essay topics from the giver

by Lois Lowry

The giver essay questions.

What does the ending of The Giver mean for our interpretation of the text?

Answer: Lowry has left the ending ambiguous. The more likely approach is to decide that Jonas did die and was merely hallucinating at the end of the novel, which could imply a pessimistic ending that completes our image of a dystopia that cannot provide its citizens with both safety and independence. Under this interpretation, we also see the difficulty of separating oneself from the collective; successful resistance requires more than just one or two people. One might decide instead that Jonas coincidentally finds the sled and Elsewhere at the conclusion of the novel. This development might suggest the ability of the human spirit to survive centuries of suppression and hint that Jonas's society will recover from the adverse effects of Sameness. It is important to note that in a later novel, Messenger , Lowry resolves the ambiguity by suggesting that Jonas survived, but this does not invalidate the possible interpretation that Jonas died.

What is the significance of snow in The Giver ?

Answer: Jonas's experiences with his memories are intimately connected with the idea of snow, from his first received transmission of sledding through snow on a hillside to his experience of a broken leg and finally to his real encounter with it at the novel's conclusion. As with many other things that have been eradicated through Sameness, snow involves the dangers that the community chose to end in its quest for safety. At the same time, however, it brings Jonas great joy, through his exhilaration in his first memory and in his apparent recognition of the existence of Elsewhere in the last chapter. Snow is neither good nor bad, but the novel implies that its absence takes some essential aspect away from the world. Removing a risk involves removing the benefits that could have resulted from taking the risk.

What meanings does the phrase "back and back and back" hold within the novel?

Answer: The phrase represents the traditional role of The Receiver within Jonas's community, and it gives a sense of history and continuity to the position of Receiver. Yet, as Jonas notes later in the novel, it also represents the burden and constraints that the society has given to The Receiver in the search for safety and Sameness. Whereas The Receiver is forced to remember "back and back and back" and understand all the pains of humanity, the rest of the community has no sense of history and thus loses both the positive and negative aspects of retaining a common history. For the community, the earlier times were times of hurt and danger, "backward" times that the people do not want to remember or relive.

How does The Giver's acquaintance with Jonas change The Giver's outlook on life?

Answer: Although most people read The Giver 's relationship to Jonas in terms of The Giver's teachings to Jonas--The Giver is in control, helping Jonas develop wisdom to augment his intelligence and courage--The Giver also gains some wisdom himself over the course of their relationship. Prior to meeting Jonas, The Giver had resigned himself to the stagnant nature of both the community and his role within the society, judging that the society was supreme and that he was powerless. However, by seeing the changes that his memories and teachings effect in Jonas, he learns that he also has the ability to teach others and perhaps reverse the oppression of individuals. By talking to Jonas about the problems of their society, he gains the resolve to make a difference and affect the society's future course.

Discuss how the idea of release is used in The Giver.

Answer: Because the nature of release is not revealed until very late in the novel--at a point that could be considered the climax of the plot--the continued references to the mysterious process of release unsettle us and lead us to suspect that it is intentionally hidden because of moral cracks in the society. The narrative introduces us to the idea of release in the first chapter as an apparently excessive punishment for a pilot's innocent mistake while indicating the presence of fear, which sets the tone for the rest of the novel. The novel then proceeds to both soothe and unnerve as it alternates examples of people who are happy to be released with those who are banished from the community for wrongdoing or for simply being weak. Considering that the Old are eventually released, it is not hard to figure out that being released means being euthanized. When the process of release is finally revealed, we are not surprised to see that it is lethal injection. The long period before the novel's revelation adds to its significance in revealing the problems in the community's structure. If the society has really done away with the troubles of this world, why do they still call euthanasia a release? Figuratively, people are being released from the bondage of the oppression in this tightly controlled society, but of course they do not see it in this way.

Discuss the role of family in The Giver .

