Final Remark

I would recommend this book, because it is exciting. Moreover I like the critical thoughts behind the story. A motionless community without individuals and with too many rules can't exist for a long time. I think the book shows extremely well how important human feelings and individuality are for every social system.

---> Winston Churchill: " You can fool some people some time, but you can't fool all the people all the time."

E-mail to Ms Brunstein

Dear Miss Brunstein,

I think it very interesting to work in this way. I even think it motivates todays media-oriented young.To design an individual blog is not only fun, it also encourages getting active in a creative sense. Of course it takes a lot of diligence and good will, since it really is a lot of work, but I’m convinced that the pupils are willing to make such an effort when they get the opportunity not to have to follow dully the well known and sometimes banal  instructions and tasks of the teacher. You are freer in this way of working ( I won’t do anything today, because I’m busy, so I’ll do double as much tomorrow).  It’s less stress that way. Of course it is difficult to produce good posts, when it’s hard for you to understand the book, but I’ve become more confident with regard to English reading while I have been reading.

I have really liked the individual way of working with selfgiven tasks and the design. Moreover you can see every time what you have achieved. The larger the blog the more stisfied you are with your work. I like being able to see a result and to get positive feedback or  good and objective criticism by way of the comments from the others. In the normal lessons the pupil is often left uncertain about what he or his mates achieve and he consequently loses control.

All in all it is strenuous and demanding, but in spite of that I like this way of working, because

I also noticed how much it seemed to me that my writing  became more fluent while I was writing the posts.

Greetings from

Yours Talea

Post-Reading Activities

Fiona's diary entry:

Hey diary,

it’s me again. So much happened. I don’t know how to put it in words. Since Jonas has been gone there was a big change in our community. I do not really understand the causes why

it was Jonas who had to go away. Why him of all the people. How could something like that happen, something that has never happened before? How could it happen without the

omniscient Elders knowing everything about it? But let me start from the beginning:

After Jonas had disappeared awave of something very intensive and strong overwhelmed all the citizens of our community. It came all of a sudden. Some stood simply shouting with eyes wide with terror, others were lying about with wet faces  while some were laughing ceasless like being out of their minds. Moreover unidentifiable extreme spots appeared to our sight between the familiar grey and some of us perceived strange noises. But the Giver regained control quickly. He brought order into the chaos and explained to us, who were extremely confused,  in a soothing way what had happened. He told us everything about colours, music and, most important, about feelings. It sounded unbelievable but it explained the circumstances. By means of what he called “memories” he step by step got us used to every single feeling. This change makes every new day something special and exciting. Although it hurt  a lot at first, I wouldn’t like to do without it any more, because in my opinion there is a balance between good and bad feelings. I don’t think Jonas disappeared without any reason. I think there is a close relation between Gabe’s and his leaving and the change that has taken place here. Perhaps it was his plan. If so I’m grateful to him. Now it is getting possible to everyone of us to make individual decisions and to go our own ways ....

- you just feel much more lively. What I know for sure in this chaotic time is that since Jonas has been gone I feel hole inside of me and I think it .... hurts?

The Giver explained to me that I miss him. I wish he’s alive somewhere and that he sometimes thinks of me. Thanks to all these incidents the thought has been growing in me that there is another world, in which feelings existed much longer and in which Jonas is right now. It is a funny hope that these two worlds will become one one day and so I will see him again.

Maybe some time I will be brave enough to find out about all of this. Til then I’m simply curious what will happen here.

Well, we’ll see         

Your’s  Fiona

Chapter 21- 23 summarized :

