The Giver

The Giver

By Lois Lowery

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Memories• In your Reader’s Notebook create

the following chart:Memories Emotion


Memories• Brainstorm distinctive memories from growing up.

– Create a list of happy, sad, exciting, etc. times from your childhood

– Write as many as you can think of!

• Share memories with a partner

• Pick a memory or two you want to share with the class


Categorize your Memories!• Now go back and reread the list.• Next to each memory, categorize

the description based on the remembered emotion. – For example, a child's first trip to

Disney World would be labeled as "exciting."

– A child's memory of a grandparent dying might be labeled as "traumatic" or "very sad."


Reflection• Would you choose to forget any of

these memories?– Maybe in order to forgo the painful

remembrance of an event


Chapter One

Reflection Questions:1) What is the community like?2) How would you feel if your family

had a feelings ritual like the one in which Jonas’ family participates?

3) What do you think happens when someone is released?


Chapter TwoReflection Questions:1) There are two times that rules are

broken in this chapter. Explain each time and whether you think it was ok to break the rules.

2) What kind of job do you think Jonas will get? Why do you think this?

3) What is the role of The Receiver?4) Why does the narrator refer to the

elephant as an “imaginary creature” on page 18?


Chapter Three1) What do you think of the way

differences are treated in the community? How do they feel about mirrors?

2) How do the people in the community feel about birth mothers? How does our society differ?

3) Why does Jonas keep the apple to investigate? What do you think happened with the apple?


Chapter Four1) In what areas of life do the people

have free choice and what areas are regulated?

2) Do you think the rule about bragging is a good rule? Why or why not?

3) What advantages and disadvantages does Jonas see in the way he decided to complete his volunteer hours?

4) What do you think about being released now?


Chapter 61) What do you think of the pledge

the family has to sign about Gabriel?

2) Why according to the narrator, would it have been especially sad if they needed to release Gabe? What do you think about this?

3) What do you think about the concept of replacement child?

4) What is strange about the Ceremony of Loss?


Chapter 7 • Do the Assignments given seem

appropriate to you? Why or Why not?

• Why do you think the Chief Elder skipped Jonas? List as many possibilities that you can think of.


Chapter 8• How is it possible that Jonas has

never noticed The Receiver before?• What makes choosing a Receiver

exceptionally difficult?• What do you think a Receiver of

Memory might do? Is there a job in today’s culture that would compare?


Chapter Nine1) Jonas thinks “Things couldn’t

change with Asher”. Do you think he’s right?

2) What do you think happened to the female Receiver?

3) What rule do you think is the worst for Jonas?

4) Do you think other members of the community lie? Why or why not?


Chapter Ten

1) How did the Receiver treat Jonas?2) Why are the memories the

Receiver holds important?3) What things does Jonas learn that

surprise/puzzle him?


Chapter Eleven1) Why do you think the Receiver

does not respond to Jonas’ comment about understanding the pain of being the new Receiver?

2) In what ways do we preserve memories in our society?

3) The old man refers to himself as the Receiver and as the Giver. Why does he refer to himself as both?


Chapter Twelve1) How does the way Jonas answers

his mother about his sleep and dreams reveal a change in him?

2) What do you think Jonas’ dream meant?

3) What did you think the change that Jonas sees in Fiona’s hair, and saw in the audience faces, and with the apple were?


Chapter Thirteen1) What does it mean that Jonas’ life

is no longer ordinary?2) Why do you think Jonas tries to

share colors with Asher even though he thinks The Giver would have refused permission?

3) Why do you think no one else can receive the memories Jonas wants them to receive?


Chapter Fourteen1) Do you think it is better to share

sorrows or for each person to bear his or her pain themselves?

2) How do you feel when you read about Larissa’s release?

3) How did Jonas feel about giving Gabriel a memory?

4) Why do you think he could give a memory to Gabriel and no one else?

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Chapter Fifteen1) How is Jonas now a Giver?2) Does this chapter change your view on

whether or not its better to share memories or bear them alone?

3) Do you think the Giver needs to ask Jonas’ forgiveness? If you were Jonas what would you have said in response to the Giver’s request for forgiveness? Why?

4) How do you think Jonas will feel about the Giver and his Assignment now?

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Chapter Sixteen1) Why does Jonas go back to the

Giver?2) Why is the memory of the birthday

party so special to Jonas?3) Why did Jonas lie on page 127?4) Why do you think Jonas confides in

Gabe?5) What do you think of Jonas’

decision to stop taking the pills?


Turn and Talk

With a partner – list ways Jonas has changed since he was an Eleven.


Chapter Seventeen1) How is the game of war a turning

point in Jonas’ experience?2) Why does Jonas refuse Fiona’s

invitation?3) Everyone seems to accept the idea

of releasing a twin simply because it’s a twin. What do you think of this?

4) What do you think of being released now?


Chapter Eighteen1) What do you think led Jonas to the

topic of release?2) Why do you think Jonas continues to

apologize even after a full year of training?

3) How is the way the Giver feels about Jonas different from his parents?

4) How does Jonas react to The Giver telling him about the first painful memory he gave Rosemary?


Chapter 19

1) What do you think of Jonas’ explanation of why the twin is being released?2) Why do you think the Giver suggested that Jonas watch (on page 147)?3) What do you think Jonas will do now?


Chapter Twenty1) How do you feel about Fiona now?2) Now what do you think pale eyes

signify?3) How do you feel now that the Giver

can no longer see colors?4) Why can Jonas lie easily now?5) Why does the day of Ceremony

seem like the best time for Jonas to leave the community?


Chapter Twenty-One1) Do you think the Giver knows that

Jonas said goodbye? Why do you think this?

2) How did you feel about the plan to release Gabe?

3) How do you feel about Father now?4) What do you think happened in the

community the day that Jonas left? What do you think the Giver did?

5) Why do you think planes stopped?


Chapter Twenty-Two

1) If Jonas and Gabe starve to death do you think their journey will still be worth it? Explain your answer.

2) Why is Jonas crying for Gabe but not himself?

3) What do you think will happen next?


Chapter Twenty-Three

1) How are Jonas’ memories changing as he approaches the top of the hill?

2) What do you think awaited Jonas and Gabe at the end of the sled ride?

3) Do you think Jonas really heard music or do you think he heard an echo? Why?

The Giver

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