"Well..." Jonas had to stop and think it through. "If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! ..." -From The Giver, page 97-Jonas lives in a Utopian society where everything is managed and everything is safe - a world without color, or music, or even love. The year Jonas turns twelve, he is selected to become the Receiver of Memory...and as his training progresses, life for Jonas forever changes.
The Giver is a book about keeping the world we live in safe and sanitary vs. the value of freedom...and ultimately about the power of hope and faith. Lowry's writing is rich and provocative and stimulates the reader to think about what is truly important in our lives. This is children's literature at its best. Through the power of simple language, a tightly woven plot, and characters who come to reside within the reader's heart, Lowry makes us take notice of our world and to appreciate the simple things we often take for granted.
Lowry won a number of awards and accolades for this slim volume - not the least of which was the Newbery Medal in 1994. The Giver is worthy of this prestigious award.
Highly recommended for children aged nine to 100 years old; rated 4.5/5.
Why Was It Banned?
The Giver is one of the most frequently challenged and banned books in middle schools across America. It has been referred to as "the suicide" book by some groups because it portrays a Utopian society that relies on euthanasia and suicide to create the perfect community. Read this article published in 2001 by USA Today. Despite the controversy, this is a beautifully written and conceived book. My view was that rather than support euthanasia and suicide, it shows the horror and devastating results of those acts. This is a great book for parents to discuss with their children.
30 comments:
my daughters (12yo and 17yo) both read this book during the time i was re-reading it. (it was a re-read for the 17yo.) when i told them that some people think the book supports suicide and euthanasia, they wondered if those people had even read the book! :)
Have the people in that article even read the book? They were going on about how suicide and euthanasia is never an answer to your problems, but the WHOLE BOOK was about how awful that is. Ugh!
"In the Denver-area case, Mark S. Hanson argued the book, read aloud in his 11-year-old daughter's class, was dangerous because of its portrayal of suicide, euthanasia and infanticide in a neutral to positive light."
There was no positive light about it! The main character was disgusted by it. Ugh ....
I agree with both of you - and this is one of my biggest issues with the idea of book banning. Most people who lobby to have a book banned HAVE NEVER READ THE BOOK! And you are 100% correct eternallycrazii...it doesn't support euthanasia...it shows why that is NOT a good thing!
Well, I pretty much say, "this is ridiculous."
I don't get it, these people might not have even read it,
Oh... and don't people have the common sense to know that euthanasia isn't the answer to all your problems and all the controlling of everything people do?
While I write this, I'm not even twelve years old yet! And I had that common sense. Even if i didn't, i might get that sense from THIS BOOK!!
I LOVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH!
Marty: You sound like a very mature almost 12 year old! I agree with you 100%!
My class has started reading this and the book disturbed me as a 15 year old who knows of orwell i was in disgust by even some of the things in the first in second chapter.
Not that it was bad but of the context and what was going on.
I do see serve in a community as a good thing but the way the book presents it people in a sense are secretly like worker ants having little to no will.
I have only read
the first and part of the second and 4 chapter due to missing a day of school and trying to keep up.
Now finding out the book is about anti suicide and well anti euthanasia.
The odd thing is we use such means on animals to hold back natural urges/shots euthanizeation,
but the book as a whole kinda bugs me. Also my teacher didnt really tell the class it was science fiction.
Colin: The point of the book IS to show you the negative aspects of this kind of dehumanization. I hope you've had a chance to finish the book by now and that your classroom discussion has helped you understand the concepts presented.
The Giver was our 15 year old son's favorite book, in fact we discussed it over dinner one evening...he said that he wished he could live in a Utopian society. Three hours later our son committed suicide. Don't kid yourselves, this book depicts suicide in a way that appears peaceful and acceptable. The adolescents reading it don't think of the consequences.
Betsyb: I am very sorry to hear about your son's suicide...I cannot even imagine the pain and heartache you have had to bear. I do want to address your claim, however, that this book was the key component for what happened.
I do not think a book compels someone to commit suicide - and this particular book does not celebrate suicide at all (in my opinion). There are many reasons a person might choose to end their life - key among them untreated depression...but there is absolutely no research or credible evidence that shows that books are the cause of this behavior.
i was severely saddened when i read about that ladies' son. i am truly sorry about his death. i agree with wendy.i am 15 going on 16 and i read that book in the 8th grade and i loved it!! lois' insight on this book was amazing her imagery and utter skill in creating her characters was overwhelming. i am currently doing a project over banned books and when i read that this book was one of them i was shocked.while i can agree this book is not appropriate for all ages (like 5th and 6th graders)i also think it depends on the maturity level of the child reading it.i do believe that with understanding, time, and knowledge anyone would enjoy this book beyond belief. the people who banned this book are closed minded crazy people who have no idea what incredible literature is!!!!
