The Giver By: max, Andrew and nicki

SETTING

S In the story, The Giver, the setting takes place in many different places. It occurs in a future where the cities are divided into separate communities where laws and procedures differ a little. Since it takes place in the future, a new characteristic of the community called “Sameness” creates everything individually the same, no difference between things like we have now. In Jonas’s community, the majority of the novel takes place in Jonas’s home and various other places. The House Of The Old, which is an elderly community center, is where Jonas volunteered some of his time to help out. There is an auditorium which the baby’s receive names, children have their birthday, and some receive their job. Once Jonas received his job as The Receiver, he starts going to the House of the Old to begin training. The room is a comfortably furnished living area. It is a spacious room, with upholstered furniture, nicer than Jonas is used to. There is a bed in the corner at the far end of the room. It has cloth embroidered with complex designs over it’s surface. It’s called the Annex, and it is where The Giver stays. Jonas goes out on his own to the next community, passing forests, fields, and eventually a cold, winter-like area with no civilization. This is what we think the Community of Sameness looks like because everything is uncolored. Nothing is individual.

CHARACTERS

C JONAS Jonas is the main, dynamic character in the book, The Giver , He starts the book 11 years old, but turns 12 when the majority of the story occurs. He is intelligent, kind, and caring, yet can joke around when he feels like it. Jonas has lighter eyes than everyone else, which is unlikely for everyone in the community except for the infant his father had taken in, named Gabriel. Jonas becomes the new receiver of memories, and he is taken under the old receiver’s wing. Jonas receives enough memories to be able to see Beyond. He can see color, and has memories of the old world. Things that don’t exist anymore, like war, family, love. All of those he gets transferred to him. He goes through about a year of training, until he decides that he needs to run away from the community. There is not much special about his physical appearance other than his eyes. He is the main protagonist of the novel. This is what we think Jonas looks like. He has light eyes, and a young, innocent looking face. He appears to be about 12 years old.

C ASHER Asher is a minor character in the story, playing the role of Jonas’s best friend. He is clumsy and not the most mature or responsible person in the community. He talks fast and scrambles his words around, not able to clearly express what he’s trying to say a lot. Asher is easily distracted, again showing how he’s not very responsible. He is a static character, not changing very much. He could be considered a minor character protagonist. Asher is the Director of Recreation, and decides what type of games people play. This is what we think Asher looks like. He has a humorous attitude towards everything, and looks like a typical 12 year old in that community.

C JONAS’ FATHER Jonas’s father has a calmer disposition than many other characters. He seems somewhat wise and kind, making him appear older. He has dark eyes like everyone else in the community, and seems to be the average man. He is a minor character, not in the story very often. He is a static character. He is a calm, kind-hearted Nurturer who works with babies. He enjoys his job and takes it very seriously. Even if he has a strong connection with a child, he will do what is best for it. He isn’t a protagonist or antagonist, but tries to help Jonas and his sister whenever he can. This is what we think Jonas’ father looks like. He looks around 35, and seems to be private and modest, not showing many emotions in his expression.

C GABRIEL Gabriel is a new infant that Jonas’s father has brought in from the Nurturing Center. Him and Jonas become very close, and could be considered a minor character. He is static and a protagonist. He usually has trouble sleeping unless Jonas helps put him down. He does this by transferring him small portions of happy memories. He hasn’t received a family yet because Jonas’s father believes he needs more help. He has lighter eyes, just like Jonas’s. He has blonde, golden curly hair. Jonas takes him to ride off to the next community after finding out he was bound to be released. This is what we think Gabriel looks like. He has blonde, curly hair. He has light eyes, and is always happy, giggling and smiling. He is about this age.

C THE GIVER Old looking, wise, and an honored all knowing character. He has a longer white beard, and a face with wrinkles beyond his years. He teaches Jonas all about the world, including past, present, and future. He has lots of knowledge, therefore making him feel as if he has too much on his shoulders, like weights. He is able to turn off the loud speaker that runs throughout the community, as well as lock his door. This shows he isn’t the average citizen, and is able to do things that others cannot. Since Jonas is the new Receiver, the old man has become known as The Giver. The Giver is a main character, and he plays a very important role in the story. He shares his experience about the failure with the other Receiver, who ended up being his daughter. He was very upset about her death. This is what we think the Giver looks like. He has a very old, wise face. He can see Beyond, and his eyes and expression shows it.

