About
*Mature. Content may be deemed inappropriate for younger readers.
While training to be the Receiver of Memory, Jonas experiences joy and sadness for the first time. He becomes convinced his society has given up too much, and he can no longer accept the sameness.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the society in this story.
Page 4 — Each family can only have two children, one male and one female; instead of saying 11 years old, they refer to them as Elevens; there’s a ritual each night to express the emotions felt that day; there’s The Ceremony of Twelve
4
What does it mean “to release”?
Page 2 — To remove or let go
2
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Describe the Ceremony of Twelve.
Page 14 — For children who turn 12 years old; always in December; they receive their Assignment for the rest of their lives; won’t get to hang out with friends as much
14
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 20 — Jonas’s father brought home the newchild; he had light eyes like Jonas; Jonas remembered an incident where he got in trouble from taking home an apple when he shouldn’t have; he brought it home because as he was throwing it back and forth with Asher the apple changed
20
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What does this chapter tell you about this society?
Page 28 — There’s a lot of rules; being Released is celebrated; there are rules about only seeing newchildren and The Old without their clothes on
28
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Describe what Stirrings are.
Page 35 — The feelings and thoughts you have when going through puberty
35
Why did Jonas’s mother treat him for showing signs of this?
Page 37 — To make it stop or take them away
37
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Now that you know more about this society, list three positives and three negatives about living in this community.
Listen to your child’s answer.
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why did Jonas worry he had done something wrong?
Page 57 — The Chief Elder skipped his turn during the ceremony, and she didn’t give him an assignment
57
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Describe Jonas’s new Assignment.
Page 62 — The Receiver of Memories; he will need to feel real pain; have integrity, courage, intelligence, wisdom, be able to See Beyond; he will be alone and apart from the community
62
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Why were Jonas’s instructions disturbing to him?
Page 68 — He was being told to do things that went against what he had been taught
68
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What memories is Jonas going to receive?
Page 76 — The memories of the world and the Receiver from generations ago
76
Why couldn’t Jonas understand the sledding analogy?
Page 78 — He’s never seen snow or gone sledding
78
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Describe Jonas’s first day of training for his new responsibility.
Page 80 — The Giver put his hands on his back and gave him memories of snow, sledding, sunshine and being sunburn
80
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What tones can Jonas see if he’s not seeing color?
Page 94 — Black and white
94
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why is the Giver so alone?
Page 104 — He can’t talk about his training with anyone; the committee of elders never comes to him asking for advice; he was required to hide all of his books and training from his wife
104
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Do you agree with Jonas that he shouldn’t tell the Giver he shared a memory with Gabriel? Why, or why not?
Page 117 — Listen to your child’s answer
117
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why did the Giver ask for forgiveness after giving Jonas the war memory in this chapter?
Page 120 — It was horrible, scary, and traumatizing
120
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 121 — Jonas experienced family and love; he continued to share memories with Gabe to help him sleep; Jonas didn’t take his pill in the morning
121
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
Why didn’t Jonas want to play the game Asher organized?
Page 132 — It was a war game and Jonas now knows what war is
132
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
Why did the community struggle when Rosemary was released?
Page 144 — The memories the Giver gave her were given back to the community when she was released, and they didn’t know how to deal with the feelings that came with them; they didn’t know how to deal with feelings
144
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
What does it mean to release something? Why is Jonas so shocked?
Page 150 — To murder; he thought those being released were taken somewhere, Elsewhere, but they were really being killed
150
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
Summarize the plan.
Page 158 — Jonas will hide away in a vehicle and he and the Giver will go to another community; Jonas will escape to Elsewhere and the Giver will return to help the community
158
Who is the Giver’s daughter?
Page 162 — Rosemary; the girl who was the Receiver
162
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
Explain why Jonas didn’t follow the plan and left earlier than anticipated?
Page 166 — Gabriel was going to be released and Jonas couldn’t let him die
166
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 171 — Jonas continued his search for Elsewhere; the landscape changed, and Jonas crashed on his bike; he was hurt but continued on and traveled during the day; he was not being searched for anymore; the weather became colder, and Jonas worried he couldn’t save Gabriel
171
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
Summarize the conclusion to this story.
Page 175 — Gabriel and Jonas were freezing and starving; Jonas continued to give Gabriel memories to help warm them; he found the sled and coasted down to a cabin with Christmas lights; he heard music; he thought he heard an echo from the past; they made it to Elsewhere
175
What did you enjoy about this story?
Listen to your child’s answer.
Would you want to live in this society? Why, or why not?
Listen to your child's answer.
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Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
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