Claire-Rebekah

= = =Week 4 Adult: Rebekah Diel = = = Student: Claire Birch Pages Read – 138 – to the end  I did in fact enjoy the book! It was quite interesting to see what it would be like if our ways of life was different. It also makes you think about things in life and makes you thankful for what you have and how freely you get to live and be who you want to be. I think this book is more for teenagers and up because you have to know a lot more about life to really get what the this book is saying and showing you. In the beginning Jonas thinks he’s a good kid, which he is, and he follows the rules and does what he’s told just like he is suppose to. Once Jonas receives the memories from The Giver though, his thoughts and the way he thinks about life become different than what it was. It changes because he learns more that other people, not even the adults or elderly even know and he desperately wants people to know about the other colors of life and how beautiful it is but it’s against the rule to share or give memories unless Jonas gives the memories to the next receiver. I think the author was trying to show what it would be like to live a life that was controlled and you didn’t get to choose your job, or how many kids you wanted. You had to go by what the rules said and what choices the Elders gave you. I think the ending was a little weird but I also like it because it shows Jonas wanted change so he took Gabriel and went off to a different town to live a different life.

About this weeks reading, I think the book got better because Jonas learned more things besides getting it from The Giver. For instance, to be released means the person gets injected with a serum that kills the person. Before Jonas just thought they left town but after he saw his father kill a baby, and his father wasn’t phased by it, Jonas didn’t want to go back home now and he also found out that Gabriel was going to be released so he and The Giver worked a plan where they would run away from there to a new town. Jonas and Gabriel made it to the town where they would live a new life. It makes me wonder if Jonas would give the memories he had from The Giver to Gabriel because before Jonas and Gabriel took off, Jonas would often give Gabriel memories to help him sleep better at night. It was against the rules since Gabriel wasn’t the receiver and Jonas wasn’t the official Giver yet but Jonas didn’t care because Gabriel was just a toddler who couldn’t talk.

I have to say it was a joy reading this book and I’m glad my friend recommended it to me. It’s been really fun seeing your action to the book as well and getting to see how our thoughts compare. Hopefully I’ll see you at the Reading Rocks meeting on May 11th.

Hello again! im so glad you chose this book, there is so much i loved about it (even though it frustrated me at times) can you imagine what it would be like to live with no freedom? We are so very lucky to live where we do. Did you ever think about the fact that the people that live in that community were the "same" because of choices generations had made prior to them. I guess i could understand it better if they CHOSE to live that way but they don't even know their IS a choice! i feel very sorry for them. I wondered if you would be shocked to find out what being "released" meant. I understood Jonas's feelings of Anger towards his father but, i also understood that his father didn't know there was any other way of life. to him, this was simply part of his duty and "how things worked". I was also so sad when the Giver reveals that his previous receiver (the one that asked to be released) was his daughter. i don't know if he meant that he just loved her like a daughter or if she biologically was his but either way it was clear how much he loved her and how ready he was to be with her in death.

I always imagine that when Jonas and Gabriel go down the hill they end up with a family just like the one in The Giver's fondest memory that he gives to Jonas. the perfect happy ending!

I'll see you next week!!

Rebekah

= Week 2 Adult: Rebekah Diel = Student: Claire Birch Book Title: //The Giver// Pages Read 1-30

In //The Giver// we learn about a young boy named Jonas. Jonas is eleven going on twelve. When kids turn twelve where he lives, they get assigned a future job and that’s what they will do until they become elders but Jonas is worried. He’s not sure what he would be interested in doing. He knows that the Elders will decide for him and watch to see what he takes interests in to so they can find him a role in the Community. During the pages we read, we find out what his family is like, how the roles are chosen and what they are in the community and just how troubled Jonas is at the moment.

