Quotes from The Giver, chapters 10 – 15
“No doors in the community were locked, ever.”(p. 61 l. 32)
Explain the situation and Jonas’ reaction. What do you think it means to live in a place
where no doors are ever locked?
Jonas says, “I thought there was only us. I thought there was only now.” (p. 65 ll. 14f.)
Explain the situation and what Jonas thinks/ believes.
“There’s much more. … And here in this room, all alone, I re-experience them (= the memories)
again and again. It is how wisdom comes. And how we shape our future.“ (p. 65 ll. 16 – 20)
Explain what the Giver re-experiences and how this is connected to wisdom and the
future.
The man corrected him. "Honor," he said firmly. "I have great honor. So will you. But you will find
that that is not the same as power." (p. 70 ll. 6 - 8)
Describe the situation. Then explain what the Giver means and point out his position
in the community.
The Giver instructs Jonas to “call back the memory of the ride on the sled… [and to] look down at
the sled.” Then he tells him, “You can remember last year, or the year that you were a Seven, or a
Five, can’t you? … It’s much the same. Everyone in the community has one-generation memories
… . But now you will be able to go back farther.” (p. 76 ll. 16-30)
Explain the situation. Then point out what the Giver is trying to explain and teach
Jonas.
“Our people made that choice, that choice to go to Sameness. Before my time, before the
previous time, back and back and back. We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and
did away with differences. … We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others.” (p.
78 ll. 14 – 18)
Explain what the Giver means. Give examples of what they gained control of but also
of what they had to let go.
"Well ..." Jonas had to stop and think it through. "If everything's the same, then there aren't any
choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things! A blue tunic, or a red one?" (p. 79 ll.
16ff.)
Describe Jonas’ reaction and explain what he suddenly realized. Does it really matter
to him which color he wears? Discuss what it means to have a choice.
Oh." Jonas was silent for a minute. "Oh, I see what you mean. It wouldn't matter for a newchild's
toy. But later it does matter, doesn't it? We don't dare to let people make choices of their own."
"Not safe?" The Giver suggested.
"Definitely not safe," Jonas said with certainty. "What if they were allowed to choose their own
mate? And chose wrong?" … We really have to protect people from wrong choices.“ (p. 80 l. 1 –
11)
What do Jonas and the Giver discuss? What does Jonas think about the ability to
choose?
“You remember the rule that says the new Receiver can’t talk about his training? Jonas nodded. Of
course he remembered. It had turned out, by far, to be the most frustrating of the rules he was
required to obey.” (p. 83 ll. 10 – 13)
Explain why this is the most frustrating rule for Jonas. Find examples where he does
not strictly follow the rule. Why does he try to circumvent (= umgehen, unterlaufen)
it?
“[Y]our instructors are well trained. They know their scientific facts. Everyone is well trained for his
job. It’s just that … without the memories it’s all meaningless. They gave that burden to me.”
The Giver says that without memories, knowledge is meaningless. What does he mean?