The Giver by Lois Lowery : A Challenged Book

The Giver is a fabulous book written by Lois Lowery. In the last decade it made #22 on the frequently challenged book list on ALA's website (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedbydecade/2000_2009/index.cfm) and #11 from 1990-1999. I could not find a reasoning, but after reading it with teacher eyes, the book touches on subjects that can be very controversial in our society.

Jonas is the main character of the book. He lives in a very structured community where there is no war, hunger, pain (physical or emotional), divorce, fear, rape, unwanted pregnancies, etc. To some it may feel like the perfect utopia. It is ran by a committee of elders who make the rules and make sure the community upholds these rules. But there are no choices. Everything is carefully thought out for every individual who lives there: jobs, spouses, kids, etc.

One of the first "controversial" topics we read about is "stirrings". "Stirrings" is a euphemism for sexual desire, so to speak. Jonas has a dream about his friend Fiona. They both do volunteer work in the House of the Old (similar to retirement homes or nursing homes in our society)and they must help bathe the old. Well, the night after they both helped bathe the old, Jonas has a dream about him taking his tunic off and bathing and he wanted Fiona too as well. However, she refused. He got angry at this. And that is all his dream is about. When he tells his parents about his dream (everyone in the community must report their dreams)they asked him what feelings he had remembered. He only really remembered the wanting. Once his parents figured out that he was having his first "stirrings", his mother gave him a pill that would get rid of the stirrings, a pill that he would have to take everyday or else the stirrings would return. And, that is as graphic as it gets covering this subject. I really believe students see worse on TV. Just think about some of the commercials kids see; a lot are more graphic and detailed than what is found in The Giver.

One of the other controversial subjects we read about is euthanasia. In Jonas's community we find many euphemisms. People don't ever completely know what is happening in certain circumstances. One such circumstance is called being "released". The people of Jonas's community only know that being released is either a punishment or sometimes a good thing. When people get to a certain age in the House of the Old, they are released with a ceremony of joy. No one knows where they go, except that it is through a door. Sometimes new infants are released if they are not growing fast enough, or sickly in some way. The whole time the book makes it sound like being released means you will be going to another community and it is just a form of moving on or out. You are constantly left with questions. Then, when Jonas takes on his assignment (job) he finds out the truth; people are being put to death. This again, is not very graphic, but it does bring up the controversial issue of euthanasia and killing. It can be especially sad when you realize they are doing it to babies.

I truly believe that this book is fine for adolescents, especially at the grade level I teach (7/8). It never gets very detailed and graphic, but mostly just explains what is going on with community and raises mature issues. Again, students see and hear much worse on TV shows and commercials. I think that it is quite tragic that this book would show up on a frequently challenged list; very, very tragic!