The Giver

By Lois Lowry 1993

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Presented by Wenting
The Book summary
"The Giver" is the story of a young man named Jonas who lives in a seemingly perfect
utopian society--a society without pain, conflict, inequality, and unemployment. New
children are assigned to appropriate family units. Citizens are assigned their partners and
their jobs. Everyone is the same. Everyone follows rules. Given his lifetime assignment at
the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the Receiver of Memories shared by only one
other in his community known as the Giver and discovers the terrible truth about the
society in which he lives. He begins to realize that his world is not as perfect as he's been
led to believe it is. Finally, to save the baby and also bring the memory back to people,
Jonah makes his own decisions and escapes the community.
The Film
Rating: PG-13
Release date: August 15, 2014
Director: Phillip Noyce
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Brenton Thwaites, Alexander Skarsgard, Katie Holmes
Book vs Film
In the film, Jonas, Asher, Fiona and the other young characters are older. In the book,
children are assigned their lifelong job at the age of 12. In the film, they are assigned

the job when they graduate, probably at the age of 18.

Theres romance in the film. In the book, Jonas has his first stirrings related to his
friend Fiona. However, he eventually kisses her in the film and tries to share many of
his experiences with her.
The Chief Elder is the big villain. The book moves forward without a defined
antagonist while in the film the Chief Elder plays a much bigger role to keep memories
out. Shes in charge and keeps things the way she wants them, even if she has to do
terrible things in the process, and then shell use the structure of the society as an
excuse.
In the film, technology is more impressive. The world is a technologically advanced
place filled with drones, 3D transmissions and impressive looking devices of all sorts.
e.g. Instead of taking pills that eradicates stirrings, he receives his medicine through
injections.
The Giver keeps the memory of music in the books, because Jonas wants the giver to
keep that. The film shows the Giver teaching Jonas about music. In the memories,
music is used to connect Rosemary, the failed Receiver, to the present and to give
Taylor Swift an opportunity to use her talents onscreen.
Film Techniques
Close shot: focus on the characters face to emphasize specific moment, such as the
beginning of the film when Jonas appears.
Flashback: used to show Jonas and viewers the givers memory about Rosemary.
Music: The cheerful and inspiring music is used to show the excitement and joy when
Jonas first saw the color red. The music changes to suit different kinds of memory being
passed by the giver.
High/Low Angle: produce visual shock in different situations. For example, the camera is
right below him, when the drone catches Jonas.
Crosscut: used in the last act to emphasize intensity and also hope.
Themes/Class uses
Open ending: explore the open ending of the novel. What happens to Jonas and the

baby? Do they survive? Do memories return to the community? What about the people left
behind? What about his families? Students can discuss these questions and write a next
chapter to the novel.
Critical thinking: It offers students opportunity to think about the world in the novel, and
relate to the world they live in today. How will you define and describe a perfect world? Are
there any problems in the world we live today?
Choice making/ hope/ truth: an opportunity to address these issues. People deserve the
truth, but it often comes at a price. How far would you go for your belief?
Language: simple, direct language, but delivers powerful thought