PLOT

P RISING ACTION Rising Action: A series of events in a plot of a story that builds up to the climax. Jonas is 11, waiting to turn 12 in order to receive his job as an adult. He goes to the job ceremony, and waits until they call his birth number. They skip Jonas until the end of the ceremony, where they tell him his career. He will be the New Receiver Of Memories. This looks like the Auditorium where Jonas receives his job placement.

P CLIMAX Climax: The turning point of the story where the plot starts to descend into falling action. When Jonas starts to understand that the word “release” means to kill someone. He becomes very angry and aggravated with the ideas of the community and wants something to change. He eventually gets so upset that he becomes determined to make a difference. He comes up with a plan to show the community what he knows it really is. This is the syringe that they use to Release citizens.

P Falling Action Falling Action: The series of events in the plot of a story after the climax occurs. After Jonas realizes that Father is going to “release” Gabriel, he runs away with him on a bicycle. They fake his death in order to allow Jonas to escape the community. He runs from search planes, and keeps pushing through the hunger and pain. He wants to show everyone color, destroying Sameness and showing everyone how the real world is. The bike represents what Jonas uses to escape the community.

C MAJOR CONFLICTS Man v. Nature- Jonas runs off with Gabe in order to escape the community. While he is riding along, he starts to fight against the weather and hunger. The freezing temperatures kick in, making Jonas and Gabe suffer in the cold as well as struggling with the extreme emptiness in their stomachs. Man v. Self- Jonas, although hunger struck and exhausted, uses courage and strength to persevere. Through his pain, he pushes to bring himself and Gabriel to keep going. Jonas uses his happier memories to help warm Gabe and himself, even though he knows if he uses them, they will be gone. This takes bravery and boldness. Man v. Society- When Jonas gets shown the video of a real “release”, he finally understands why all of the people being released never returned. His dad, being the man he looks up to for caring for others, ends up being the one that kills the infants during release. Jonas struggles with knowing this idea, and eventually leaves the community in order to get away from his society’s rules.

R T Theme and Resolution The resolution in the book, The Giver, is shown when Jonas realizes his father is going to release Gabe, he takes action and leaves the community, to resolve Sameness. You can find this in the book when Jonas mentions color being important. Color represents how Sameness doesn’t allow creativity. The theme in the book, The Giver, is that individuality is important for everyone. This is shown through Jonas’s points of view, when Jonas asks the Giver why Gabriel isn’t able to choose which colors he could see. He asks if they could hold up a bright red object, and show Gabriel it, hopefully allowing him to see it, instead of Sameness. It is also shown when Jonas says, “Why can’t everyone see them? Why did colors disappear?” (P. 95). The rainbow represents the Sameness Jonas wants to abolish. Once Sameness disappears, colors will appear.

CITES http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2012/03/the-giver-movie-jeff-bridges-may-star-in-lois-lowry- adaptation.html (first picture on first slide.) http://www.colourbox.com/preview/2117200-773173-beauty-baby-boy-in-bath-with-yellow- rubber-duck.jpg (picture of Gabriel on slide number 6.) http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SLIUYWVEdtA/TLXRm0oKvzI/AAAAAAAAARA/Rlwg77CmYV8/s320/Ki dBlueEyes_SMALL.312115505_sq_thumb_m.jpg (picture of Jonas on slide number 3.) http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/giver/facts.html (little details to help with slides) http://2.bp.blogspot.com/- tAju6yEOOv8/Ta9Sm6et66I/AAAAAAAAAFY/ZE1RkJLcGIk/s1600/vcm_s_kf_representative_344x 480.jpg http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/boy-genius-2.jpg (Picture of Asher) http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-19077841/stock-photo-a-view-of-a-back-alley-in-a-southern- town-shown-in-black-and-white.html (Grey Town) http://www.clker.com/clipart-10625.html (Needle) http://med.cornell.edu/events/spaces/uris.html (Auditorium) http://www.how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com/cartoon-bicycle.html (Bicycle) http://christianity.about.com/od/symbolspictures/ig/Christian-Symbols-Glossary/Christian- Rainbow.htm (Rainbow)