Name: _________________Date: ____

The Giver Study GuideChapter 1

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the chapters.

It was almost December, and ___________ was beginning to be frightened. He remembered being frightened before, when a ______ had flown over the community. It made his stomach churn, and he trembled when his community went ___________. But it had been nothing; a pilot made an error. Needless to say, he will be ______________. To be released was a final decision, an overwhelming statement of ______________.

Jonas was trying to find the right ________ for the way he was feeling. He remembered how his friend, ___________, scrambled words and phrases. For instance, when he was little he used the word __________ instead of __________. Jonas wanted to select the right word to describe the way he was ________________. ______________ was the right word.

Lily was _____________today when another visiting group of sevens didn’t __________ the rules. She said they acted like _____________. Neither child knew what the __________ meant; they knew it meant someone who was uneducated and clumsy. Lily eventually realized she was wrong to feel angry, but that she should feel _______. Jonas’ father was a ______________. He was responsible for all the physical and emotional needs of every __________ during its earliest life. He was feeling very ___________ for a new infant who was not growing properly and who may need to be _________________.

He was going to ask if he could ___________ the new child home with him for the nights to help him grow. Lily asked if they could __________ the new child, but Lily’s mother reminded her that according to the _____________, they were only allowed ________ male and _________ female to each family unit. Jonas’ mother felt __________ for a repeat offender who committed a second ___________. She reminded Jonas that there’s no __________ chance. Lastly, Jonas shared that he felt apprehensive about his upcoming _____________ __ ____________.

Record details you noted about this community.

Chapter 2-Jonas remembered when his family ____________ Lily, the day she

was named and the day she had become a ________. The Ceremony for the Ones was always noisy and fun. Each December, all the new children born in the previous year (there were always _______________ in each year’s group) are brought to the stage to be named. Lily’s mom fondly remembers when they received their _________, because they had made their application and had been ________________.

Jonas’ father admitted to checking this year’s list of ____________ to see if he could help the newborn grow. His father shared that his name is ______________, and he whispers it to him in hopes of helping him grow. The family discusses the Ceremony of Twelve and its importance. Jonas’ father recalled when he turned ____________ and how nervous he was. He broke one of the rules, a minor one, and taught his sister how to ride a ___________. This was a rule that is almost ____________broken. There was talk about ___________ the rule, but a _____________ needed to study it. When something went to a committee for study, the people in the community always ________ about it. Rules were very ________ to change. If it was a truly important decision, it would go to the _______________, the most important elder in the community.

Jonas’ father recalled how in his Ceremony of Twelve, there was no element of ____________. He was fairly certain of the assignment he would be given. Unlike Jonas, who is not _________ of what his assignment will be. Jonas has noticed during the past year the increasing level of ____________. The Committee of Elders was watching and determining the ___________ of the future twelves. Jonas’ father reassured him that there are very rarely any ___________. The Committee of Elders are very careful in their selection and assignments. However, it is the ________ of the Ceremonies. After ___________, age isn’t important. What is important is the preparation

for adult life and the training. Jonas will not have _______ hours or __________ hours. He will spend his time training.

Record some new details you discovered about this community.Next to each one, place a (+) or a (-) rating each detail.

YES ! NO! and WHY? This community is better than the world we live in today.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3-1. What was the first thing Jonas and Lily notice about the

newborn child, Gabe? Why is this different?

2. Jonas decided that these light eyes gave the person a certain look - _________. Why?

3. What do you learn about birthmothers?

4. Describe Jonas’ incident with the apple. What did Jonas notice? Why was he bewildered?

5. Record your recent discoveries about this community. Place a (+) or a (-) next to each item.

6. Record two similarities and two differences between More’s Utopia, his fictitious island, and the community in The Giver.

Similarities:

1.2.

Differences:

1.2.

7. What challenges (or societal problems) are being addressed?

8. Do you agree with these changes? Why or why not?

Chapter 4-1. Why didn’t Jonas tell Benjamin he was impressed with the things

he accomplished?

