Literary Terms
What is a utopia?
an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its citizens.
Who is the most important Elder?
The Receiver
According to The Giver, why does Jonas have to receive and store memories of pain?
What happens to the Giver’s memory of an event after he transmits it to Jonas?
the Giver no longer has it
What shocked Jonas when he viewed his father “releasing” one of the newborn twins?
His father is killing the twin
What is dystopia?
an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.
What ceremony is the last in this community?
Ceremony of 12
What two lessons does Jonas learn about the sun?
it burns and it's hot
Why does the giver start with only pleasing memories?
because he learned from previous experience that the process is hard and he wants Jonas to be able to make it through the training
Why does the community refer to the former Receiver-in-training as a failure? How does this failure affect the rules that apply to Jonas?
Because she asked for release. Jonas is no longer allowed to ask for release.
What is an example of a euphemism in The Giver?
release, community, stirrings, mother, father, elsewhere
What is the name of the protagonist’s best friend?
Asher
Why is the concept of pain beyond Jonas’s comprehension?
no one in the community experiences pain
What memory does Jonas receive that makes him see the color red as blood?
a memory of war
What was the euphemism for death in Jonas’s community?
release
What is an example of euphemism in our society?
pass away, correctional facility, put to sleep
What physical feature of Jonas is different from everyone else in the community?
pale eyes
Why had Asher been punished for confusing the words “snack” and “smack”?
the community values precision of language
What happened to the memories that the last Receiver learned after she was released?
The memories were returned to the people and it caused pain and chaos
Why does The Giver decide to stay behind to help the community?
Because he is old and the people will need someone to help them process the painful memories
What does the word euphemism mean?
a term used to soften the meaning of a word that may suggest something unpleasant.
What is the “celebration” for that is discussed in chapter 4?
elderly people being released
Which item in the list of duties and responsibilities frightens Jonas? Why?
you may lie
Why are Jonas and his father worried about Gabriel’s fretfulness at night? How does Jonas try to solve this problem?
They don't want him to be released. Jonas gives Gabe memories to help soothe him.
Why do Jonas and The Giver choose the December Ceremony as the time to implement their plan?
They will have extra time for Jonas to escape while the people are occupied with the ceremony and it won't be weird that Jonas is there