The Giver

 

The Giver

By Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry’s 1993 novel was one of the most challenged books of the 1990s, despite it winning the Newbery Medal in 1994. The story of a dystopian society in which (almost) all emotional depth has been eradicated, this classic children’s book is essentially an introduction to what it means to be human. 

Including complex themes like freedom, individuality and rituals, you probably remember The Giver as the first book that made you really think about how our society works—and if you’re lucky, it was a gateway to other dystopian authors, such as George Orwell and Ray Bradbury.

About:

The Giver is a 1993 American novel about miserable youth written by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society that at first glance appears to be a utopia but is revealed to be dystopian as the story progresses. The novel follows a 12-year-old boy named Jonas. Society has removed pain and conflict by turning to "Sameness," a plan that also wiped out the emotional depth from their lives. Jonas has been chosen to inherit the position of memory receiver, the one who stores all past memories of time before Sameness, as there may be times when one must rely on wisdom gained from history to help the community make a decision. Jonas struggles with notions of all the new feelings and things that have been presented to him: whether they are good, evil, or in between, and whether it is even possible to have one without the other. Society lacks any color, memory, climate, or topography, all in an effort to maintain structure, order, and a true sense of equality beyond personal individuality.

The Giver won the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide as of 2018. In Australia, Canada, and the United States, it's on many middle school reading lists, but it's also frequently challenged and ranked 11th on the Library Association's list. America's most challenging book of the 1990s. A 2012 survey conducted in the United States ranked it the fourth best children's novel of all time.

In 2014, a movie adaptation starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep and Brenton Thwaites was released. The novel forms a loose quadrangle with three other books set in the same futuristic era, known as The Giver Quartet: Gathering Blue (2000), Messenger (2004), and Son (2012).

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