Answer: Over the course of the novel, Jonas forms in a sense a second family. The first one consists of his family unit, and the second is a new family including Gabriel and perhaps also The Giver, who are joined to him by the transference of memories. The first unit serves as a foil for the second, as its apparent functionality is shown to be somewhat lacking in real love or permanent attachment. Most families are tightly controlled for the sake of the society (compare Plato's treatment of families in the Republic ). In contrast, Jonas's relations with The Giver and with Gabriel are more suggestive of the love that he feels in the memory of family and grandparents, and the novel suggests that their ability to feel true emotions such as love represents what is lacking in the rest of the community.

How do Asher and Fiona illuminate our understanding of Jonas's character?

Answer: Asher and Fiona serve as foils throughout the novel for Jonas. Initially, Asher's character description in particular highlights Jonas's characteristics of intelligence and thoughtfulness. Later in the novel, however, as Jonas's training begins to alienate him from the community, Asher's and Fiona's behavior during the war game shows the lack of understanding that results from their lack of historical awareness. The revelation that Fiona is training in release serves as a final indication of how Jonas has grown apart from the conventions and cruelties of his society.

Discuss the role of solitude or isolation in Jonas's experiences.

Answer: At one point in the novel, Lowry references the positive aspects of solitude as learned by Jonas through transmitted memories. However, for the most part, the effect of Jonas's role as Receiver-in-Training is to isolate him and make him experience the more negative aspects of his society. Because he has been trained to act always as a member of a group, he now learns that to honor The Receiver increases his burdens by adding the pain of loneliness to the weight of his memories. In his role as sage, he will always stand apart. He will develop his own sense of right and wrong, of good and evil, based on unique experiences that the regular society never has. His distanced vantage point allows him to critique the society more fully than he would have been able to do had he remained a normal member of the collective.

Write a second ending for The Giver that tells the fate of the community after Jonas's departure.

Answer: This question asks you to engage in a creative exercise. One might address the community's reaction to the loss of Jonas and what the people and The Giver are thinking as the people search for him. More importantly, one might consider the community's reaction to the return of their memories and about The Giver's attempt to help them. Such an ending could be written from the perspective of The Giver or the perspective of one of the members of the community, such as Jonas's sister Lily or his friend Asher. The narrative could then describe whether the community chose to reject or keep Sameness or what small risks the community began to take in order to appreciate individuality and the chance of developing a stronger, more free society.

How does Jonas's training as The Receiver of Memory serve as a coming-of-age story?

Answer: Jonas and his society proceed from the assumption that after the Ceremony of Twelve, all of the new Twelves are no longer mere children, although they stay with their family units and continue their schooling. However, Jonas's training reveals that after just twelve years of life, he has not acquired the wisdom necessary to approach his life as an adult. In his interactions with The Giver, he acquires this wisdom and mentally ages rapidly through his experiences of war, death, and starvation. This approach to development contrasts with that of Fiona and Asher, both of whom remain in a sense like children because their experiences do not grant them self-awareness and maturity.

The Giver Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Giver is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does the author begin showing that Jonas may not quite fit in or not agree with everything in his community? How might these details contribute to the conflict in the story going forward?

Jonas interperets events like the jet at the beginning as the stringent rules differently than others. Jonas asks questions and doesn't take things at face value. He also begins to see colour which others do not see. Jonas eventually questions the...

What do you think of the morning dream telling ritual?

This question calls for your opinion. There is no right or wrong answer. In my opinion, dream telling is rather ridiculous. We all know that dreams are inexplicable for the most part.... and most dreams disappear when we wake up.

Should Jonas have asked them to stop playing the game of bad guys and good guys? CHAPTER 17

No, I don't think Jonas should ask them to stop playing. These kids cannot handle the emotional trauma  of forgetting their lunch let alone understanding emotions behind war and death. They simply would not comprehend what Jonas is talking...

Study Guide for The Giver

The Giver study guide contains a biography of Lois Lowry, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of The Giver.

• About The Giver
• The Giver Summary
• The Giver Video
• Character List

Essays for The Giver

The Giver essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Giver by Lois Lowry.

