This is a classic modern fantasy that reveals ideas of being completely governed. In the book Jonas and the people of his community experience life that is controlled by a group of Elders. Citizens of this community do not see colors, experience sunshine, love, or pain. When each citizen reaches their twelfth year he or she is assigned a role in the Community; Jonas is reaching his twelfth year; what will his role be? He has no clue, but he knows that the Elders have been watching him. He has not simply been given a role but has been chosen to be The Receiver of Memories, an honorable role. In his adventure of becoming The Receiver, Jonas experiences memories he has never known from a man with the role as The Giver. He learns that he has been kept from pain, death, love, and family. Jonas’ selflessness drives him to escape from the community so that they too can experience such feelings. In his escape he brings along a child who is about to be put to death or in the communities terms 'released'. In the end of the book the reader finds that Jonas and the child are experiencing memories that Jonas received from The Giver. As Jonas' memories that were given to him are slipping, he can only hope that his family and citizens of the community are experiencing the world outside of what the Elders decide. This story could be used in a classroom of students to help celebrate their differences because the dullness of being the same is a constant theme throughout the story. I would have students write reflections about their feelings of living in a world of 'sameness'.
