Thinking Skins Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Once again, I want to try to start a book discussion here in Tailgate. I just finished reading The Giver, which I hear is normally recommended to many first time readers. My little cousin read it earlier this year and I promised him that I'd read it so we could discuss it. So when I started it, I figured it would take one direction, and I was preparing myself for this storyline of many similar books. But then there's just a surprise that kinda left me puzzled and I had to go back a few times and try to connect the dots to see if I could make sense of it. Now I'm curious to know if I'm the only one. Heck, maybe I'm just missing something and the book is just stating the obvious. Anyway, if you've read this, I'm anxious to hear what you thought of it, particularly what you think Lowry meant by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconTheVillain Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I read it a while back...Don't even remember what it was about. Glad to have helped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Yes, I have read it. What are you confused with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 Yes, I have read it. What are you confused with? Its not that I'm confused. But that ending was just not what I expected. I guess I've developed my own theory as to how it all ties together, but I'm curious to hear what other people think. ---------- Post added December-14th-2012 at 09:25 PM ---------- Basically what I say is that its kinda like when Rosemary died and the memories were released back into society, except that Jonas wasn't dead. I think that each time he was passing a memory to Gabriel, he was really releasing that memory back into society. So what was happening was that he was fighting against those same memories that he was releasing. And he returns to a world of love because of the first memory he releases to Gabriel, the one of love in the family. But I could be way off so I'm curious to know what others think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsiaticSkinsFan Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Read it in middle school. Was a moving book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdcskins Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Funny, I just read that book for the first time like two months ago. Very good read. I'd have to glance over it again, but basically I think it's an analogy for the governemnt trying to restrict people's thoughts and actions. Mainly that there is no such thing as a perfect world. In order for there to be joy there must be pain. How do you know what love is if you haven't suffered loss or regret? Jonas was supposed to keep all the memories for himself as to protect others, but he realized that those memories are meant to be experienced by everyone. That isn't a very good synopsis, I had a much clearer one when I finished reading the book. If I were at home I'd read a few pages and have a better analysis. Overall though a pleasant easy read and good book. I do remember thinking the ending was a little ehhh but it was hard to really have and end to such a vivid tale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullnelson9999 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 That book confused the hell out of me when I read it years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfitzo53 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I remember reading it in elementary school and loving it. I still have a hardcover copy of it that I asked for for Christmas or my birthday one year, but it's been at least 15 years since I've read it. Maybe almost 20. I didn't remember the ending being confusing, but it was a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmzznnxx Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I feel like I'm in the minority in disliking that book. I just didn't find it particularly moving, which is odd because I love reading dystopian novels. As a heads up Thinking Skins, Lowry wrote three other books based in the same time. They might help clear things up (or maybe not, I never read them). They're also apparently making a movie of the book starring Jeff Bridges. If it ever comes out, I probably wouldn't watch it because: A) I don't feel like the "twist" of the book would translate to film well, and I couldn't imagine Jeff Bridges as the Giver without thinking of The Dude from The Big Lebowski. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Its not that I'm confused. But that ending was just not what I expected. I guess I've developed my own theory as to how it all ties together, but I'm curious to hear what other people think.---------- Post added December-14th-2012 at 09:25 PM ---------- Basically what I say is that its kinda like when Rosemary died and the memories were released back into society, except that Jonas wasn't dead. I think that each time he was passing a memory to Gabriel, he was really releasing that memory back into society. So what was happening was that he was fighting against those same memories that he was releasing. And he returns to a world of love because of the first memory he releases to Gabriel, the one of love in the family. But I could be way off so I'm curious to know what others think. I haven't read it recently enough to analyze it in depth. Started to read it with one of my guided reading groups last year, but we never finished. Last time I read it in full was a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Have you checked out goodreads.com? They often have discussions on books though more likely the reviews become discussions themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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