Good for you, Brittany, for researching the ideas behind banning books...and for being so open minded and mature. I am glad you enjoyed this book!
Accually my class 6th just finished the giver and we all thought it was an outstanding book. i dont know who in their right mind would commit scuiside after reading this. It in no way premotes it and in my opinion talks about the negitive parts of death and loss. I dont understand why someone would ban this, it is taking away the privlidge of amazing litature
Eliza: Thanks for weighing in on the discussion. I agree with you!
Thank you for starting this discussion I have been doing a children's literature class and have just gotten on the topic of banned books. I was heartbroken to find that this book was banned because I am creating a unit plan around several of Lowry's similar themed books, Gathering Blue and Messenger (which is considered a trilogy). I guess all I wanted to say was there are reasons this book can be viewed as greatly offensive, especially if you have a personal tie to issues displayed within the literature (sorry to hear of the loss of your son), however I don't think it was Lowry's intention or desire to create such a controversial book.
I personally find her work amazing and so in developing my unit plan I am combining her work with the Holocaust. I was surprised that I didn't read in any comment that Lowry's society she was depicting was similar to the dictatorship of Hitler. All the things he did, all the things that were done are so much more horrid and graphic than what is in this book and yet somehow Lowry is reminding us of what happens to our freedom when a society is build upon the values of suicide, euthanasia, abortion or other forms of population control and emotional, intellectual bondage. I believe she is certainly against these societies and in some way her fictional story is reminding us of an actual event in history.
If you are not a fan of this book I encourage you to read her book Number the Stars, all the same themes wrapped up in a historical fiction that seems to not have any controversy because the events were historically horrid truths.
We have the right to monitor books the way we monitor movies, I appreciate that right as a parent every day. I understand why this book can be offensive but it is also a book inviting us to cherish freedom, and remember what can happen when it is taken away.
I am extremely sorry for the loss of you son. I am 15 and I read this book when i was in 4th grade. I did not have a negitive effect on the way I viewed my society. While I felt sad about the situation on the main character was in. It made me realize just how disgusting euthanasia was. I in fact I became extremely greatful for the freedom I have and it made me appreciate it more. I am not suggesting that
4th graders read this book. I cannot speak for how this book will effect others either, but I don't believe that with all of her other work that she honestly has inteded her books to be positive toward Utopian Societies or the reign of Hitler. Again I am deeply sorry for the loss of your son.
At first when I read that the book was banned, I thought it was for the small bit of sexuality in it, witht he 'stirrings' and the medicine the males had to take. I was really shocked to learn it was about the euthanasia. Of all the impressions that The Giver had left on me, that was completely the last thing I would take from it. It was beautifully written and thought provoking. We need more books that encourage deeper thought available to kids in school these days. School usually picks great books for this, in fact, some of my favorite books to this day were assigned to read in middle and high school. In a world of 'Jersey Shore' and other reality tv and junk entertainment, Id rather my children read this book than most other popular media. Anything to get these kids thinking outside the box again.
I'm working on my final project for this book for my Grade 6 English Class. Our teacher may never have told us it was banned had I not found out myself.
At first I thought it was because of "stirrings" and the cruel, unnatural way the society was; but then I read the whole book (even though the rest of my class had barely begun) and saw the use of euthanasia and understood.
I'm against it being banned, but I understand how someone could want it banned. I think it's about how even though they have no problems (even after Caleb drowned, they simply gave them a replacement) they live in a world that is much worse than ours.
However, I would also like to point out that even though the main character is opposed to it, the book (in my opinion) also doesn't oppose euthanasia. (or maybe it just does a bad job of it.) The boy who is rescuing a baby from it may have just been hearing echoes of music, and may now be frozen to death with the child he tried so hard to protect. The man who aided the boy may have failed and may have been Released for opposing release.
My daughter just turned 9 and her teacher wants her to read this book due to her advanced reading level. Just from the summary I am very intrigued by it and am getting a copy for myself to read along with her. I am looking forward to discussing it with her. My brother and I were raised with a love of reading and I am thrilled my daughter seems to be the same way. I am sure there are parts that may be beyond her comprehension, but her teacher feels confident she will handle the material just fine.
I am totally shocked by some of these comments. It's been a while since I've read it so refresh my memory but where is the suicide stuff coming from. I don't remember getting that at all. The book is a warning to society about what all of the controlling does and that nothing perfect exists so we should embrace our differences and celebrate them.
