Literary Concepts in The
Giver
Deep Analysis of
The Giver
Foreshadowing = Hints & clues
about the future
• Jonas receives a
memory of the sled as
his first memory
• Lily points out that
both Jonas and Gabe
have pale eyes
(“knowing eyes”)
• Rule #8: You may lie
• “Changes” – the apple,
the audience and
Fiona’s hair
• Jonas is chastised for
claiming he’s “starving”
• Jonas is on
the sled at the end
• Both boys have the
ability to “see beyond”
• Jonas starts to lie
frequently
• Jonas can see
pigmentation
(permanently)
• Jonas is starving to
death at the end
Foreshadowing Continued…
• The myth of the man
using the river to
escape
Foreshadowing in Mr. Ryan’s Life
• Mr. Ryan’s old fiancée
always wanted new
things
• Mr. Ryan was tall and
quick
• Mr. Ryan’s mother
and uncle are teachers
• She eventually wanted
a new significant
other
• Mr. Ryan became
good at basketball
• Mr. Ryan became a
teacher
Symbolism = Something is something
else (figuratively)
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The Sled
The River
The Annex
Elephant/Poachers
Gabriel
Lily
Asher
Rosemary
Jonas
Glee
Killing of memories
Dove (symbol of peace)
The journey
Bitterness
Hope, “Open Eyes”
(figuratively), Strength of
God?
• Protection from
community
• Escape (Flee) or Path
• Float on the surface
(showy)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Symbolism in Mr. Ryan’s Life
• Wedding Ring
• Small Car
• Beard
• Love and devotion in
marriage
• Laid back/Doesn’t
care about image
• Free spirit
Mood = the feeling the author intends
to give you as the reader
• The plane flies over the
community
• Jonas sees the apple
alter
• Jonas becomes the
Receiver of Memory in
training
• Jonas watches the
release of the twin
• Jonas and Gabriel on
the sled
 Uncertainty/Bewildermen
t
 Inquisitive/Intriguing/Mys
tified
 Apprehensive
 Mortified/Rage
 Gleeful???
Mood in Mr. Ryan’s Life
•
Themes/Main or Central Idea
(inferred) = universal ideas
throughout• aGood
text
You need both pleasure
and bad
and anguish in life
• The importance of the
individual
• Learning from mistakes
• Protecting people from
themselves
memories
• Everyone is the same
except for “the pale
eyes”
• Only Jonas and the
Giver can learn from
previous generations
mistakes; the
community can only
learn from themselves
• Nobody gets to make
their own choices
Themes or Main/Central Idea
(stated/inferred) = universal ideas
throughout
a text
“Memories are
forever”
•
• “[Caring] is the
meaning of everything”
• “Memories need to be
shared”
•
•
•
•
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Ignorance is bliss
Love is…
Integrity is…
Intelligence is…
Courage or bravery is…
Themes in Mr. Ryan’s Life
• Always try your best
• You can always
change but you can’t
change the past
• Mr. Ryan worst
grades have been a
C+, C+ and C
• Mr. Ryan still lives
with his mistakes
from high school
Cause and Effect (when something
makes something else happen)
• Gabriel does not sleep
soundly at the
nurturing center…
• Rosemary can’t bear
the anguish…
• Jonas wants to start
“feeling” more…
• Rosemary is released
• Jonas accidently
transmits a memory to
Gabe
• Add two more
• He gets voted to be
released
• She asks for her release
• He stops taking stirring
pills
Cause & Effect
•
Internal Conflict = problems with
yourself (decisions/choices)
Jonas can lie but
• Avoids
Person vs.
