The+Giver+-+Reader+Responses

**Chapter 3 discussion questions:**
1. Skim chapter three, note how Jonas is portrayed as different from the rest of the community. 2. Light colored eyes are compared to something on the top of p. 21. What is it and why does the author make that comparison? 3. What could light eyes symbolize? 4. Right at the beginning of the chapter, why is Jonas startled by Lily’s comment about his eyes? What does that tell you about him? 5. Why are mirrors rare in the community, or why does the community limit them? 6. If you lived in Jonas’s community, where would you spend your volunteer hours? Why 7. Explain what happens to the apple during the game of catch that Jonas plays with Asher. 8. Reread the last sentence on p. 25. What literary device is used to end the chapter? Why do you think Lowry worded the sentence that way?

[[image:Giver_.jpg align="left"]]
Answer these on your computer or in your journal. Copy the heading above. Work individually first.
 * Chapter 15 - 17 Discussion Questions:**

1. Re-read chapter 15. Note the imagery that explains the memory Jonas is receiving. What war is this? How do you know?

2. List all of the things, feelings, experiences that Jonas now realizes the community is lacking? Why are they not allowed to experience these things?

3. What is your reaction to Jonas’s lie to his parents on p. 127?

4. Did you notice signs that Jonas is feeling isolated or alienated? If so, list the passages that show that.

5. What is going to happen to Gabriel, in your mind?

Reflecting on the Importance of Memory
 * Monday, 2/17/15**

Excerpt from Chapter 10 of //The Giver// by Lois Lowry: The man shook his head. “No, no,” he said. “I’m not being clear. It’s not my past, my childhood that I must transmit to you.” He leaned back, resting his head against the back of the upholstered chair. “It’s the memories of the whole world,” he said with a sigh. “Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and generations before him.”

Jonas frowned. “The whole world?” he asked. “I don’t understand. Do you mean not just us? Not just the community? Do you mean Elsewhere, too?” He tried, in his mind, to grasp the concept. “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand exactly. Maybe I’m not smart enough. I don’t know what you mean when you say ‘the whole world’ or ‘generations before him.’ I thought there was only us. I thought there was only now.”

“There’s much more. There’s all that goes beyond—all that is Elsewhere—and all that goes back, and back, and back. I received all of those, when I was selected. And here in this room, all alone, I re-experience them again and again. It is how wisdom comes. And how we shape our future.” (77 – 78)

In Chapter 10, we learn about the Community’s attitude toward memory in //The// //Giver//, and we read that The Giver believes memory is an important part of gaining wisdom and shaping the future.

 Do you believe you need to know about the past in order to be wise?

 Do you think knowing the past can be valuable in shaping the future?

Answer both of these questions in a well-developed paragraph in your notebook. Use examples from the book, your life, other stories, the news, or history to explain and support your beliefs.

Finally, after **completing the book,** answer the following questions:
 * TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY - 2/17 and 2/18/15**

1. What did you think of the ending? Was it satisfying? Did you like it? 2. Where were Jonas and Gabe? 3. Was it a happy or sad ending? Why? 4. If you didn't like it, what would have made it better, in your opinion?

Go to the American Memory Website, sponsored by the Library of Congress, and poke around a bit. Search a few different dates and read through some of the material that has been collected about those days in U.S. History.
 * Also, in class - 2/17/15 & 2/18/15**

Then, think about Varied Expressions of Memory and work on this handout. Choose one of the prompts to respond to briefly.

Then, we'll re-read ch. 11 of //The Giver//, and fill out the Descriptive Writing Analysis. (Finish for homework)

Next, we need to think about why some memories take up more TIME when they replay in our minds than they did to actually happen, and how that will change the way we write about them, as it did for Lowry. Watch this TED video on writing about memories for more details.

Today, first you'll read the scene you wrote describing your specific feeling or snapshot memory as Lowry did with Jonas's memories of snow, sunshine and a sunburn. Then the class will guess about what experience you were describing.
 * 2/19/15**

This scene should be thought of as an example of the type of writing you will be doing in your upcoming memoir assignment. Then we'll read through and discuss the Memoir Assignment Details:

Note: You will be continuing your examination of different kinds of historical records by getting ideas for your memoir from at least three different sources: your own memory, a personal interview, and a photograph (or other appropriate sources, as you see fit).

You should use this below handout to help plan and keep track of the sensory details you collect. It should be completed entirely by Friday, 2/27/15. [[file:Planning Your Descriptive Memoir .docx]] Have a rough idea of a memory and why it is important by tomorrow, Thursday, 2/19/15.

final descriptive memoir rubric

Lois Lowry uses imagery to paint beautiful and sometimes disturbing pictures with words. Locate a passage from the novel and imagine the scene as the author describes it. Then use that portrayal as the basis of a piece of artwork -- illustrate, sketch, paint, or create a Glog on [|glogster] that portrays a descriptive scene in the book. Afterwards, copy a short section of the descriptive passage onto the illustration or image in any way that you’d like. Along with the image, illustration or collage, you will write a detailed paragraph describing how you went about making the image and how it communicates the author’s words in a visual way. The bulk of the work must be completed in class and the image, illustration or collage will be presented to the class, and if possible, scanned and displayed on the 7th grade English blog.
 * extra credit opportunity: IMAGERY ARTWORK**

The IMAGERY ARTWORK must: 1. use both pictures and words 2. be created using glogster

The IMAGERY ARTWORK should not have: spelling or grammatical errors improper capitalization or punctuation

The descriptive PARAGRAPH must: 6. explain how the artwork communicates the author’s words in a visual way 7. explain why you made the layout/color/text decisions you did 8. be double spaced 9. be error free (no spelling, capitalization, grammatical, punctuation errors) 10. be turned in on the due date as you enter class - one per group with all group members’ names on it

The paragraph can (and should) be used as an outline for the oral presentation of your poster.