Readers Log

1. Readers Log Kiara Vazquez

2. 1. In the excerpt of the Giver that I read, you begin to learn more about the main characters. At first the main character is talking about his feelings, and how he fears the ceremony. Later on when the family are eating dinner all of the characters begin expressing one feeling they felt during that day. We learn about the job assigned to the dad as a nurturer, as well as the type of society they live in. Everything is controlled and certain ages mean more responsibility. The main character explains his fear of being assigned a job, while his parents try to comfort him and say the government knows best. • What interest me most is the type of society that the characters live. As the story goes on, we learn how everything is controlled. I was surprised to learn how the main character is going to be assigned a job because of his age. I learned about the main characters family, and how his dad is known as a nurturer. I’m curious to know what type of job Jonas is given.

3. 2. In the beginning of this chapter, it continues to discuss some of the rules that applied to the people, and what certain ages meant. For example, when you are nine you receive a bike. However, it is a community secret that their older siblings and parents secretly teach them before the ceremony in December. A new character named Gabe is presented in the story. Since Jonas’ dad is a nurturer, he asked for permission to take a baby home at night because it is having trouble sleeping, and he doesn’t want him being kicked out of the community. We learn that being kicked out of the community is shameful. We see how their mother talks down the idea of being a birthmother. We learn that you are assigned a spouse as well as children, that aren’t even yours. She said that it is shameful, and that you only get three years. Then, it’s physical labor for you. Probably the most important part of this chapter is when we learn about the incident with the apple, where Jonas describes the apple changing while playing catch with his best friend. • In this chapter I was so horrified by all the rules that the members of the community had to follow. Each rule seemed to be for the better of the people, and no one realized how suppressed and un-free they really were. I feel the newborn baby Gabe will play an interesting role in the story as it plays out. I am very curious to know what job will be assigned for Jonas. I am surprised to see how no one, not even the adult’s question the system. I feel that the incident with the apple will happen again to Jonas. I can’t wait to read more!

4. 3. In the beginning of this excerpt, Jonas is on his way to House of the Old (where the old stay) to do his volunteer hours. In order to succeed and be assigned a job, there are certain requirements you must meet. Jonas describes each of the buildings in the community he passes as he makes his way to the house of the old. He begins bathing an elder named Larisa, and they discuss the ceremony of release. The ceremony of release is when they release someone of a certain age to a different community. In chapter five, Jonas discusses his dream about his friend, and his mom introduces these dreams as stirrings. She then instructs him to begin taking the pill for these stirrings. At the end of this segment, the first day of the ceremonies begin, where Jonas younger sister goes though the ceremony of eight and gets a new jacket. • It was interesting when Jonas was describing each of the main buildings in the community where he lived. Ranging from the House of the Old, to the day care center where Jonas little sister attended, each of the buildings made it more evident how everyone was united in a way. However, it also goes to show how little privacy everyone has. The lack of privacy is also evident when Jonas tells his dream to his family. Even though he could simply not tell them, or even lie, both are against the rules in the community, and he feels inclined to tell them. I thought it was sad how each of the kids he knew had to take the pills because of the stirrings, but at the same time it was interesting listening to Jonas thoughts and how he questioned his dreams. This shows that he isn’t a complete zombie for the system.

5. 4. It is the second day of the ceremony, and all of the twelve’s filled with anticipation as they wait for the job that will become their entire life and career. We learn about some of the different kids Jonas knows, and what he predicts their occupation will be. The ceremony begins with the nines receiving their bikes. We also see what happens in the other age groups during the ceremony. Jonas and his best friend Asher discuss a rumor they had heard about a man who didn’t enjoy what was picked for his job, and ran away from the community. However, Jonas doubts it and thinks of it as a silly rumor. Asher receives his job as a Assistant Director of Recreation. Everyone knows that this suites Asher since he is such a goofy and funny character. Fiona, the girl Jonas likes receives a job that is appropriate for her as well, Caretaker of the Old. Just when Jonas turn comes around though, he’s skipped! Everyone in the audience including Jonas is stunned. • I was filled with anticipation as I read through the ceremony. Each child seems to be satisfied with the assignment they are assigned. I was especially pleased when Asher got Assistant Direction of Recreation, since it seems so appropriate because of his fun natured personality. When they skipped over Jonas, I was completely shocked. Why did they skip over him? I am most certainly reading on to find out!

