The Giver By Lois Lowry: A Brief Summary

Jonas’s parents are important, yet minor, characters. They are similar, but very different. If they didn’t take the pill, they would never end up together. His mom’s designated job is at the Department of Law and Justice. His father works as a nurturer, taking care of young ones, and as a releaser, puncturing people and injecting them with a death serum. Since they are taking the pill, they cannot fall in love and have a romantic relationship, so they are paired to their match. It would be complex for one to assume whether or not Jonas’s parents’ matching took a long time. The only thing Lois Lowry tells readers about the time in which it takes to receive a spouse is when Jonas tells Asher, “Even the matching of spouses is given such weighty
‘He’s so fretful at night’”(88). In the current world it is considered extremely inappropriate to roll your eyes and make rude comments when discussing a newborn child. This quote also shows us that she uses proper grammar and has had a fairly good education. On the other hand, Jonas’s father is very similar. He also uses proper language. Such as, in a previous conversation, he says, “He’s a sweet little male with a lovely disposition. But he isn’t growing as fast as he should, and he doesn’t sleep soundly. We have him in the extra care section for supplementary nurturing, but the committee’s beginning to talk about releasing him” (7). A difference is that readers get the impression that Jonas’s father is more compassionate than his mother. Jonas’s mother might even know that because after his father tells his family about Gabe’s condition she says, “Oh, no, I know how sad that must make you feel”(7). One last similarity, is that neither of them are self-seeking. They have no reason to be. They’re living in a “perfect” community with a “perfect” family. In conclusion, Jonas’s mother and father have their similarities and differences, but in the end they can’t help but not love each