89 pages • 2 hours read
The Giver
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of emotional abuse and mental illness.
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. What were your initial expectations when you learned that The Giver takes place in a seemingly perfect community? How did those expectations shift as the darker aspects of the society were revealed? Have you read other dystopian works that employ this technique, such as Lois Lowry’s Gathering Blue?
2. How did you react to the gradual way information about “release” was revealed throughout the novel? What effect did this narrative choice have on your reading experience?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Jonas’s community sacrificed emotional depth and individual choice in exchange for security and comfort. What aspects of your own life would you be willing or unwilling to give up for guaranteed safety and stability?
2. The concept of “precise language” is emphasized throughout the novel. How do you think the way we use language shapes our understanding of reality and our emotional experiences?
3. When Jonas stops taking his pills, he begins experiencing deeper emotions and seeing colors. Reflect on a time when you experienced something that fundamentally changed how you perceived the world around you. What changed from that point forward, and why?
4. Like Jonas with Gabriel, have you ever felt compelled to protect someone vulnerable, even at great personal risk? What motivated your choice?
5. Jonas struggles with isolation as he gains awareness that sets him apart from his community. Have you ever felt isolated because you understood or perceived something differently than people around you?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book's relevance to broader societal issues, cultural trends, and ethical dilemmas.
1. How does the novel’s treatment of memory and collective history reflect real-world debates about how societies should deal with painful historical events?
2. The community uses ceremonies and rituals to maintain order and control. What similar ceremonies or rituals exist in our society, and what purposes do they serve?
3. How does the novel’s exploration of “Sameness” relate to contemporary discussions about diversity, conformity, and social harmony?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book's structure, characters, themes, and use of narrative techniques.
1. How does the symbolism of color, particularly red, develop throughout the novel? What does this symbolism suggest about awakening consciousness?
2. Examine the role of the river as both a physical and metaphorical boundary. What does it represent about limits and possibilities?
3. How does the author use Jonas’s growing ability to “see beyond” as both a literal and metaphorical device?
4. Consider the significance of memories being transferred through touch. How does this physical connection relate to the themes of isolation and human connection?
5. Analyze the character of the Giver. How does his combination of wisdom and powerlessness contribute to the novel’s larger themes?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative interaction with the text.
1. Imagine you could add one memory to the ones that Jonas receives during his training. What memory would you choose, and how might it influence his development?
2. If you were to design a society that balanced safety and freedom better than Jonas’s community, what elements would you include or exclude, and why?
3. Create a conversation between Jonas and the Giver 10 years after the events of the novel. What would they say to each other about the changes that occurred in the community?
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