6. 5. The announcer after the ceremony of twelve ends finally addresses the audience and Jonas about her skipping over Jonas during the ceremony. When he goes to the stage, he is told he has not been assigned but selected. The announcer then states he has been selected as the next Receiver of Memory. At first, he has no idea what this means. However, the audience obviously does though by their shocked reaction. Jonas then notices the Receiver of Memory, and how he looks different from the rest of the Chief Elders. The announcer mentioned how the last selection ten years ago failed. Jonas’ selection is the most honored in the community. However, it also includes pain and isolation. This makes Jonas feel ill at ease. It also includes intelligence. Integrity and courage. However, what scared Jonas the most is when Jonas announced there would be physical pain. We learn that Lily begins her volunteer hours now that she has turned eight, and starts the day after when Jonas starts his training. Jonas studies his rules and notices how each are strange and give him certain exceptions he’s learned that are wrong. Jonas the next day meets the Receiver of Memory in the annex. The Receiver of Memory then answers Jonas ‘questions and explains what exactly it means to be the New Receiver of Memory in training. The Receiver of Memory then gives a brief explanation, and orders him to lay face down. • When the announcer said Jonas wasn’t assigned but selected, my jaw dropped. Selected for what? As she described the requirements Jonas would face as becoming and training to be the Receiver of Memory I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, because of the burden it sounded like. Sure, it had great honor. But you also have to become isolated, deal with physical pain, and many other impatient things. I was very curious to see how the current Receiver of Memory was. I can tell he is a very nice man, but he also seems filled with grief. I predict that this grief has something to do with his title, and the past before this community was created.

7. 6. After Jonas lies down as told, he witnesses the man turned the speaker placed in the room, along with every other dwelling in the community off, which definitely seemed surprising to Jonas. The man goes on to transfer a memory of snow to Jonas so he will understand. Jonas loved the memory, and felt glee with the memory. As the memory went on, he began understanding he terms without being told. After the memory is done, Jonas feels guilty after learning that once you transfer a memory, you lose it for good. However, he also sees that the memories a burden to the man. We learn more about life before the community’s became all controlling, and how it came to be this way. Jonas receives his first memory having to do with physical pain after convincing the man to give it to him. The chapter ends with the man telling Jonas to refer to him as the Giver. Jonas begins going through his daily routines like always, though the reoccurring dreams of his sessions with the Giver are beginning. Fiona describes what she has to learn for caring for the old, though Jonas isn’t allowed to speak of his occupation, which makes him feel left out. A change in Fiona’s hair drives Jonas to ask the Giver about it. He was instructed to remember the snow memory, and then to look down at the sled, which had the same effect as past incidents. The Giver explains colors to Jonas, and how that is what he has been seeing, though colors are no more in the community. Jonas gets frustrated and angry when he feels that we shouldn’t have gone to a utopian sameness, because the people are missing out on so much. • Jonas feels complete shock when he sees the Giver turn the speaker off, which ordinarily doesn’t even have a switch and isn’t allowed. I thought it was very sad how the Giver will lose all his memories eventually once he gives them to Jonas. Jonas feels this way as well. The past before the community that the Giver describes to Jonas sounds a lot like a modern world, where there are trouble and hardships, but we are free because of our God given rights. The world they live in now may seem perfect on the outside, but in reality the people never feel true happiness and are missing out on so much. We finally learn that the unusual things Jonas has seen like with apple, Fiona’s hair, etc. are colors. We learn that Jonas world is in fact grey. I share Jonas anger as he speaks out against the community, and how they run the people.

8. 7. Jonas over weeks of time begins seeing glimpses of more colors and their names. Jonas discusses how the people should have the right to choose from the different choices in life, but falls short. The Giver brings up a good point; what if the people made the wrong decisions? Jonas understands that this can be dangerous, but still feels frustrated for an unknown reason. Jonas tries to communicate with his friends in little ways about the colors, but doesn’t succeed. Jonas is given the painful memory of men hunting elephants. Jonas tries to communicate the memory of the elephants with his dad and sister, but it fails again. Jonas asks the Giver some questions about himself, and we learn that he used to have a spouse. Jonas learns that him and the Giver are the only two with access to the books, and in order to have a family he would have to keep this part of his life secrets no matter the terms. The committee of Elders only calls upon the Receiver of Memory when they are faced with something they have not experienced, because they do not share the memories. We learn that the old receiver failed because when she failed. The memories were released into the community of people, who were not used to these emotions. The Giver reminds Jonas that the memories are a burden he must have alone, because the people are too scared to face them themselves. The Giver decides along with Jonas it’s time to get into the more painful memories, and Jonas experience’s a memory of breaking his leg. More painful memories follow each session, making Jonas realize the anguish the man feels every day. • In this segment Jonas training becomes a lot more serious. As he begins to have more wisdom about colors and seeing them more often, it is not always this easy. Jonas training becomes harder as the Giver begins giving him painful memories. Death, hunting, starvation, and other types of both physical and emotional pain begin seeping their way into Jonas life. I believe that Jonas is going to realize that the way the community lives isn’t right, and will rise against them along with the Givers help.