• The Cost of Security
• A Lonely Mind With a Heavy Burden: Hope in The Giver
• Is the Society of The Giver a Utopia?
• Reproductive Regulation and the Construction of Relationships for Populace Control in The Giver and “Pop Squad”

Lesson Plan for The Giver

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Giver
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Giver Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Giver

• Introduction
• Analysis of themes
• Literary significance and reception

102 pages • 3 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Before You Read

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-15

Chapters 16-18

Chapters 19-21

Chapters 22-23

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Further Reading & Resources

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to be “released” from the community Jonas lives in? Name a few reasons people are released and explain how the act of releasing someone reflects the community’s values.

Receiver is described as a position of honor, while the Birthmother assignment is said to lack honor. Why is this the case? What might happen if the status of these roles were switched?

At several points in The Giver , Jonas expresses that having choices is dangerous. Why does he feel this way, and how does his opinion about choices change as the story unfolds?

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• Literature Notes
• Major Themes in The Giver
• Book Summary
• About The Giver
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Chapters 1-2
• Chapters 3-5
• Chapters 6-8
• Chapters 9-10
• Chapters 11-12
• Chapters 13-15
• Chapters 16-17
• Chapters 18-20
• Chapters 21-23
• Lois Lowry Biography
• Critical Essays
• Style and Language in The Giver
• What Are Utopias and Dystopias?
• A Note about Infanticide and Euthanasia
• Full Glossary for The Giver
• Essay Questions
• Cite this Literature Note

Critical Essays Major Themes in The Giver

Many themes in The Giver demonstrate Lowry's concerns about society and humanity. For example, she concentrates on the tradeoffs involved when Jonas' community chooses Sameness rather than valuing individual expression. Certain themes in the book are familiar because they can be found in other novels by Lowry.

Throughout The Giver , Lowry attempts to awaken each and every reader to the dangers that exist when people opt for conformity over individuality and for unexamined security over freedom. At one time in the past, the people who inhabited Jonas' community intended to create a perfect society. They thought that by protecting the citizens from making wrong choices (by having no choices), the community would be safe. But the utopian ideals went awry, and people became controlled and manipulated through social conditioning and language. Now, even the expression "love" is an empty ideal. For example, when Jonas asks his parents if they love him, his mother scolds him for using imprecise language. She says that "love" is "a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete." To Jonas, however, love is a very real feeling.

Lowry stresses the point that people must not be blindly obedient to the rules of society. They must be aware of and must question everything about their lives. In Jonas' community, the people passively accept all rules and customs. They never question the fact that they are killing certain babies simply because such babies are different, or that they are killing old people whom they determine are no longer productive to the community. The community members unquestioningly follow rules; over time, because killing has become a routine practice, horrible and senseless actions do not morally, emotionally, or ethically upset them. As The Giver says of Jonas' father's killing the lighter-weight twin male, "It's what he was told to do, and he knows nothing else."

Another important theme in The Giver is the value of the individual. Lowry points out that when people are unable to experience pain, their individuality is devalued. Memories are so vital because they oftentimes include pain, and pain is an individual reaction: What is painful to one person might not be painful to another person. Also, people learn from memories and gain wisdom from remembering past experiences.

Life in Jonas' community is very routine, predictable, and unchanging. So are most of the people who live in the community. These characters are uncomplicated and complacent. They are static, simple, one-dimensional characters. Because the majority of them do not change throughout the novel, we see only one part of their personalities — their surface appearances and actions. Nothing happens within static characters; things happen to them.

Most of the citizens in the community passively follow the rules of the community. They always do what they are told. Nothing has ever happened to them except when an earlier Receiver-in-training, Rosemary, asked for release because she no longer could tolerate living in the community. After her death, the people were in total chaos because they didn't know what to do with the memories that Rosemary had experienced. They were not accustomed to thinking for themselves. Experiencing Rosemary's memories was something that happened to the people. Afterward, they resumed their lives as before, so it is evident that nothing permanently changed within them.

