Son (The Giver, #4)

by Lois Lowry

there would be no way for anyone to get caught in the act of wondering, Claire thought. It was an invisible thing, like a secret.

Yes, she had always been content. Everyone was, in the community. Their needs were tended to; there was nothing they lacked, nothing they . . . That was it, Claire realized. She had never yearned for anything before. But now, ever since the day of the birth, she felt a yearning constantly, desperately, to fill the emptiness inside her.

She turned away, feeling tears well in her eyes. What on earth was the matter with her? No one else seemed to feel this kind of passionate attachment to other humans. Not to a newchild, not to a spouse, or a coworker, or friend. She had not felt it toward her own parents or brother. But now, toward this wobbly, drooling toddler—

“It will help when you learn them. Fear dims when you learn things.”

Alys watched her, and knew that the herbs in the mug would soothe the panic that had afflicted her, that soon she would calm and likely sleep for a bit. But they would not heal her. It would be hard to heal a girl as desperately wounded as this one.

“You must start to harden yourself. I’ll show you. It won’t be easy. You must want it.”

It be better, I think, to climb out in search of something, instead of hating what you’re leaving.

It was my journey and I had to do it without help. I had to find my own strengths, face my own fears.

PRE-READING ACTIVITY Son is divided into three parts: “Book One: Before”, “Book Two: Between”, and “Book Three: Beyond.” Lead a class discussion about why it’s important to deal with the “before” and “between” in life in order to understand and confront the “beyond.” Correlates to Common Core Language Arts Standards in Reading: Literature: Craft & Structure RL. 6-8.5; Speaking & Listening: Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas SL. 6-8.4. DISCUSSION Ask students to define community. Compare and contrast each community in which Claire lives. How is she a mystery, or a foreigner, in all three communities? Discuss how the rituals in the seaside community in “Book Two: Between” define the culture of the people. How does Claire’s previous life resemble a science lab? What is the connection between science, culture, and the human experience? How does Jonas understand the human experience? Explain how Claire’s “Between” years help her make the transition to “Beyond.” Claire is inexperienced with feelings. Why is she so confused when she begins to have a “yearning” for her product? How does this feeling frighten her? Discuss how the emotion of love overtakes the emotion of fear. Explain how Claire’s “yearning” sets her free. Discuss Claire’s reaction when she learns that she is a failure as a Birthmother. Debate whether she thinks she has failed herself or her community. Discuss whether her product’s failure to thrive contributes to additional feelings of failure. How does her failure ...