Honors Giver Question
Chapters 1-5: Giver
1. What do you think the story will be about? Provide
2.
3.
4.
5.
evidence to support your
conclusion.
What unexpected and unusual uses of language do you notice in these chapters?
Provide three examples and explain the purpose of each.
Define the word euphemism. Provide three examples of common euphemisms
that are used in our society. Now find 2 examples in the Giver" and write them
down. What are they euphemisms for? Why does the community use them?
Louis Lowry tells the story from a limited third person point of view. What does
this mean? (see red textbook P.R130) Why doesn't she tell it from Jonas's point?
What effect does this choice of narration have on you the reader?
Who or what can you infer as the antagonist? Explain.
Chapters 6- 15: Giver
1.
2.
Define Privacy. Why do you value privacy? Is privacy an issue in The Giver?
How does this issue affect our characters?
How do you show respect for your elders in your family and culture? Do the old
have dignity in The Giver? Include evidence from chapter 4 in your answer and
site page #.
3.
4.
5.
In chapter 5 the speaker system announces, "Attention: a reminder that stirrings
must be repofied for treatment to take place. . ." What is the point of giving Jonas
a pill so that he doesn't feel attracted to girls? Why would the community want to
prevent that? What is dangerous to the community about love and attraction?
What pulpose do the "assignments" have in the community? What do they allow
you to infer about the community? What do they say about its rule of law?
Find 3 passages that show the narrator's access to Jonas's inner thoughts and
feelings. (Write them down. Minimum of 2 sentences pff example and page #s
required.)
6. What is sl.mbolism? Explain what the river s).rnbolizes and provide deep insight
into why you think this.)
7. Explain what the sled image synbolizes. Connect this symbol to another in the
book then explain what they have in common. How do they differ or contrast?
8. Jonas and the Giver are expected to be able to make better decisions for the
community based on memories. Such decisions are called public policy decisions.
What have you leamed about history that could allow you to make good public
policy decisions? For example: health cate, education, war.
9. Why don't characters question what happens to people in "Elsewhere" or when
they are released? What stamps out that innate instinct to wonder why?
10. What experience or human flaw is revealed to Jonas in chapter 15? Is this society
better than ours because it has taken away this event? Does this experience define
what our society is today?
Chapters 16- 23 Giver
l. What is the Giver's favorite memory? Why would Lowry choose this memory as
that character's preference? How does this choice affect the reader's perception of the
Giver? (Chapter l6)
Lily and Mother's expressions of anger and sadness in this
community that values so-called precise language? (Chapter l7)
2. What's ironic about
3. Are children's war games (cops and robbers or kill the bad guy video games)
healthy? Do they serve an important purpose? Are some games better or worse than
others? Explain. (Chapter 17)
4. Define powerlessness. Does this term apply to Jonas? Argue both points of
views by explaining the reasons why it does apply and why this term does not apply.
Cite evidence. (Chapter l7)
5. How does referring to a person by name versus a title affect how you perceive him
or her? Think of Rosemary? (Chapter 18)
what did you expect release to be? How does Lois Lowry shape the readers
expectations of what release is like in this chapter and in earlier ones? (Chapter 19)
6.
7. The Giver describes Fiona in this way: "She's very efficient at her work, your redhaired friend. Feelings are not part of tire life she's learned." Explain the significance
of this statement about feelings.
8. What memories are so important to you that you shouldn't forget them? List 5 and
describe each in 2 sentences. Under each description tell me why they define who you
are today.
9. What do you think happened to Jonas and Gabriel? Do they make it to elsewhere?
Is Jonas Hallucinating or dead? Defend your answer and tell me why you chose one
over the other.
10. How does lowery make the reader make the reader increasingly uncomfortable
with this society without ever criticizing it outright? Provide 3 examples of her ability
to point out its flaws. Talk about how each example makes the reader realize what the
community is missing.
1
1.
Define Ambiguous. Why does the author write an ambiguous ending? What effect
it have on you the reader?
does