The Giver is a Utopian novel, where there is no war, hunger, pain or any negative emotions, sounds really nice right? but what’s the catch? The catch is that there is no choice in the society. The people in the community all follow a strict set of rules that govern their lives. There is no color in this world, people are given their jobs, everyone eats the same things and more. The setting is very organized and with purpose. This entire way of living is called “Sameness.” As well, anyone who defies these rules are “released” from the community, never to be seen again.

The story follows a boy named Jonas, who gets the job of being “The Receiver of Memories.” The receiver of Memories is an occupation where a person would inherit all of the memories of the world before entering into “Sameness.” Jonas then receives many memories, such as colors, war and etc. Jonas becomes a student to the previous receiver of memories, who is called “The Giver.” The novel follows Jonas’ journey through all of the memories he is receiving and how it is completely different to the way everyone lives currently.

The way the author describes these “memories” is refreshing to read, as Lois Lowry describes these sensations that we all feel in our day to day lives without any thought to them. To read what these sensations are from an outsider standpoint is different and is something you start to take for granted, especially for those who aren’t able to feel those sensations.

This book raises the controversial topic of whether total peace is worth losing individuality.

By: Johnson Hoang