THE GIVER PROJECT

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is about a dystopian society for these three reasons.

REASON #1

• In the Giver, the government uses propaganda to trick the citizens.
• They use a term called "release" which is where someone too old, dying or some other disease/problem, gets celebrated for their life and then realesed.
• "For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment... (Lowry 2)."
• This quote shows that being released is frowned upon and may celebrate the releasee's life but is just another word for a death and funeral.

REASON #2

• In The Giver, Jonas's society is run by a leader named the Cheif Elder.
• She inforces rules that stop the citizens from having freedom, keeping information to themselves, and even independent thought.
• "How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made (48).
• This quote shows that the Elder decides what choices are made for the citizens and how they live.

REASON #3

• In the Giver, citizens are dehumanized.
• In chapter 19, Jonas's Dad, as a nurturer, has to release a twin because it weighs less than it's sibling.
• As this happens, we learn what that means...
• "His father turned and open the cupboard. He took out a syringe and a small bottle. Very carefully, he inserted the needle into the bottle and begin to fill the syringe with clear liquid. [He carefully] directed the needle into the top of the newchild's forehead... (149)."
• This sad quote explains how the citizens are treated poorly and dehumanized, for example; killing the thinner baby from a set of twins.

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