and there will be "The Ceremony of Twelve" which every adult has been through. Jonas lives in a community in a no name area which is really anonymous. There are strict rules and any violations will be punished. The worst form of punishment is being released from the community. There exist only family units that means every family consists of two children - one male, one female - a father and a mother. In Jonas' case: his father is a Nurturer (to nurture new children), his mother holds a prominent position at the Department of Justice and his little sister Lily is a Seven (seven years old group). But this is only one of the rules. Another rule is more an evening ritual. The whole family unit sits together after their evening meal and every member has to tell his or her feelings during the day. This should help them to feel better. (They could comfort each other or explain the younger children how they should avoid with situations etc.) In the end of the chapter Jonas' parents want to speak with him privately about what will happen in this special Ceremony.

Already here you can see that the story "The Giver" is an utopian story. In the first chapter are many examples for an utopian behaviour, world etc.

Homework.

As a homework I will create a summary of the first chapter until Friday.
I think this will give you a first idea about the content and the story.

Pre-Reading Activity

Question: What could be expected from the book cover?
First I want to give you a little description of the cover. You can see two persons who hold their hands and arms straightforward. One of them is a little boy and the other one is older. I would say that he has the age of a grandfather. The used colours are a little bit dark (like brown/beige). The whole cover isn't very colourful and I would expect that the story isn't so happy. Maybe there are some very sad periods.
The persons neither have identifiable eyes and mouths nor a nose. For me they look like marionettes with no own thoughts/ideas or feelings. It seems like that they have no control about themselves and that there is someone or something who is able to give them some/all instructions. There are no feelings shown and it looks a little bit dead. It appears as if they live in a controlled world but haven't the impact in the incidents. 

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog which I create for a school project in English.
Hope you enjoy visiting my blog.