The Giver: Chapters 1-5 summarized

Chapter 1

  • Jonas is introduced as an 11 year old boy living in an “ idealized utopia”

  • Discusses that the only time he was ever afraid was when an aircraft flew over the community. ( pilot was released, at the point we infer it’s a disgraceful punishment)

  • We learn families in this community have to all participate in the “ telling of feelings” every night. It is mandatory in the community.

  • We learn Jonas’s dad is a Nurturer, meaning he takes care of the community’s babies.

  • Jonas discusses that he can’t put his finger on his feelings at the moment, but later decides he is aprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve, a ceremony in which you get assigned your “ life assignment “ with the rest of the twelve year olds in the community.

  • Jonas’s dad agrees to take in one of the struggling babies at the Nurturing Center ( but not adopt or get attatched) in hopes it will prevent the baby’s release.

Chapter 2

  • every year, there are 50 babies. exactly 50 that get named when they turn 1 year old

  • we find out the baby living temporarily with Jonas’s unit is named Gabe or Gabriel

  • every december, children get promoted to their next age. each age comes with both a new responsibility and a new privelage

  • after the ceremony of twelve, age is no longer important

  • Jonas worries about both his own assignment and his friend Asher’s ( asher has no true interest )

  • we learn comfort objects ( stuffed animals in our communities ) are given to young children

Chapter 3

  • Jonas’s dad finally brings Gabriel home to spend some nights with them

  • Lily points out Gabriel has the same pale eyes as Jonas, which is interesting because nobody but Jonas really has pale eyes.. simply dark.

  • We learn the role of a birthmother is only nice for 3 years because after they have three children, they become common laborers. It’s kind of loooked down upon in a community

  • Jonas remembers when he got reprimanded by the speaker of the community for taking an apple from school. He was throwing it with Asher when it “ changed” in a way Jonas could not at the time describe.

Chapter 4

  • Jonas meets Asher for volunteer work at the House of the Old

  • We learn children from 8-11 years must volunteer at different locations to determine an appropriate career path

  • Jonas bathes an elderly woman names Larissa

  • Looking at one naked is not permitted in this society, elderly and babies are an exception

  • the two discuss the happy release of an elder named Roberto, saying this release was a celebration where they told the story of his life. Roberto was happy to be released.

Chapter 5

  • Another family ritual is to participate in morning dream telling.

  • Jonas doesn’t often experience dreams, but has one in this chapter

  • Jonas dreams that he is with his friend Fiona in the House of the Old. He wishes to bathe her, but she wont let him. He felt a strong wanting for Fiona

  • These dreams were called stirrings, and his parents told him to prevent it, he had to take a pill every day for the rest of his life.