2. How does Jonas describe Fiona?a. she made serious work difficultb. quiet and politec. too seriousd. she had a sense of fune. both b & d

3. What did Larissa find to be “wonderful” about Roberto’s life?

Chapter 5-1. What didJonas’ family members share during the morning ritual?

2. Did Jonas’ mother have to wash dishes? How do you know?

3. When Jonas remembers that he will need treatment, what is his biggest fear?

Chapter 6-

1. In this community, what is the first sign of independence?

2. What distinguishes the Nines from the younger kids? 

3. Why was Gabriel not present at the Naming ceremony?

4. What is a replacement child?

5. Why did children receive their first pockets at age Eight?

6. What qualities are taken into consideration when the elders are matching

spouses?

Chapter 7-

1. Why was Jonas also named “1119”?

2. Why do parents sometimes call children by their numbers rather than by their

names?

3 How did the Chief Elder feel about the differences between the Twelves at

the ceremony?

4 The Chief Elder chastised Asher’s old teacher. What does chastise mean?

5. What did the Chief Elder highlight as one of Asher’s best qualities?

6. What took place at the Ceremony of Twelve that devastated Jonas?

Chapter 8-

1. Why was Jonas not “assigned” a new role?

2. Why do the Elders sometimes observe community members during their

training?

3 Which five qualities did the Chief Elder think would make Jonas a good

Receiver?

_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

4. What happened when Jonas looked out across the audience?

5 How did Jonas feel about his new assignment?

Chapter 9-

1. How do Jonas’ parents feel about his new assignment?

2. Which two of Jonas’ new rules surprised Jonas the most and why?

3. Which new rule did he care about the least and why?

Chapter 10-1. How had the bikes of the new Twelves changed overnight?

2. How was The Receiver’s door different from any other door in the community?

3. Describe the most significant difference between the Receiver’s living area and his own family dwelling?

4. What quality of the Receiver “mirrored” one of Jonas’ own qualities?

5. Describe what the Receiver’s job is now that Jonas has been selected.

Chapters 11-12 -

1. The first memory that The Giver transmits to Jonas is one about sledding downhill in the snow. Jonas has never heard of snow and does not know what the word downhill means. Based on that information, name two things you can you infer (guess) about the environment that Jonas lives in?

1. __________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________

2. How did Jonas feel after receiving his first memory?

a. He was scared and did not want to be The Receiver anymore.

b. He really enjoyed it and wanted to try it experience it again.

c. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep.d. He thought it was so sad that he almost cried.

3. The Giver tells Jonas that the changes he saw in the apple, the

audience, and Fiona’s hair occurred because he is “beginning to

see the color red.” What can you infer about what colors everyone else in the community sees?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The first painful memory that Jonas received occurred while he was lying in the sunshine and his skin began to sting. What was Jonas’ first painful memory? _________________________________________________________

5. What memory does The Giver give Jonas to teach him about colors? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. List at least FOUR sensory words from the following passage from The Giver. Also, describe the sense to which they appeal.

“. . . he could feel that he was not on the soft decorated bedcovering at all, but rather seated on a flat, hard surface. His hands now held (though at the same time they were still motionless at his sides) a rough, damp rope.

And he could see, though his eyes were closed. He could see a bright whirling torrent of crystals in the air around him, and he could see them gather on the backs of his hands, like could fur.”

_________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

7. Even though Jonas is forbidden to talk about his training, he thinks, even if it were not, it still would have been impossible to discuss things with his friends.  Why?

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

8. How is Jonas’ “seeing beyond”? What is he noticing?

9. How does the community create “sameness”? What does it eliminate? Why would they do that?

Chapter 13 -1. How does Jonas feel about the concept of “sameness”?

2. For Jonas, what is the most frustrating rule of his training?  Why? How will it affect his life as an adult in the community?

3. When the previous successor to The Giver failed, what happened? 

Chapter 14 -Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the chapters.

It was much the same, this ____________, though the hill seemed to be a different one, steeper, and the snow was not falling as thickly as it had before. It was colder, also,

Jonas perceived. The sled moved forward, and Jonas grinned with delight, looking forward to the slide down the hill.

