The Giver is a story about a boy named Jonas who lives in a world where everything is controlled (dress, language, careers). As time goes on, Jonas realizes that he want to be able to choose for himself, and that he doesn’t want to follow the status quo. I would use this book for an ELA classroom. For instruction, students could learn how to identify important literary elements like imagery, symbolism, flashback, and foreshadowing. Students could also discuss differing points of view the story touches on, like education, conformity, and death. ( )

I have read the book a few years ago and didn't remember much. The film was just OK really - nothing special. ( )

A boy from a future society where no one has emotions gets memories from the past.

For the first two thirds or so it's an okay movie - a little flimsy in the suspension of disbelief department, and lacking in anything to make you care about it, but it has some promising ideas. Once the action gets going, it turns out to have nowhere to go, and the whole thing falls apart. And it bothers me maybe a little too much that people who can't see color dye their clothing.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: D
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: C
Music: C

Enjoyment: C minus

GPA: 1.8/4 ( )