Chapter 7

The Giver

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

"This is the time," she began, looking directly at them, "when we acknowledge differences. 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."

He saw the others in his group glance at him, embarrassed, and then avert their eyes quickly. He saw a worried look on the face of his group leader. He hunched his shoulders and tried to make himself smaller in the seat. He wanted to disappear, to fade away, not to exist.

Each passage has a list of three. One list is what the Elevens have learned. The other is what Jonas wants at the end. How far apart are those two lists?

For the educator Two passages: the opening of the Chief Elder's speech, and four sentences from the last page of the chapter. In the first passage the speech is broken by who is speaking, set off with commas: “she began, looking directly at them,”. The speech goes on in the same sentence, so it picks up again with a small “when”. Its second sentence ends in a list of three phrases, each beginning with “to”, the last one the longest; it holds the vocabulary word “impulse”. The speech runs on into a new paragraph, so the book leaves off the closing mark after “group.” and opens the next paragraph with a new one; copy the marks exactly as printed. The second passage opens with two sentences that begin “He saw”. The first sets “embarrassed” off with two commas and holds the vocabulary word “avert”. The paragraph break after “group leader.” is the book's. The last sentence is a second list of three: “to disappear, to fade away, not to exist.” The third phrase breaks the pattern with “not”. The talk prompt sets the two lists side by side. A student may hear them as far apart (one is about belonging to the group, the other about vanishing from it) or as close (learning to curb what sets you apart, and wanting not to exist once you are set apart). Either answer can stand if the student points to the words.

Discussion

Narration Tell back the chapter in order. Start with the Elevens taking their seats by number. Stop where Jonas bows his head.

1. The Chief Elder describes four of the Elevens, and Jonas hears nothing that sounds like himself. Why might the writer tell us that before the Assignments begin?Author's choice

2. Jonas thinks Inger is a little lazy, and that her later work as a Laborer will “impose self-discipline.” Is her Assignment a reward for who she is, or a way to change her?Moral reasoning

3. Little Asher went silent for a while, and the Chief Elder says, “But he learned.” What did he learn?Character

Make a Connection Think of a story, or a time in your own life, when a room went quiet all at once. How did the people in it decide what the quiet meant?

Vocabulary

Crossword

1

		2
3				4	5

			6

	7


8

Across

Across 1. Very deep and serious in meaning.
Across 3. A little embarrassed, in a shy and silly way.
Across 6. A sudden urge to do something without stopping to think.
Across 7. Being exactly right, with no slips or sloppiness.
Across 8. To turn away so you don't have to look.

Down

Down 1. The respect and admiration people give to a job or person they think is important.
Down 2. Held and swung, ready to be used like a tool or weapon.
Down 4. So shocked that for a moment you can't think or move.
Down 5. In a way that shows you are a little sorry or regretful, even while you smile.

The words in the chapter

profound The speech was much the same each year: recollection of the time of childhood and the period of preparation, the coming responsibilities of adult life, the profound importance of Assignment, the seriousness of training to come.
impulse 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.
prestige Birthmother was an important job, if lacking in prestige.
sheepish Asher laughed, too, looking sheepish but pleased at the special attention.
ruefully Asher nodded ruefully, and the audience laughed aloud.

wielded The punishment used for small children was a regulated system of smacks with the discipline wand: a thin, flexible weapon that stung painfully when it was wielded.
precision And precision of language was one of the most important tasks of small children.
stunned She skipped me, Jonas thought, stunned.
avert He saw the others in his group glance at him, embarrassed, and then avert their eyes quickly.

Critical thinking

1. When the Chief Elder brings up “snack and smack,” Asher nods and the audience laughs. What is it like for Asher to hear that story told in front of everyone?

2. Jonas wonders if he heard wrong, and then if he forgot his own number. Why does he end up asking what he did wrong?

3. The Chief Elder says, “today we honor your differences.” Does this Ceremony truly honor differences, or only the ones that fit a job?