Self questions,
doesn’t want to
• Jonas can’t decide
what assignment to
focus on
• Jonas wants his
stirrings but has to
take the pills
• (Students add two
more)
answers other
questions, and lies
• Does many different
assignments during
volunteer hours
• Jonas stops taking the
dosage
Internal Conflict in Mr. Ryan’s Life
•
External Conflict = problems with
someone or something else
(Person vs. Person, Nature, God or
Jonas discovers his
• Person vs. Person
Society)
father kills babies
• Person vs. Nature
• Jonas is literally
starving with the snow
and hill being obstacles
• Jonas has to follow the
rules of the community
or risk “release”
• Jonas going to
heaven???
• Add two more
• Person vs. Society
• Person vs God
External Conflict in Mr. Ryan’s Life
Simile = comparison using like or as
(compare uncommon things)
• Jonas is like an
elephant
• The Giver is like a
light switch to Jonas
• Asher is as dumb as a
doorknob
• The community is as
blind as a bat
• (Students add three)
• He never forgets
• He turns the light on
for Jonas
(figuratively)
• Doorknobs can’t think
– Asher is easily
controlled
• Bats use sonar and
the community is
blind to what is
happening
Similes in Mr. Ryan’s Life
Metaphors = comparisons using am, is,
are, etc.
(compare uncommon things)
• The Giver is a switch
• The community is a
trap
• The sled is a life
jacket
• The river is a treasure
map
• (Student adds two
more)
• He shows Jonas the
“light” (the truth)
• The community tricks
the members into
many things
• Helps Jonas escape
the community
• The river leads to
escape (Elsewhere is
the “X”)
Metaphors in Mr. Ryan’s Life
Alliteration = using the same consonant
at the beginning of a word (at least
three times)
• “He’d been sleeping
so soundly”
• The Giver gives good
and gleeful memories
• father said in his
sweet, sing-song
voice”
• Gabriel gets a great
gift from Jonas and
gives his gratitude
• (students add three
more)
Alliteration in Mr. Ryan’s Life
Hyperbole = an exaggerated
statement
• The Giver’s beard is ten
feet long
• The Christmas tree is
the greenest-green ever
• The sled is lightning
fast
• Asher is always late
• “Jonas had a thousand
questions. A million.”
• (students three more)
• His beard may be long,
but it’s not ten feet long
• It may appear to be the
greenest but Jonas
hasn’t seen all the
greens
• The sled is fast but can’t
be as fast as lightning
• Asher is often late, not
always
Hyperbole in Mr. Ryan’s life
• Mr. Ryan is 20 feet
tall
• Mr. Ryan is 6’5
Oxymoron or Paradox
(opposites that seem not to make
sense but somehow do)
www.oxymoronlist.com
• A little big problem
• (add four more)
• Gabe is a little child
(literally) and starving
is a big problem
Idioms
www.idiomsite.com
• A slap on the wrist
• (students add 4)
• The children get
chastised for every
little infraction
(literally &
figuratively)
• Explain how it fits the
story
Personification (giving inanimate
objects human traits or qualities)
• The river swallowed
Caleb
• The annex confides in
no one
• Students add 3 more
• (think of our senses)
• The sled feels
• The syringe
• The books (pick an
action)
• The bikes (pick a
thought or action)
• He drowned
• Secrets are kept in the
annex by Jonas & The
Giver
Onomatopoeia (words make the
sound) www.examples-ofonomatopoeia.com/
• The fish sizzled on the
stove
• The children giggled
at Asher’s poor use of
vocab
• Students add three
more
• Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
• Gggggggggggggggggg
Irony (Opposites)
(Situational, Verbal or Dramatic)
• Nobody knows what
release is
• There is homicide in
the Utopian community
• Rosemary made a great
receiver
• The Elders make
fantastic decisions
• People celebrate release
• Jonas and the Giver
planning the escape
• This is
because
irony
.