Jonas, on the other hand, is a dynamic character. He changes during the course of the novel due to his experiences and actions. We know how Jonas changes because Lowry narrates The Giver in the third person, limited omniscient viewpoint in order to reveal Jonas' thoughts and feelings. When the novel begins, Jonas is as unconcerned as anyone else about how he is living. He has grown up with loudspeakers, rules, precise language, and a family that is not connected biologically, and he has accepted this way of life because he doesn't know any other type of existence. But as he receives The Giver's memories and wisdom, he learns the truth about his community, that it is a hypocrisy and that the people have voluntarily given up their individuality and freedom to live as robots. Jonas' character changes and becomes more complex. He experiences an inner conflict because he misses his old life, his childhood, and his innocence, but he can't return to his former way of life because he has learned too much about joy, color, and love. Lowry writes of Jonas toward the beginning of Chapter 17, "But he knew he couldn't go back to that world of no feelings that he had lived in so long."

Jonas also experiences an external conflict between himself and the community. He is frustrated and angry because he wants his fellow citizens to change and thereby give up Sameness. He knows that the community and each person's life will benefit if only they would — or could — reclaim their individuality. But the people can't change. Generations ago, they chose Sameness over freedom and individuality. Now, they know no other way of life.

Other themes in The Giver , such as family and home, friendships, acts of heroism, as well as the value of remembering the past, are familiar because they are themes in Lowry's previous novels also. Like Rabble in Rabble Starkey , Jonas has to leave the family that was created for him. Through the experience of leaving, both Jonas and Rabble learn to appreciate what it means to have a family and a home. And like Annemarie in Lowry's award-winning Number the Stars , Jonas lives in a repressed society in which he has no freedom. Both Jonas and Annemarie risk their lives in order to save people they love. Because the conclusion of The Giver is so ambiguous, we don't know how Jonas' experiences ultimately affect him or his community. We do know that he matures and that he feels excited and joyful as he and Gabe ride down the hill on the sled.

Lowry challenges her readers to reexamine their values and to be aware of the interdependence of all human beings with each other, their environment, and the world in which they live. When people are forced to live under an oppressive regime that controls every person's actions, meaningful relationships between people are threatened because they involve individual feelings and thoughts. Only by questioning the conditions under which we live, as Jonas does in The Giver , can we maintain and secure our freedom of expression.

Previous Lois Lowry Biography

Next Style and Language in The Giver

Themes and Analysis

By lois lowry.

'The Giver' is, at times, a dark and disturbing novel, touching on themes of loss and control.

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

At the same time, it’s also a novel of hope , depicted through the beauty of colors seen for the first time and joys never before experienced. It’s a novel that ends with an image that alludes to the enduring nature of the human spirit and future possibilities.

The Giver Themes 

Memory .

It’s through memory in The Giver that the community leaders exert control over everyone else. Collective memory is a thing of the past. Wars, loves, hate, joy, and any remnant of the time before the community is lost. Lowry was interested in using this novel to explore what happens when all memories disappear. Does a happier community emerge when the dark parts of human history are lost?

Despite the community’s desire to leave their past behind, the elders also understood the age-old proverb that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. This meant that someone had to remember. The Giver plays the role, and Jonas was meant to take it up after him. He’s there to make sure that no one starts down a dangerous path that might lead to consequences known only to him. 

Free Will/Control 

Jonas’s community is nothing without control. The community leaders exert control by making everyone believe that total obedience is the only way to live. The rules are their lives, and there is no choice but to follow them. There are rules for every part of life, ensuring that free will is surprised and the individual. 

The Individual 

This final theme is tied directly to the other most prominent themes in the novel. There are moments in Lois Lowry’s novel where Jonas notes the individuality of his friends, family members, and most importantly himself. Jonas feels different than his friends do, and he knows he sees the world differently as well. This is something that proves to be correct when at the Ceremony of the Twelve, he’s singled out to be the new Receiver of Memory. It’s the first time in his life, and in the lives of the other children, that they’ve had their differences highlighted. Some are more suited for one job or another.