To me, "The Giver" emphasizes on the reality that you need to see the bigger picture before you decide to throw it out.
I was a young teenager when one of my friends recommended this book to me... I read it, I was going through some serious stuff... and this book helped me put into perspective all of the good things in life.
Betsyb, sorry about your son.
However, I don't see how anyone could misconstrue it as a call for suicide. It insults me as a teenager that you would believe that a child cannot take all that happened in a book and decide for themselves what it means...
I've always thought of consequences... I was suicidal at one point in my life. I thought about the possibility that the darkness of my life, would pass, and I chose not to. If I had read this book earlier, I probably would've been able to embrace actual happiness a lot sooner.
Your son could've made his choice for any number of reasons... he could have had a brain imbalance, been bullied at school... but I have to believe that people aren't so influential to have a book decide for them. We're stronger than that. (Not that the book actually has any positive messages about committing suicide)
I know that I'm kind of late to comment, but I'd like to share my opinion on this ban.
I just recently finished "The Giver", and in no way does it promote suicide. Betsyb, I'm sorry to hear about your son, but the book basically said suicide is wrong. When Rosemary injected herself, the Giver said that the community was thrown into chaos. To me, that sounds like it's saying suicide is bad to do.
However, the part where the baby is killed is bad for little kids to read. I read in in eighth grade, and it simply disgusted me. But, Jonas was terrified and utterly disgusted by this. Therefore, it's portrayed as being bad.
If this book is banned, it just shows how dictative our society is becoming. If this continues, our world will become just like Jonas' world.
It's never too late to comment, Jeremiah. I'm glad to see some posts are read year after year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
This book is and always will be one of my favorites. I read it every other year or so. I thought the ban would have been because it shows that some times the government is wrong and we don't have to take it... The fact that it makes people think,"hey maybe our world is headed that way."
Clearly, they haven't read the book. The author, Lowry argues against the Utopian society and euthanasia. Greatly. Honestly, what led them to believe that banning the book was a good idea?
...
Unless they are figuring by reverse psychology and getting people to read the book by banning it. That would be clever.
As a fourth-grader I read this book, and the contents disgusted me (in a good way). It really helped show me the terrible things we can try in order to reach "perfection." The message it portrayed to me was the opposite of what it is being banned for. It is actually kind of ironic, my school has tried banned it, whilst the library in it was running a campaign promoting free speech.... Needless to say, the librarian was pissed.
"Believing in free speech, but denying it to those you disagree with is not free speech at all."
-BCW
ellieyacking- I have been a middle school teacher for the past 4 years...5th grade before that. My older children 29 and 22 read THE GIVER in 7th grade. As a teacher of 5th grade for over 10 years, I am not for sure I would recommend The GIVER for 5th. But in middle school it is a great book! Lowery has done an outstanding job in writing a timeless book. This has been used in our school for many years. This is the first year that any parents have complained or brought up the banned issue. since I have never read why the book has been banned, I went to the computer to investigate. I am blown away that it is because of the suicide and euthanasia issues. Anyone reading the book would have understood that the author does not support those activities. Sorry to see such an incredible book get such a bad reputation. Over the years, this has been the favorite book we read. One boy begged for homework everyday because he had decided not to read ahead. I have invited parents to visit the classroom to hear the awesome thinking that this book incites from the students. One comment from a student this year was "this book is about growing up" and she was right. Growing up, realizing the evils in the world, and learning to live your life for others.
You have a nice review! Here's mine if you don't mind: http://lorxiebookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-giver-by-lois-lowry.html
Thanks and have a nice day! =)
That to me is the point!! Children of a mature age may handle the book fine. Who is to say what that age is. It is different for everyone. So to be safe high school is a better time to read the book. It is harsh at points and I applaud lowry on the gut wrenching emotions I felt. But I do not want my 11 year old to read it!!! Banning is a little far but middle school is a little young.
K2: Actually I think that middle school is not too young since it is meant to get them ready for the next step in their lives (high school). When I read this book I was in 7th grade I think. At that time I was dreading the times over the summer that I had to read, but after I read "The Giver" I was blown away and enlightened to the point that I wanted to talk to others and see if they read it aswell. These people who have this idea that the book should be banned are most likely those whom have closed minds since they haven't seen the true effects of what this book provides. If I had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Lowry today I would shake his hand and thank him for giving us such a precious gift.
Lois Lowry is an excellent writer, and I'm sure she would be happy to shake your hand.
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