Name ______The Giver Reader Response Journal
Essential Questions for this novel study:
1. Why do some governments oppress individuals and individuality?
2. In what ways do governments oppress individuals and individuality?
3. What are different ways that individuals react to government oppression?
Literary terms and concepts in this novel that you will explore through your reader-response journal:
Utopia: a perfect society. Although many groups of people have tried to create utopias, they hardly ever work well for long. (The Puritans tried to create a utopia here in America, but look what happened to them!)
Dystopia: a society that tried to become a utopia but whose government became too restrictive, taking away individual rights and civil liberties. (Example: the society in The Uglies is a dystopia because it takes away individuality and rights and forces everyone to be pretty and perfect.)
Euphemism: a word that covers up the true meaning or harsh reality of the concept. (Examples: “passed on” is a euphemism for died. “Repeating a grade” is a euphemism for flunked.) There are many euphemisms used in the Community in this book. Ask yourself why they are used and what realities are being covered up and why.
Flashback: when the setting “flashes” back to an earlier setting to reveal something important about the past in order to help you understand the present. The main character, Jonas, flashes back in his memory several times, helping the readers to understand new ideas about his Community.
Foreshadowing: little hints in the text that help the reader predict something important that will occur later in the story.
Symbolism: physical objects or things that represent big ideas about life. Example: the stars of the American flag symbolize the 50 equal but individual states. Colors can be symbolic too. The color red symbolizes passion which is why it can be the color of passionate love (red rose) or passionate hatred (bloodshed and war). Green often symbolizes nature, growth, and renewal, as seen by grass and spring leaves. Other objects in nature have ancient symbolic values, going back thousands of years, including mountains and trees. We will study some of these symbols in class to enrich your reading experience.
Important symbols in The Giver include:
*Apple ______
*River ______
*Eye ______
*Forest ______
*rain ______
*snowflake ______
*sun ______
*mountain or hill ______
*road ______
*bird ______
*the biblical name Jonas (Jonah) ______
*the biblical name Gabriel (the angel Gabriel) ______
situational irony: a contradiction; when something is the opposite from the way it appears to be. (Example: a Weight watchers sign above an ice cream store.)
dramatic irony: when the readers know something that the characters don’t. Example: (When Anne Frank writes in her diary that she can’t wait to ride a bike once she’s free, the readers/audience knows that she will never do this because she dies.)
Scoring:
Category / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1RL.8.4 Vocabulary
I can determine the meaning of words and phrases are they are used in the text. / Proficient + sophisticated understanding of how the vocab affects the understanding of the story. / Correct definition in the correct context. / May not show a complete understanding of the word & its meaning in context. / Lacks understanding of the word and its meaning in context.
RL.8.2 I can make an inference while reading / Proficient + sophisticated understanding / Shows an understanding of an UNSTATED idea / Inference may not be developed enough / Inference is unclear or undeveloped
RL.8.2 I can analyze how dialogue or incidents in a story propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. / Proficient + sophisticated understanding of the characters and story / Clearly shows how ideas are related. / Analysis is not clear or developed enough. / Analysis is unclear or undeveloped.
RL.8.2 I can analyze theme / Proficient + unexpected and mature ideas not discussed in class / Analysis is clear and focused. / Analysis needs more clarity or focus / Analysis is inaccurate or unfocused
Chapter 1, p. 1-10
Plot Events : Based on these bolded phrases, write the details of that scene and why it’s important. You are proving that you know the plot but you are also showing your ability to analyze the importance of the scene.
1. Riding bike: Jonas is riding his bike along the river, feeling frightened (apprehensive) of something that will be happening in Dec. In our society, most kids would be feeling excited about Christmas coming, but Jonas feels frightened instead.
2. Feeling frightened: Jonas remembers that he felt really frightened a year ago when a jet flew over the community twice, but “frightened” is not really how he’s feeling now, with the ceremony of 12 coming soon. It’s weird that a plane would make anyone feel frightened!
3. Sharing feelings: Jonas goes home, has dinner with family; they share their feelings. Mother, (Dept. Of Justice) worries about a citizen who broke the rules 3 times; Father (Nurturer) worries about newchild who is not developing properly; Lily was angry at a visiting kid who butted in line. Weird how they HAVE to share feelings! I would have hated this as a kid!
Vocabulary (Include the sentence with the word and the correct definition for the context.
1. “distraught” p. 4 “I guess I got distraught, watching them.” Distraught means upset. Jonas is remembering his friend Asher using the word ‘distraught’ incorrectly at school. (Asher should have used the word ‘distracted’ instead.)
2. “apprehensive” p. 4 “Apprehensive. That’s what I am.” Apprehensive means cautious and nervous about something about to occur. Jonas feels cautious about something that will be happening in December.
3. “ritual,” p. 4 “It was one of the rituals, the evening telling of feelings.” A ritual is something that is done regularly, the same way, either daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Jonas’s family had to regularly tell their feelings to each other each day after dinner as an after-dinner ceremony or habit.
Literary technique: Flashback.
Definition: when the setting “flashes back” to the past, to reveal something important that will connect to the present.
On page 2, the author flashes back to a scene from the previous year, when Jonas’s entire community had felt fearful when they saw an airplane flying overhead. Explain the importance of this flashback and what is revealed about the Community through it.