Jonas only becomes more of an individual, something the community doesn’t encourage, as the novel progresses. He’s given memories, something unique in his world.  One of the more powerful moments of the novel comes at the end when Jonas realizes that he’s making memories of his own, ones that belong only to him. 

Analysis of Key Moments in The Giver 

• Jonas sees an airplane, learning that there’s life outside the community. 
• His father brings Gabriel home. 
• Jonas feels the “stirrings.”  
• Jonas goes to the Ceremony of the Twelve and becomes the next Receiver of Memory. 
• Jonas meets the Giver and learns about good and bad experiences.  
• He gives Gabriel memories to calm him down. 
• Jonas starts to see colors. 
• He learns about the Giver’s daughter, the previous receiver of memory, and her release. 
• Jonas learns what “releasing” means . 
• The Giver and Jonas make a plan for him to escape the community. 
• Jonas runs away with Gabriel. 
• Jonas and Gabriel sled down the hill towards Elsewhere. 

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in The Giver 

Lowry’s narrative style in The Giver is straightforward and clear. It comes across as a simple recitation of events, almost journalistic. The plot progresses from the beginning to the end of the story with very few exceptions. Lowry uses clear language that’s easy to understand throughout the book, solidifying her choice to direct this novel towards young adults. Additionally, the simple language helps describe the simple lives of Jonas, his family, and his friends. Everyone lives preplanned, organized lives, similar to how Lowry’s writing depicts them. This is also how one might describe the tone. It is direct in most parts of the novel and, as it progresses, becomes more emotional and distressed as Jonas learns more about his community. 

It’s not until the Giver comes into the narrative and starts relaying memories to Jonas that the style changes at all. The memories are moving, mysterious, and strange. This changes the way that Lowry writes and the images she creates. In these passages, and in all those in which Jonas is thinking about his world, Lowry uses rhetorical questions. These are questions to which the speaker does not expect an answer. Jonas is filled with them regarding every element of his life. 

Lowry makes use of several other literary devices in The Giver as well. These include euphemisms or phrases that stand-in for something uncomfortable or difficult. For example, “release” is used instead of kill. This is a great example of how the language Lowry selected for the community reveals something about them as much as it tries to hide the truth. When the families gather together to share their feelings, they’re doing the exact opposite. Lowry employs a cliff hanger at the end of the book when she chooses not to reveal what happens to Jonas and Gabe. 

Symbols in The Giver

The apple .

The apple is a symbol for all that’s missing in the community. Its red color, something that’s lost to everyone in the community except Jonas, represents freedom, human nature, and emotions. The red of the apple also appears in other parts of his life. It comes to represent desire when he sees it in Fiona’s hair, and then later. It features in the rainbow that the Giver shares with him. It reemphasizes the entire range of human experiences and emotions that Jonas, his friends, and family members are missing out on.

Gabriel 

Gabriel is different as Jonas is different . This is something that Jonas recognizes right away. He has pale eyes (later revealed to be blue, like Jonas’s), and Jonas can tell he’s far more thoughtful. The child represents innocence and acts as a powerful contrast to the emotionless community that chooses to kill him. For Jonas, Gabriel also represents hope. Hope for a better life, one filled with love, and one where a child can grow up without the threat of being “released.” 

Sled Ride 

The sled rid is the first memory that Jonas receives from the Giver. It’s one of pure joy, untouched by anything unpleasant. It’s a wonderful experience that does not prepare him for the terrible memories to follow. After receiving the memory, Jonas dreams about the sled ride and the unknown destination at the hill’s bottom. There’s something in the distance that he’s riding towards, but he doesn’t know what it is. It symbolizes his future and the new life that waits for him when he escapes the community at the end of the novel. 

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About Emma Baldwin

Emma Baldwin, a graduate of East Carolina University, has a deep-rooted passion for literature. She serves as a key contributor to the Book Analysis team with years of experience.

