The Giver Lois Lowry Analysis

“The Giver”, by Lois Lowry, has a plotline that is a straight line classic aristotelian pattern, which follows the journey of a young pre-teen boy named Jonas through a very crucial time in his life, where he is assigned the job he will have until he is old. The reader is introduced to a community that is very representational of an idealized community/society with the “elders” being in full control of the citizens. For example, the elders choose their job, their spouses and even the children they will have, as well as a two way intercom system in each family’s unit household so that the elders can listen in at all times. There is also an act performed by the elders called releasing. Jonas doesn't discover that process until a few years into
his training. Releasing is a fancy name for put to death, earned by those who break the rules, the very old, and babies who are sickly. Jonas gets a special, very respected and honorable position as the new The Receiver of Memory. The Receiver of Memory is where Jonas learns the truth, to see colors for the first time and is able to break many of the rules, especially being able to lie to people. Jonas and the old Receiver start plotting a plan to escape and change the community by releasing the memory Jonas has been given. When Jonas leaves, the memories will be released into the community so they will have to learn to deal with them and really live not just exist. When a baby named Gabriel is brought into the family unit to be taken care of, he is to be released. Jonas changes the plan and makes an escape with Gabriel on a bike to save his life. They wind up in a community and that is filled with real emotions and the choice of living.