(Notice how my response uses complete sentences and analyzes the importance of the scene):
This flashback shows that an airplane flying overhead is a phenomenon that causes great fear in the community. Jonas realizes that the feeling he is currently having is not as strong as the feeling of fear. This flashback also shows me that this community is different from our own; they don’t have airplanes in the sky like we do. Also, the flashback reveals that everyone obeys all commands since everyone is commanded to go inside AND THEY DO! You can tell that this is not our own society because of this!
My Questions/ ideas (These can be things you wonder about, connections you can make, predictions, etc). Please don’t just repeat the questions I asked you in the journal! They should reflect your own, fresh thinking!
1. I would HATE having to share my feelings every day! I wonder what the purpose is?
2. What is the setting of this story? What is the name of the “Community”? It’s not clear.
Chapter 2, p. 11-19
Plot Events: Based on these phrases, write what happened in the chapter and analyze why it’s important.
1. Ceremony of Ones: ______
______
2. Ceremony of Nines: ______
______
3. Ceremony of Twelve:
______
4. Observation and volunteer hours: ______
______
5. Changes after Twelve: ______
______
Vocabulary
Nurturer (look up nurture), page 11. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition: ______
______
Adherence, page 12. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition: ______
______
Aptitude, page 15. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition: ______
______
Appeal, page 17. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition: ______
Making an inference
“After Twelve, age isn’t important. Most of us even lose track of how old we are as time passes, though the information is in the Hall of Open Records, and we could go and look it up if we wanted to,” (page 17).
Based on this quotation, make an inference about the Community’s VALUES and contrast this with our own community’s VALUES. 3 sentences minimum. One of these sentences must be a complex sentence! Highlight it.
______
______
Based on this chapter, questions/ideas/connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 3, p. 20-26
Plot Events:
The newchild’s eyes: ______
______
Birthmother: ______
______
Mirrors: ______
______
Playing catch:______
______
Vocabulary:
chastisement, page 20. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
hoarded, page 23. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
tunic, page 24. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
Making Inferences:
“Three years…Three births, and that’s all. After that they are Laborers for the rest of their adult lives, until the day they enter the House of the Old,” (page 22).
Explain what is revealed about the Community from this quotation. What inferences can you make from it? Three (3) sentences minimum. One of the sentences must be a compound sentence that uses a semicolon. Highlight it.
______
Literary technique: Flashback.
Definition: when the setting “flashes back” to the past, to reveal something important that will connect to the present. On page 23-24, the author flashes back to the previous month when Jonas experiences something strange. Explain the strange event in the flashback.
______
Explain why you think the event in this flashback is or will be important in the story.
______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 4, p. 26-33
Plot Events:
1. Freedom to choose: ______
______
2. Bragging and rudeness: ______
______
3. Larissa: ______
______
4. Release of Roberto: ______
______
Vocabulary:
regulated, page 26. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
anthem, page 32. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 5, p. 34-39
1. Plot Events
1. Jonas’s dream: ______
______
2. Treatment: ______
______
2. Vocabulary Words in this chapter
disquieting, page 34. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
reluctantly, page 34. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
Literary technique: Euphemism. Definition: A euphemism is a word that covers up the real meaning. A euphemism is a politically correct term used to make something seem less harsh or less embarrassing.
On page 37, Jonas’s mother talks about his first ‘Stirrings’. Explain what ‘stirrings’ is a euphemism for.
______. What do you think this euphemism reveals about Jonas’s community? ______
______
______
Evaluate: Because of the “stirrings” scene, The Giver has been banned (censured) in many public schools in America. Why do you think so many communities do not want their children reading this scene?
______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 6, p. 40-49
Plot Events
1. Gabe labeled Uncertain: ______
______
2. First Caleb and replacement Caleb: ______
______
3. Ceremony of Loss and Murmur-of-Replacement Ceremony: ______
______
4. Ceremony of Nine: ______
5. Ceremony of Ten: ______
______
6. Matching of Spouses: ______
______
Vocabulary Words in this chapter
emblem, page 41. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
______
reprieve, page 42. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
______
relinquish, p. 42. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
______
scrupulously, p. 49. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
______
Literary technique: Euphemism.
On page 43, and later on page 48, the author uses the term ‘Elsewhere’. Explain why you think the Community uses this euphemism.
______
______
______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 7, p. 50-58
Plot Events
1. Eleven-Nineteen: ______
______
2. “Today we honor your differences”: ______
______
3. Madeline’s assignment: ______Inger’s assignment: ______
______
Asher’s assignment:______
4. Fiona’s assignment: ______
5. “She skipped me.” ______
______
Literary technique: Flashback. On page 55, the author flashes back to a setting years before when Asher was a Three. What new information do we learn about the Community’s values through this flashback? (Your values are what you view as important in life)
______
______
Vocabulary
tribute, page 52. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
meticulously, page 34. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
prestige, page 53. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
avert, p. 57. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 8, p. 59-64
Plot Events
1. “I accept your apology.”: ______
______
2. “Jonas has not been assigned.” ______
______
3. “He is to be alone, apart…” ______
______
4. “Courage.” ______
______
5. “The Capacity to see Beyond” ______
______
6. “They changed.” ______
______
Vocabulary
crescendo, page 59. Sentence from chapter ______
______Definition ______
benign, page 59. ______
______Definition ______
indolence, p. 61. ______
______Definition ______
Based on this chapter, questions, ideas, connections I have so far about this story are:
______
Chapter 9, p. 65-71
Plot Events