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Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

The Individual vs. Society

Jonas's community is founded on the idea of Sameness—the elimination of difference in its members. In order to achieve this Sameness, individualism is discouraged, and rules and discipline matter most. Jonas learns from an early age that both breaking rules and being different is considered shameful. By celebrating group birthdays, allowing only one kind of clothing and haircut, assigning spouses, jobs, children and names, and eliminating sexual relations, Jonas's society stifles the things that allow…

Freedom and Choice

In Jonas's community, no one makes choices. All choices about the community were made in the distant past when Sameness was created, and any additional changes involve painfully slow bureaucratic procedures. Without choice, no one suffers the consequences that come from making wrong choices, but they also don't experience the joys that come with making right ones. By sacrificing the freedom of choice, community members are guaranteed a stable, painless life. Consequently, the people lead…

Feeling and Emotion

The people of Jonas's community don't understand genuine emotion or pain, because their lifestyles allow no opportunity to experience it. Birthmothers are not allowed to raise their own children. Sex is forbidden and sexual urges medicated away. Adults are not allowed to choose their own spouses. Identical twins are not both allowed to survive because they would be too close emotionally. Every decision made in the community serves a purely practical purpose and is based…

Coming of Age

The annual December ceremony, when the "birthdays" of all children are celebrated simultaneously, is a ritual full of rites of passage. As children grow older, these rites allow them more responsibility; at eight, for example, they are given pockets and stuffed animals are taken away. At Nine, children are given bicycles. At Twelve, children are assigned jobs and adult status is conferred upon them. After Twelve, age is not counted. Yet these rites of passage…

Sometime in the past, Jonas's community decided to give up their memories in order to eliminate the pain and regret that came with them. They were trying to create a totally peaceful and harmonious society without conflict, war, or hate by eliminating emotion entirely. They succeeded: the community is almost perfectly stable and totally safe. Yet Jonas realizes that without memories, a person can't learn from mistakes, celebrate accomplishments, know love or happiness or any…

The Study Blog :

How to write the giver essay [summary, themes + topics included].

By Evans Nov 28 2022

Have you ever wondered how life would be if there was no pain in the world? Imagine if you did not have to struggle to understand what to pursue in life, who to have as your partner, or even the number of children to have since all these have already been decided for you! The Giver gives us a glimpse into such a world. If you have been tasked with writing an essay on The Giver , worry not for we will help you not only understand this thought-provoking book but also how to write The Giver essay .

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A summary of The Giver

T he Giver is about a futuristic community that exists in a world where there are no feelings and everyone is practically the same. The Elders control everything that one has to do. At the age of 12, every child is assigned a job depending on their talents and capabilities. When the time comes to marry, someone will be assigned someone who suits you. This means that this Sameness society feels no pain, no war, or hunger (some pretty goods not to feel, huh!) unfortunately, this also means that they do not experience love, sex, music, or anything of the sort. Jonas is selected to become the Receiver, meaning he gets to keep all of the community’s past memories. As a result, he gets to feel things that almost everyone in the community has never felt. Unable to watch the community continue living in its ignorance, he chooses to run away so that people can finally feel things.

How to write an essay on The Giver

When writing an essay on The Giver , you have to, first of all, take time to read the book. It is quite difficult to write on a subject that you do not understand. Immerse yourself in the world of Jonas and his Sameness community.

Find the right angle

Once you are done reading the book, you can now find the right angle for your essay. Finding the right angle will help give you a clear picture of how your essay is going to look like. If you have no idea how to find the right angle for your essay, do not worry, we will help you with some of the essay topics that you can choose from.

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The Giver essay topics

Is the giver a dystopian or utopian community.

The community in The Giver is not your normal kind of community. This is a community that can be seen as either a utopian community in that nothing bad ever “happens” here or dystopian in that people in the community are not allowed to experience things such as music, love, color, or sex! In your essay, you choose to view this community as either of the two.

Symbolism in  The Giver

Symbolism is always a safe choice when it comes to writing a literature essay. The Giver comes loaded with its symbolism, from using biblical names for its characters to the symbolism of the apple and the eye among others.

How Jonas’ community managed to create a society of sameness

It is not easy to create a community that is completely different from the norm. This is an important part of the book and it deserves as much attention as you can give it. Explore various ways that the Elders managed to modify behavior, punish rebels, and avoid an uproar.

