After finishing "The Giver" last week, I immediately wanted to march into my middle school and tell them what a mistake they made not having us read it!
Disclaimer: I have not seen the movie, so going into this book, I really had no idea what to expect.
A quick preview:
Jonas lives in a society that strives for its people to live a life of no fear, pain, or worry. At a special ceremony, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the future Receiver, one of the most revered jobs in his community. But as he spends more time with The Giver, Jonas learns things that change him forever.
I'm a sucker for a good plot, so I can pretty much read any book and enjoy it. However, this book contained a philosophical component that I couldn't get over. Maybe the philosophy class I'm currently in inspired me, but while reading I kept thinking about Aristotle and his belief in accepting an intelligent superhuman to save society from our flaws (I swear Lowry must have known about those beliefs Aristotle held).
While there are many dystopian novels out there, this one takes a unique perspective on the concept. Instead of the main character trying to "save" his/her society, Lowry's character learns about the community he lives in and how it became like that. He only takes action at the very end, but his decisions don't exactly affect everyone else.
I've only ever heard great things about this novel, and I'm so glad I read it! Even though middle school children are reading this throughout the country, I believe adults can actually get more out of "The Giver" and understand the philosophical aspects beyond the plot.
Gina
P.S. I'm already 100 pages through "The Book Thief" and have really enjoyed the unique writing style; I can't wait to get further into Liesel's adventures! (Again, haven't seen this movie either)
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