The Giver - Character List

Jonas:

11 year old protagonist
Sensitive, intelligent, strange powers of perception he doesn’t understand
Chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory when he turns 12
Thoughtful, expresses great concern for his friends and family
New awareness of strong emotions, beautiful colors, and great suffering makes him extremely passionate about the world around him
Remains level-headed and thoughtful
Enjoys learning and experiencing new things: he chooses to volunteer at a variety of different centers rather than focusing on one (enjoys freedom of choice)
Enjoys learning about and connecting with other people
Craves more warmth and human contact than his society permits
Unusual eyes (ability to see things change in a way that he cannot explain)
Uncomfortable with the attention he receives when he is singled out as the new Receiver, preferring to blend in with his friends
Becomes extremely absorbed in the memories the Giver has to transmit
Memories enhance all of Jonas’s unusual qualities
Within a year he becomes extremely sensitive to beauty, pleasure, and suffering, deeply loving toward his family and the Giver, and fiercely passionate about his new beliefs
Frustrated by community
Desire for justice
Wants to change community and awaken other people to the richness of life and to stop the casual cruelty that is practiced in the community
As a result of training, he possesses more wisdom than almost anyone in the community
At 12 years old he is too young to control the powerful emotions that his training unleashes and the hormonal imbalance of teenagers

The Giver:

Receiver of Memory
Holds communities collective memory
Uses his wisdom to help the Committee of Elders make important decisions
A bit of a paradox
Looks ancient, but not old at all
Wise and world-weary
Haunted by memories of suffering and pain
Spent most of his life inside the comfortable living quarters, eating his meals and emerging occasionally to take long walks
Experienced the positive and negative emotions, desires, triumphs, and failures of millions of men and women
Responsible for preserving those memories and using the wisdom they give him to make decisions for the community
Forbidden to share his knowledge
Exceptionally patient, quiet, deliberate person, growing resigned to the fact that he cannot change the community even though he realizes that it needs to be changed
Endures loneliness and frustration & physical pain
Stoic figure, teacher, and mentor
Capable of real love (Rosemary-the first child who was designated to be the Receiver)

Jonas’s Father:

mild-mannered, tenderhearted Nurturer who works with infants
Sweet with his two children
Enjoys his job and takes it very seriously
Even if he is attached to a child he will release it if that seems to the best decision
Has an affectionate, playful relationship with his two children, usually referring to them by silly nicknames
Grapples with difficult decisions and complex emotions
Does not have access to the memories that give Jonas and the Giver insight into human relationships and feelings
Displays many of the characteristics that were valued in pre-Sameness societies
Feels a strong connection with the babies he cares for and a deep concern for their welfare
Agrees with Jonas’s mom that “love” is a meaningless, obscure word
Brings baby Gabriel to his home in hopes of saving him from being released
A product of society

Jonas’s Mother:

practical, pleasant woman with an important position at the Department of Justice
Takes work seriously, hoping to help people who break rules see the error their ways
Frequently gives Jonas advice about the worries and fears he faces as he grows up

Lily:

Jonas’s seven year old sister
Chatterbox and does not quite know when to keep her mouth shut
Extremely practical and well-informed for a little girl

Gabriel:

the new child Jonas’s family cares for at night
sweet and adorable during the day
has trouble sleeping with some memories
he and Jonas become very close

Asher:

Jonas’s best friend
Fun-loving, hasty boy who usually speaks too fast
Mixing up his words to the exasperation of his teachers and Jonas
Assigned the position of Assistant Director of Recreation

Fiona:

Jonas’s friend
Red hair, which only Jonas can see
Works as a Caretaker in the House of the Old
Mild-mannered and patient
Jonas’s first sexual stirrings come in the form of an erotic dream about Fiona

Larissa:

a woman living in the House of the Old
Jonas shares pleasant conversation with her while he gives her a bath during his volunteer hours
Like many inhabitants of the House of the Old, she enjoys gossip and looks forward to her release

The Chief Elder:

elected leader of Jonas’s community
she shows genuine affection for all of the children at the Ceremony of Twelve, knowing their names and an anecdote about each one