The power of words

Words are powerful (so have we been told time and time again). Words can be the greatest tool of propaganda. It is also the greatest tool that has been used time and time again to incite people, either for good or for worse. The Giver uses specific words that help distort the reality of the community. These words include release, nurturer, and elsewhere among others. You can choose to discuss how these words have been used to keep people satisfied with a very dull life.

Transformation

Perhaps Jonas is the character that encounters the greatest transformation in the community, from a young, ignorant child who’s scared of the kind of job that will be assigned to him to being the Receiver who is not willing to keep lying to everyone in the community. You can come up with such an incredible essay just by focusing on Jonas' transformation.

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The Giver Essay Questions

David has taught Honors Physics, AP Physics, IB Physics and general science courses. He has a Masters in Education, and a Bachelors in Physics.

Table of Contents

The Giver is one of the most highly regarded dystopian novels of the last 50 years. Based on a society where emotion has been eliminated, it sends a stock message about the value in both the good and bad in life, and reading it is a great benefit to young students. When the dust is settled, and students have reflected, it's time for a more detailed analysis. Students can do that through various essay topics. Here are some possible essay questions for The Giver .

Plot, Setting, and Language Questions

• How are families created in The Giver ?
• What euphemisms are used in The Giver ? What value do euphemisms have?
• Lowry uses simple, direct language in The Giver . Why do you think this is?
• Do you think being the Receiver of Memory is a reward or punishment?
• Where do you think The Giver is set? How do you think the community might relate to the wider society beyond its borders?
• In the society presented in The Giver , sexuality is repressed. Why do you think this is? What danger would it pose?
• How does the author express and indicate the lack of color in the world of The Giver , without explicitly stating it?
• How do you interpret the ending of The Giver ? Are there any other possible interpretations?

Character Questions

• What emotions does Jonas feel before the Ceremony of Twelve?
• What is the importance of the character of Gabriel?
• How is the relationship between Jonas and the Giver different to the relationship he has with his family?
• To what extent do Jonas' experiences constitute a coming-of-age story?
• How does the Giver himself change during the course of the story?
• Do you find the progression of Jonas' father to be disappointing or hopeful? What does his story tell you?
• What is the importance of the character of Fiona?
• Gabriel, Jonas, and the Giver all have pale eyes. What do you think the significance of this might be?

Theme Questions

• What is the significance of the color red in The Giver ?
• Why is snow an important symbol in The Giver ? What is its meaning?
• By reflecting on The Giver , discuss the value and importance of having laws and rules in societies.
• The society in The Giver promotes precise language, yet language is also used to conceal the truth (for example with words like ''release''). Discuss the importance of how we use language in the real world, and to what extent the society in The Giver is hypocritical.
• How does The Giver highlight the importance and value of memory?
• In The Giver , society has lost freedom and individuality in order to keep themselves safe. In what ways have we given up freedoms in the real world to achieve safety? To what extent do you think this is a good thing?
• Does The Giver send a positive or negative message about the practice of euthanasia?
• The Giver has been banned and censored in many places in the United States. Why do you think this might be?
• Many have said that The Giver has a very clear message and warning. What do you think this message is?
• How are the themes of The Giver similar or different to the themes of other dystopian novels you have read?

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Giver — The Role of Memory and Choice in Lois Lowry’s “The Giver”

The Role of Memory and Choice in Lois Lowry's "The Giver"

• Categories: Free Will The Giver

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Published: Jun 6, 2024

Words: 630 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Introduction, the suppression of memory, the power of choice, the interplay of memory and choice.

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The unsafe world of Lois Lowry, 30 years after 'The Giver'

The covers of six of Lois Lowry's books, clockwise from top left, The Giver , Gathering Blue , Numbering the Stars , Messenger , Tree. Table. Book. , Son .

by Tom Deignan

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Thirty years ago, after her dystopian novel  The Giver won the coveted  Newbery Medal , bestselling author Lois Lowry issued a warning.