But the runners, this time, couldn’t slice through the frozen expanse as they had on the other, snow-cushioned hill. Jonas pulled at the rope, trying to ________, but the steepness and ____________ took control from his hands and he was no longer enjoying the feeling of _______________ but instead, terrified, was at the mercy of the wild acceleration downward over the ice.

Sideways, spinning, the sled hit a bump in the hill andJonas was jarred loose and thrown violently in the air. He fell with his ________ twisted under him. Then, the first wave of _______; he gasped. In his agony he perceived the word “__________” and felt flames licking at the torn bone and flesh. He tried to move, and could not. The pain grew.

Once back in the annex room again, __________ on the bed in pain, his face was full of tears. He asked for _____________________, but The Giver said ______ and looked away. At home with his family, Jonas thought __________________________. The realization made him feel desperately ____________.1. The Giver tells Jonas that the memories of pain and suffering

give them ____________. Why is this important for the community?

2. Why is The Giver the one with all of the memories? 

3. What does Jonas do to soothe Gabriel?  Why is this dangerous?

Chapter 15-1. What was the memory The Giver gave to Jonas?

2. How did Jonas react to this memory?

Chapter 16--1.  Why doesn't Jonas want to go back to The Giver?

2. Why was The Giver’s favorite memory warm and comforting to Jonas? What is this memory?

3. The word Jonas is searching for to describe the feeling in the room of the memory is. . . _________________.

4. Why did Jonas think that was still a dangerous environment?

5. How did Jonas’ parents react when he asked them if they loved him?

6. After that conversation with his parents, Jonas . . .

a) tells Gabe that things could be different. 

b) lies to his parents. 

c) decides to stop taking his pill. 

d) all of the above. 

Chapter 17---1.  Does Jonas’ family truly experience feelings? Why or why not?

2. Why is Jonas disturbed by the game his friends are playing? 

3. Why does Jonas feel overwhelmed with feelings of loss? 

Chapter 18—Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the chapter.

“Giver,” Jonas asked the next afternoon, “Do you ever think about _________?”

The Giver replied that he thinks about his own release when he is in a lot of pain. He wishes he could put a _____________ in for it, sometimes. The Giver can’t until a new __________________ is trained. Jonas was not looking forward to the end of the training, when he would become the new Receiver. It was clear to him what a terribly __________ and ____________ life it was despite the _______________.

Jonas wanted to know about the previous Receiver. “Can you tell me her name? My parents said that it wasn’t to be spoken again in the _______________. But couldn’t you just say it to me?”

The Giver hesitated painfully, as if saying the name aloud might be excruciating. “Her name was _____________,” he told Jonas, finally.

“Her training began. She received well, as you do. She was so enthusiastic. So delighted to experience new things. It broke my heart, Jonas, to transfer __________ to her. But it was my ________. Finally, one afternoon, we finished for the day. It had been a hard session. She stood up very silently, _________, as if she were making a decision. She left here that day, left this room, and did not go back to her ______________. I was notified by the Speaker that she had gone directly to the Chief Elder and asked to be ____________.”

1. What would happen to Jonas if he were “lost”?

Chapter 19—1. What does Jonas want to see during his training with The Giver?

2. What does “Release” mean? What is the process? How does Jonas feel about this?

Chapter 20—1. What is Jonas’ reaction after viewing the release?

2. How does The Giver explain the ceremony of release? How do the members of the community commit this act?

3. What is the plan Jonas and The Giver devise?

4. What shocking news do you learn at the end of the chapter?Chapter 21—

1. What happened that drastically altered the plan The Giver and Jonas had created?

2. What three transgressions did he commit in order to escape?o

o

o

3. What did Jonas do to help hide both Gabriel and himself?

Chapter 22—1. What began to change as the days passed and as Jonas and

Gabriel moved further and further from the community? How did this help and/or hurt them?

2. Jonas debates as to whether leaving the community was a “good choice”. What does he decide and why?

3. What did Jonas fear the most at the end of chapter 22?

Chapter 23—

4. How did the novel end? What happened?

5. Where are Jonas and Gabriel? Defend your answer.