CHAPTERS 9 AND 10

Comprehension Check

Chapter 9

1. Tell how the Assignment of Receiver differs from other Assignments.

The Assignment of Receiver differs from other Assignments in that the training is done alone and apart. There is only one Receiver at a time.

2. Describe how Jonas’s friends treat him differently after the Assignments are announced. Why do you think they do this?

Jonas’s friends are uncertain how to treat him. The relationship he had with his friends becomes awkward where in the text it states that Asher was hesitant and uncertain when Jonas asked him to ride back with him from the Auditorium.

They may have done this because they see the Receiver-in-Training as a very prestigious position that requires respect..

3. How does Lily plan to apply her knowledge of newchildren through her volunteer hours?

Lily plans to apply her knowledge of feeding Gabriel to the newchildren at the Nuturing Center.

4. Explain what happened to the previous Receiver-in-Training.

No one is sure what happened to the previous Receiver-in-Training. It is known that the previous Receiver-in-Training was a female and that her name is designated Not-to-Be spoken (the highest degree of disgrace) or used again for a newchild; she was never seen again.

5. What honors in our society are similar to the honor Jonas receives. (Answers will vary with students.)

6. Assess the instructions Jonas receives for this Assignment. How would you react if you received these instructions? (Answers will vary with students.)

The instructions that Jonas received are much shorter than the other Assignments. His instructions do not really explain what the Assignment entails.

7. Describe how Jonas will spend his time as Receiver-in-Training.

At the end of each school day, Jonas will go to his training and then go home. He will no longer have any free time for recreation. He is not allowed to discuss his training with any other member of the community – including parents and Elders.

8. Recommend how Jonas should handle the prohibition on dream-telling. (Answers will vary with students.)

Since Jonas rarely dreams, he should tell his parents that he hadn’t dreamed that night or he doesn’t remember them.

9. Predict reasons that a citizen would apply for release. (Answers will vary with students.)

Unhappy with the duties of his/her Assignment; the citizen may no longer want to be a part of the community, etc.

10. Discuss how being told he may lie alters his perception of adults.

The text states that Jonas had a thought that he had never had before – “What if others – adults – had upon becoming Twelves, received in their instructions the same terrifying sentence?” If so, other adults may be able to lie, and he may not always have been told the truth.

Chapter 10

1. Tell how the Attendant shows respect for Jonas.

The Attendant stands to acknowledge Jonas’s presence.

2. Contrast the Receiver’s living space with the other citizens’ dwellings.

The Receiver’s dwelling has a lock, more luxurious furniture, and many more books. Other citizens in the community do not have locks on their dwellings, only functional furniture and the same three books. The Receiver can also turn off the speaker in his dwelling, but other citizens cannot.

3. What does Jonas realize when he sees the books at the Receiver’s office?

Jonas realizes that there could be rules beyond those that govern the community.

4. How are Jonas and the Receiver physically similar?

They both have pale (blue) eyes.

5. Relate how Jonas the Receiver are to work together.

Jonas may ask questions of the Receiver, and neither of them may discuss the training with anyone else. The Receiver’s job is to transmit to Jonas all the memories of the past.

6. What memories does the Receiver possess?

He has memories of the whole world which go back many generations.

7. Examine how Jonas’s discussion with the Receiver changes his perceptions of the world.

Jonas realizes that the world consists of more people than those in the community and started before the community.

8. Explain the metaphor of the snow that The Giver uses to describe how the memories impact him.

The memories are like going downhill through deep snow on a sled; exhilarating at first, but as the snow (memories) build up, it gets more difficult to keep going.

9. How does the Receiver transmit a memory to Jonas?

He tells Jonas to remove his tunic and lie face down on the bed. The Receiver then places his hands on Jonas’s back.