The Giver is a science fiction novel that tells the story of a society that initially can be seen as utopian - a peaceful civilization where there is order and safety. When children turn twelve, they participate in a special ceremony where they are given their permanent assignments to help run this society. When Jonas, the main character, is assigned to be the Receiver of Memory, he discovers the inner workings of the society and consequently forces him to question his life and his community. 

The Giver is written in the third person point of view, so the narrator is privy to the thoughts and feelings of Jonas. The reader follows Jonas’s journey as he wrestles with the question, “Is it possible to have a utopian society, and at what cost?” As the Receiver of Memory, he contemplates whether a peaceful and safe society is worth the cost of relinquishing personal freedoms and the ability to feel and express emotions. 

The Giver explores a society that pursues utopia at the cost of losing their humanity, allowing the reader to compare this imaginative world with the social and political structures of today.

Big Ideas:

• Societal structure has the power to promote or limit freedom, choice, and desire. 

• Tradeoffs are necessary in any society.

• Over-protectiveness can be worse than the actual things you tried to protect people from.

• Science Fiction texts often provide commentary and provoke debate about real society.