Compare and Contrast
(Similarities & Differences)
Differences (3)
Similarities (3)
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Jonas/Fiona
Jonas/Asher
Jonas/The Giver
Father/The Giver
Jonas/Rosemary
The Giver/Rosemary
Rosemary/Fiona
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Jonas/Fiona
Jonas/Asher
Jonas/The Giver
Father/The Giver
Jonas/Rosemary
The Giver/Rosemary
Rosemary/Fiona
Round/Dynamic versus Flat/Static
Characters (Jonas, The Giver,
Rosemary, Asher, Gabe)
Round/Dynamic
• Jonas, The Giver and
three other characters
• I
infer
is a
round/dynamic character
because
.
Flat/Static
• I
infer
is a
flat or static character
because
.
Protagonist (main character) versus
Antagonist (bad guy or thing)
• The Community
• The Burden of the
Memories
• The Giver’s
responsibility as the
Receiver to give
anguished-filled
memories
• Jonas needs love
• Jonas
• Ranking Antagonist
and explain your
ranking
Fact versus Opinion
Facts
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Jonas is the best receiver
Gabe has golden hair
The Giver is too rigid
The father is a good liar
Fiona releases the old
Gabe has pale eyes
There is a bridge over the
river
Opinions
• Rosemary shouldn’t have
committed suicide
• Jonas is starving
• Jonas & Gabe died
• The community needs
love
• The annex is a great place
for training
Chronological Order (Sequencing)
• Jonas gets his first
memory (snow/sled)
• Jonas finds out
Rosemary was released
• A plane flies over the
community
• Jonas is bypassed at the
ceremony of twelve
• The twin is released
• Jonas is given his rules
as the new Receiver
• Jonas abducts Gabe
• Jonas & Gabe are
sliding down the hill
• Jonas sees the apple
change
• The Giver gives Jonas
the memory of war and
the soldier
• The Giver transmits a
rainbow
• Jonas perceives love
• The memory of the
poachers killing the
elephant
Story Map of The Giver
• Exposition:
introduction to story
and conflict(s)
• Rising Action: main
events that lead to
climax
• Community is very
rigid and can get
“released” for
transgressions
• List at least five to
seven vital events
before the climax
Story Map Continued
• Climax: most interesting
or crucial part; the story
“changes”
• Falling Action: main
events after the climax
• Resolution
(denouement): how the
major conflict is solved
• When we find out
“release” means murder
(climax)
• List at least three to five
events that were
imperative after the
climax
• Jonas and Gabriel reach
“Elsewhere” (resolution)
Setting = time and place
• The “perfect” place
• Where his family lives
and where sharing
takes place
• Learning and training
take place
• Can be outside/can’t be
outside
• Where the training is
• Caleb’s “escape”
• Where people go after
their release
Author’s Purpose
To inform, To Entertain, To Persuade, To
Express an Opinion
• Jonas and Gabriel
escape the community
• Mr. Ryan and the Giver
have grotesque beards
• You need to read The
Giver, it will make you
think differently
• In the movie the Giver
should have a purple
beard and a orange
robe
Author’s Purpose in Mr. Ryan’s Life
• I have two dogs – one
male and one female
• You need to come
over and mow my
grass in order to get a
“B” in my class
• Chivas is the best
soccer team
• After I shave my
beard I will glue it
back on my face
•
•
•
•
To inform
To persuade
To express an opinion
To entertain
Analogies
• Glee is to happy as
somber is to
• Utopia is to Dystopia as
pigmentation is to
• Starving is to Anguish
as Scars are to
• Jonas is to Lily as Fiona
is to Bruno
• Memories are to
Anguish as Lies are to
• Vague is to unclear as
hue is to
• synonyms
Vocabulary: The Giver (Summarize
The Giver in at least two paragraphs)
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Anguish
Grotesque
Recreation
Tempted
Perceive
Transmit
Glee
Reprieve
Inadequate
• Optimistic or
Pessimistic
• Hue or Hueless
• Appeal or Bypass
• Dwelling or Annex
• Nuisance or Burden
• Transgression or
Infraction
• Vague or Vividly
• Apprehensive or
Chastise
Last Slide: Author’s Purpose To
Express an Opinion (at least two
paragraphs)