I did not anticipate the connections I would make to the current events in our world today. So I apologize ahead of time, Patty: this little review is not going to be light-hearted!
While reading, I was most poignantly mindful of the heartbreaking suicide of Robin Williams. Of course, it has been almost impossible to avoid the various tributes and eulogies for his lost soul. So I suppose it seems reasonable that I found a connection between the Giver and Robin Williams.
In the novel, The Giver understands he cannot "release" himself from the painful and tragic memories he holds for The Community because doing so unleashes those memories to The Community and he believes that would be too painful for the citizens to bear. However, as he ages, he becomes increasingly aware that the burden of these memories is too much for any one individual to bear. His apprentice soon convinces him that sharing the memories would ultimately be of benefit to all.
So how does this relate to Robin Williams? In reading all of the tributes and anecdotes about Robin's life, it is clear this man cared deeply about humanity and spent his life nurturing others. He did his best to relieve others of their suffering by injecting comedy and kindness wherever he found the opportunity to do so. But it's also true that he was deeply sensitive to the state of the world. Could this sensitivity have been the result of his depressed state -- or was it the cause? I suppose that question can't really be answered. But it is clear, that much like The Giver, Robin believed it was time to "release" himself" from the burdens. Sadly -- life is not a novel, and suicide is not a "release." But pondering the issue of suicide while reading The Giver was a stark reminder of the value of sharing both joys and sorrows within a community -- and the importance of facing our realities together.
Thinking further -- I was also struck by the concept of "sameness" that underscores the dystopian future Lowry portrays. Are we driven by a desire toward "sameness" by creating a world where deep poverty, starvation, and cruelty are kept at a safe distance? We see infrequent images and occasional news reports on television. But they do seem far removed from our own realities.
The Giver is thought-provoking and timely...and I'm very, very glad that the upcoming movie will introduce this story to a new generation.
This is not a title that I was familiar with. Thanks for the thoughtful comparison.
ReplyDeleteLois Lowry write book for kids. This is not targeted for YA -- I'd say mostly 5th-9th graders. I first encountered The Giver when Melissa read it. Then, when I went back to school, it was included in a Children's Lit class I took. I've read the series -- and they are all wonderful. I didn't teach them to my class -- but did recommend them to some of my more advanced 4th graders -- and they were always a BIG HIT.
ReplyDeleteLois Lowry is often cited as one of the first authors to write dystopian novels targeted to a young audience. I've read some interesting interviews with her about current novels of the genre -- aka The Hunger Games and Divergent.
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