Chapter 20 · The Giver

Copywork

"Jonas, Jonas," they would say loudly, as they had once said the name of Caleb. The Giver would lead the chant. Together they would let Jonas's presence in their lives fade away as they said his name in unison more slowly, softer and softer, until he was disappearing from them, until he was no more than an occasional murmur and then, by the end of the long day, gone forever, not to be mentioned again.

If I go with you, and together we take away all their protection from the memories, Jonas, the community will be left with no one to help them. They'll be thrown into chaos. They'll destroy themselves. I can't go.

Read the long sentence in the first passage aloud, and let your voice fade the way the town's voices would. Is the town mourning Jonas, or forgetting him?

For the educator Two passages; copy them as shown. The first is from The Giver's plan for the day of the Ceremony, told as what “would” happen. Its first sentence keeps the book's quotation marks, with the comma inside the closing mark. Its last sentence holds the vocabulary word “unison” and is one long sentence that fades as it goes: “softer and softer,” then two parts that each begin with “until,” then “and then,” and at last “gone forever.” The second passage is The Giver speaking to Jonas, so the quotation marks that open and close his speech are left off. It holds the vocabulary word “chaos.” Its first sentence opens with “If” and sets off the name “Jonas” with a comma on each side; three short sentences follow. Have the student read both aloud and hear the long, fading sentence against the short, hard ones.

Discussion

Narration Tell back the chapter in order. Start where Jonas sobs that he won't go home. Stop where The Giver says his daughter's name.

Jonas copies the Speaker's polite voice and adds, “I will kill people, sir.” He can't seem to stop. Who is he really angry at? Character
Jonas says “Back and back and back” to mean that nothing can change. Late that night, The Giver says the same words. What does he mean by them? Author's choice
Jonas thinks it does not matter if the plan gets him killed. But never coming back is “the terrifying part.” Why would that frighten him more than dying? Character
The Giver tells Jonas, “I have to stay here,” and then, “I want to, Jonas.” Why does he say both? Character
The Giver says the worst part of holding the memories is “the loneliness of it.” What will the plan do to that loneliness? Theme
Earlier that night, The Giver talks about the time “we lost Rosemary.” Jonas learns only at the very end that she was his daughter. Why might The Giver have kept that to himself? Inference

Make a Connection Think of a story, or a time you know about, when one person left and another stayed behind. What did each of them lose?

Vocabulary

mimicked: Jonas mimicked in a cruel, sarcastic voice. Copied someone's way of speaking, to make fun of it.
sarcastic: Jonas found himself using the nasty, sarcastic voice again. Mocking, saying words in a tone that means the opposite.
empowered: I am empowered to lie. Given the right to do something others may not.
efficient: She's very efficient at her work, your red-haired friend. Doing a job quickly and well, with no wasted effort.
chaos: They'll be thrown into chaos. Complete confusion and disorder.
chastise: They would think him inconsiderate and they would plan to chastise him, later. To scold someone sharply for doing wrong.
solace: having no memories from which to find either solace or wisdom Comfort in a time of sadness or trouble.
unison: Together they would let Jonas's presence in their lives fade away as they said his name in unison more slowly All together at the same time, like one voice.

Critical thinking

At the start of the chapter, Jonas cries, “But he lied to me!” The next morning, he lies “easily” to his family. Is he turning into his father?
The Giver says, “your role now is to escape. And my role is to stay.” Which of them is taking on the harder part?