Dear Rebekah, Well this book is quite interesting, more interesting than I thought it would be. I think its strange that they already have the kids getting jobs at only age twelve when most kids get jobs when their sixteen and thirteen through fifteen year olds just get summer jobs. It’s also quite strange that their parents can only have two kids – one male, one female - because of the way the Community is and how things go in their lives. What do I think will happen next? To be honest I’m not really sure but I think Jonas is going to be surprised when he finds out his job maybe even a little upset. The reason I think this is because he’s not really sure of what he wants to be yet and its almost December and that’s when he turns twelve and he’s really worried about it so I think the Elders will probably surprise him in the end. In the end I think Jonas will probably learn some kind of valuable lesson that he can pass on to others. Anyway, nothing really exciting happened this week in my life except I passed my Constitution test and that’s about it

= Week 3 Adult:Rebekah Diel = Student: Claire Birch Book Title: //The Giver// Pages Read: 31-138

In //The Giver,// the protagonist is Jonas. Jonas has always been a good kid and never known there was life beyond what he lives now and that’s what we learn in the pages we read for this week. Jonas has now received his role in the community as //The Giver//. He is told that he will learn pain and love. Now Jonas feels as if he was singled out but he decides to try it anyway. The Giver is an old man who has been The Receiver for many years now and now he must give the memories he has to Jonas. During this time, Jonas learns about colors, pain, war, and love. He used to play a harmless game of bad goods and good guys with his friends but during that time he never really knew what war was so when The Giver gave him the memory of war, Jonas’s life changed forever because he knows now that war was destruction and violence. From the other memories The Giver has given him, Jonas has learned loads more about how different life is and life beyond what they live but there’s a catch. He can’t tell anyway about the memories he receives or give them to anyone since he is not technically The Receiver yet and he can only pass the memories onto the next Giver. He’s also told he can lie. Jonas strikes me as the kid who always follows the rules and then one day is told he is allowed to do something bad but he doesn’t want to because he is so used to doing the right thing. Well like I thought, this book just got way more interesting. What interests me is when Jonas receives the memories The Giver has and learns a lot more about life. I’m assuming their regular life is just dull, plain and colorless because Jonas didn’t know about hills or the ocean or snow or pain. It’s almost like they are protected from bad things so nothing bad will break out in the town because everyone is friendly and just the way the Council Elders want it to be. The sad thing is Jonas isn’t even allowed to tell anyone about these memories and it would be so bad because Jonas really wants people to know about them but The Giver tells him everyone would be burdened and pained but Jonas still wants to argue because he wants people to see like he can now. Wouldn’t the be horrible? To not be able to show anyone a more colorful life? Why would you want to live such a dull life when there’s more fun and interesting things to learn about?

Back to your week 2 response, I do feel frustrated about the Community rules. It seems a little unfair and it kind of like they are controlling the peoples lives and telling them what jobs they have to have and how many kids they can have and yet the people don’t do anything but follow them. I think I’d have a problem with following those rules. Since this book is frustrating, I agree it could be a good one as well. Books that leave you hanging in chapters, or makes you frustrated or makes you happy will always have been a good choice to read. Week Three response- To Claire

is this getting good, or what? i think that we are learning alot of lessons, so far!! in the beginning you don't even realize that their is no color.. it is just... sameness until later when it is revealed that Jonas's seeing beyond means that he is seeing color. Can you imagine what kind of world we would live in where eveything was the same. same color, same clothing, same weather, same, same, same... there is no choice about anything and there really is no tolerance for differences because they just dont exist in this community. it breaks my heart when jonas starts to realize how much everyone in his community is missing out on. Jonas seems to have a very loving heart even though at this time he doesn't even know what love is or means or that it exists. I was also struck when the giver was explaining to Jonas how rarely his wisdom is used. it reminded me of how we as adults think we can rely on ourselves instead of going to a wise friend or family member, or, praying about something. I can even remember being your age and having a problem and feeling i could sort it out without ever "using my resources" mistakes could have been avoided had i went to my parents and asked for advice.. much like in this book. if the counsel would utilize the giver's wisdom it seems they might have more fulfilling lives but they choose to just remain the same. it's a little sad.. but again, a good book keeps me wanting to learn more.. and i can't wait to read on and see if the community ever "sees" what jonas and the giver see!!

did u go on the band trip yesterday? Payton had a BLAST! sounds like it was a really good time!! hope you have a great weekend!!

Talk to you Soon!!

Rebekah