"Those of you who hoped that I would stand here tonight and reveal … the 'right' interpretation of the ending will be disappointed,"  Lowry said during her speech , before reading messages from readers who had written to the author.

One child wrote that  The Giver 's main character, Jonas, is "like Jesus because he took the pain for everyone else." Another described parts of Lowry's setting "as if it were heaven."

A Trappist monk, meanwhile, told Lowry that  The Giver is a "sacred text." Another passionate fan believed he himself was Lowry's title character — and wrote a "vaguely threatening" 200-page letter to prove it. (Yes, the FBI was informed.)

Lowry concluded this 1994 speech by saying: "The man that I named  The Giver passed along to (Jonas) knowledge, history, memories, color, pain, laughter, love, and truth. Every time you place a book in the hands of a child, you do the same thing. It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book … It gives him choices. It gives him freedom. Those are magnificent, wonderfully unsafe things."

Three decades later,  The Giver — and a trio of follow-up novels about Jonas' family, friends and an array of social and spiritual conflicts — remain immensely popular, timely and provocative; and Lowry's words about the "riskiness" of reading are more relevant than ever.

Two-time Newbery Medal award winner Lois Lowry, shown here at the 2016 Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas. (Wikimedia Commons/Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0)

This spring, Lowry released a new young adult novel entitled  Tree. Table. Book. , which revolves around another enduring, controversial topic: the lingering traumas of the World War II concentration camps. "Why do we have to tell this Holocaust thing over and over?" Lowry recalled a prickly reader once asking.

"Wouldn't it … make for a more comfortable world to forget the Holocaust?" responded Lowry, who won her first  Newbery in 1990 with the Nazi-occupation novel  Number the Stars . She even acknowledged "how comfortable, familiar and safe my parents had sought to make my childhood." In the end, the young Lowry could not resist "see(ing) for myself what lay beyond the wall." Many youth today would say the same.

Today, between a war with  human rights violations in the Middle East,  nationwide book bans and a heated  debate over immigration , Lois Lowry — at 87 — is more relevant than ever. Consider her 2004 novel  Messenger , about a "petition — signed by a substantial number of people — to close their village to outsiders." More and more residents were complaining: "Our school is not big enough to teach their children, too; only our own. They can't even speak right."

This might rightly make a progressive defender of migrants swell with righteous rage, but don't pick up Lowry's books just to soothe your ideological ego. The Giver raises thorny questions about the sanctity of life, treading the same murky territory as Lowry's 2012 novel  Son does over pharmaceuticals and surrogate motherhood.

In the real world, as in Lowry's fictional creations, there are not always easy answers. But there remain questions worth asking — and books worth reading.

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
• Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• Expository and Informative Essay Topics
• Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

• Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
• Personal Essay Topics
• Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

• The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
• The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
• All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
• The best country in the world is …
• Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
• Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
• Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

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• Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
• Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
• What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
• Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
• Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

• Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
• Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
• What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
• Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

• How does playing sports affect people?
• What are the effects of loving to read?
• Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
• What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
• Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
• Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

• Public and private schools
• Capitalism vs. communism
• Monarchy or democracy
• Dogs vs. cats as pets

• Paper books or e-books
• Two political candidates in a current race
• Going to college vs. starting work full-time
• Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
• iPhone or Android
• Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

• Who is the funniest person you know?
• What is your happiest memory?
• Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
• Write about your favorite place.
• When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
• Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
• What is your earliest memory?

• What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
• Describe your favorite pet.
• What is the most important item in the world to you?
• Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
• Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
• Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
• Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
• Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

• What makes a good leader?
• Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
• What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
• Describe how the internet changed the world.
• What does it mean to be a good teacher?

• Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
• Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
• Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
• Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
• What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

• What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
• What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
• Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
• Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

• Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
• Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
• Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
• Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
• Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

• Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
• Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
• Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
• Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

• Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
• Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
• Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
• Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
• Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

• Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
• Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
• Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
• Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
• Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

• Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
• Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
• Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
• Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
• Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
• What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
• Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
• Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
• Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• The best music genre is …

• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is capitalism the best form of economy?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

• Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
• Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
• Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
• Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
• What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

• Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
• Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
• Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
• Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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