The Giver (The Giver, #1)

by Lois Lowry

For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure.

There were only two occasions of release which were not punishment. Release of the elderly, which was a time of celebration for a life well and fully lived; and release of a newchild, which always brought a sense of what-could-we-have-done.

Most of the people on the night crew had not even been given spouses because they lacked, somehow, the essential capacity to connect to others, which was required for the creation of a family unit.

Nightshift ruins everything

This evening he almost would have preferred to keep his feelings hidden. But it was, of course, against the rules.

Lily sighed. “I hope I get assigned to be a Birthmother.” “Lily!” Mother spoke very sharply. “Don’t say that. There’s very little honor in that Assignment.”

“Three years,” Mother told her firmly. “Three births, and that’s all. After that they are Laborers for the rest of their adult lives, until the day that they enter the House of the Old.

Motherhood is trash

Jonas shrugged. It didn’t worry him. How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made.

You Elevens have spent all your years till now learning to fit in, to standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the group. “But today we honor your differences. They have determined your futures.”

“thank you for your childhood.”

Uh uh

They have never known pain, he thought. The realization made him feel desperately lonely,

“Back and back and back.” Jonas repeated the familiar phrase. Sometimes it had seemed humorous to him. Sometimes it had seemed meaningful and important. Now it was ominous. It meant, he knew, that nothing could be changed.

when she was gone, the memories came back to the people. If you were to be lost in the river, Jonas, your memories would not be lost with you. Memories are forever.

It was possible, what they had planned. Barely possible. If it failed, he would very likely be killed. But what did that matter? If he stayed, his life was no longer worth living.

GD this is heavy for a kids book

He wept because he was afraid now that he could not save Gabriel. He no longer cared about himself.

But it was not a grasping of a thin and burdensome recollection; this was different. This was something that he could keep. It was a memory of his own.