9. 8. The family is discussing Gabriel’s progress. Though he has improved, he is still having trouble sleeping. Jonas is informed by Fiona that the woman Larissa gas recently been released from the community. Jonas offers to take Gabriel in during the night. By accident, he accidently gave some of the memory to Gabriel. However, as the baby wakes again, he gives him the rest of the memory on purpose, hoping to calm him. Jonas is aware the giver is in great pain, and is willing to take some of the pain. The giver transmits a memory of war, where he sees a boy his age dying, begging for water. Jonas was also injured as well. This memory overwhelmed Jonas, and he didn’t want to go back. He begins to miss his old life, where he was carefree, and unaware of the memories. Jonas has improved in many areas of perceiving things in memories. The giver gives Jonas his favorite memory, which Jonas loves. Jonas admits he longs for the feeling of love to the giver. Jonas asks whether his parents love him, but is met with corrections instead. This is the first lie he tells his parents. Jonas eventually throws the pill away, after talking to Gabriel while h was sleeping about his feelings. As time passes, Jonas hasn’t taken the pills for a month, and the stirrings return. The colors remain now when he looks at things. • This chapter was very overwhelming, and I found it to be very sad. I have a prediction that being released from the community isn’t all it’s cut out to be, and Jonas will soon find out. Jonas begins receiving more painful memories, such as death, war, and destruction. Though he doesn’t like these memories, he enjoys the nice ones. I was surprised that his parents wouldn’t even say I love you, because it was supposedly inappropriate. It just goes to show how brainwashed and emotionless his parents really are. Jonas feels the need to rebel and decides not to take the pills anymore, so the stirrings continue.

10. 9. Jonas is realizing that he is experiencing grief that no one else in the community has had to feel. Jonas finds his friends playing a game that is all too familiar to all of them. However, he realizes from his memories that the game they are portraying is war. He stands in the middle of the field and interrupts the game. He tries to explain why not to play it, but no one quite understands why he is acting like this. The kids eventually disperse and Jonas feels sadness. He realizes that Jonas loves Asher and Fiona, but they can’t love him back, because they don’t have the memories. Gabriel is growing up and finally walking, soon to be a year old. The dad discusses how the next day he is to perform a ceremony of realizes for a newborn, even though there are twins. The bigger one stays, while the other is released. The next day Jonas asks the giver whether he thinks about release. They discuss the failed receiver ten years ago, and what happened. She applied for release, when it was aloud. Jonas sparks something inside the Giver, and it almost sounds like he is going to try and devise a plan for something. The giver then asks to see that morning’s release, where his dad performed the ceremony of the twins. Once measuring the bigger one, he took the smaller one and injected it with a poison of some kind, killing it. Jonas is in complete shock, and the giver explains he felt the same way when rosemary was released. • As I was reading this, I felt so bad for Jonas. He knows and feels all these things because of the memories, but can’t share it with anyone, and no one will understand him. I have a feeling that Jonas might have the opportunity to witness the ceremony of release, somehow. It will turn out to be something completely unexpected. It turns out that I was right! While reading the ceremony, I was so numb, like Jonas and the giver described. I predict that the giver and Jonas are going to make a plan in order to free the community.

11. 10. Jonas has a breakdown; anger and sorrow fill him after witnessing his dad murder the newborn. The giver tries to comfort him and to explain, but Jonas sees the horrors the community has done. My predictions were right; Jonas and the giver do in fact devise a plan. Their plan consists of Jonas escaping from the community, but the giver will not go with them. He wants to stay and help the community once they receive the memories because of Jonas leaving. Jonas tries to convince him to come, but he also understands why he’s staying. We learn the givers “seeing beyond” were hearing the sound of music. We learn the plan, and what Jonas is going to have to go through. The giver will tell the community he had fallen in the river. We also learn that Rosemary was the givers daughter. However, that plan didn’t go through. Gabriel was scheduled to be released from the community, ad Jonas wouldn’t have it, and he fled without any goodbyes, food, and the memories. Outside of the community, was the real and beautiful world. Jonas journey and life becomes the complete opposite as it used to. He sheds memories along the way, and struggles to live, and keep Gabriel alive. However, outside of the community, was the real and beautiful world. For the first time, they sold for real. He listens to music, and they discover something the community could never destroy. • I thought their plan would work out great! Although, I was very sad but impressed that the giver stayed behind to help the community. I was horrified when Gabriel was scheduled for release. I felt relieved and really admired Jonas character when he left everything he knew behind, to save him. There journey is terrible, and Jonas feels the physical pain other tan from a memory. Gabriel suffers with him as well. But then Jonas suddenly hears music, and discovers everything the memories were contained of. He realized he made it.

12. The Giver “Our people made that choice, the choice to go to sameness. Before my time, before the previous time, back and back and back. We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with difference. We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others.” I chose to show this quote on my cover page because I feel it really is an incredible quote from the story. It explains the utopian type community they live in, and how there is no pain or suffering, but there is no happiness or spontaneous actions. Kiara Vazquez September 11th, 2012. Lois Lowry