Jonas realizes that he can’t proceed as planned when his father tells him that they are going to have Gabriel released because he cried all night that the Nurturing Center. Jonas decides to flee at once and to take Gabriel with him. He takes his father’s bicycle, because it had the child seat attached to the back. He rides at night and sleeps at daytime always transmitting soothing memories to Gabe to make him sleep quietly. After some time of riding and hiding  they leave the area of the communities and do no longer see signs of human habitation. The road becomes narrower and bumpy. He no longer fears the searchers, but the unfamiliar landscape with it’s unknown, hidden perils. Jonas twists his ankle scrapes his knees when he falls off his bike. He reaches the limits of his strength. Everything he sees is new to him and surprises him after a life of Sameness and predictability. The journey gets increasingly strenuous since they run out of food and the weather worsens till it finally snows. Jonas keeps them going by transmitting memories of food, warmth and joy. In the end on top of a hill almost  at the end of his strength Jonas suddenly begins to feel happy and memories of joy flood through him. And that he remembers the place is a memory of his own. They find a sled and with a heart full of hope they start down. This sled makes its way to Elsewhere, a world with lights, colours, memories and where love is celebrated. For the first time he hears music and feels being expected. He even hears music from the place he left, but is not sure if it’s only an echo.

A little Quiz about Chapter 13-15

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Chapter 11 +12

The last events with the point of view from The Giver :

In the last two days I gave Jonas a lot of memories :

• A memory of snow, hills and a sleigh ride
• A memory of sunshine

---> These memories should help Jonas to understand the difference between "coldness" and "warmth". Moreover these memories are very nice and I want to give him the chance to a little bit childhood in spite of the hard job of a Receiver.

• A memory of sunburn

---> This memory I showed Jonas that memories can be painful. But I showed him just physical pain for now.  Heartache he'll feel early enough.

• And I helped him to see the colour. ( He began to see the colour - red! )

---> This memory I showed him, because when he had seen beyond, the hair of his friend Fiona was changed. ( she's red-haired). He was very confused about it and so I told him about the colours. I try to explain, which colour faces ( flesh) ,too. In the end I gave him a memory of a rainbow.

First memories:

  

Second memories:

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The Giver's point of view :

I like Jonas. He is a diligent,conscientious, brave and clever boy. When I was a child I might have been similar to him. Also I like his curiosity and that he asks a lot. He trust me and teachable. I was very proud, when he came to me after he has seen beyond. He's able to combine memories and feelings very fast, although he actually doesn't know them.
But suddenly his questions are a little bit difficult and

Chapter 20

The plan of escape ( detailed chronology)

1. In the weeks before the December Ceremony:                                        Transfer of every memory of courage and strength to Jonas, which he  would need to find Elsewhere.
2. The night before the Ceremony: Jonas secretly leaves his dwelling at midnight, when there are neither Food Collecters nor Path-Maintenance Crews.
3. Wearing an extra set of clothing he takes his bicycle to the riverbank and leaves it there hidden in bushes with the clothing folded beside it.
4. Then he walks on foot to the Annex, where no nighttime attendant is.
5. The Giver will have left the door open. 
6. Next morning the Giver orders a vehicle and driver and Speaker. When the driver and vehicle arrive the Giver sends the driver away.In his absence the Giver helps Jonas hide in the storage area of the vehicle. Jonas has with him a bundle of foot, which the Giver has saved from own meals.
7. When the Ceremony begins Jonas and the Giver are own their way.
8. When Jonas' bicycle and clothing are found the Giver has returned and Jonas is on his way to Elsewhere.
9. The Giver makes the announcement that Jonas has been lost in the river and he starts the Ceremony of Loss.

Chapter 19, too

Jonas watched at his father bent over the squirming newchild on the bed. "And you, little guy, you're only five ponds ten ounces. A shrimp!" 

 

"Why's he-" 

"Shhh," The Giver said sharply.

"He killed it!"

(Shock)."...the terrible pain clowing its way forward to emerge in a cry."

Chapter 19

Summary  with pictures

„I’m sorry that I wasted so much time with my questions,”Jonas said. “I was only asking about        release beause my father is releasing a newchild today.A twin.”

     
                                                                                                      

"I think you should," The Giver told him firmly.
"All right, then," Jonas said. "Tell me how."

The Giver rose from his chair, went to the speaker on the wall, and clicked the switch from OFF to ON.

"Suddenly he could see windowless room... -It's just an ordinary room."

"Shh," the Giver said , his eyes on the screen. "Obediently Jonas concentrated on the screen,waiting for what would happen next."

"Jonas's father,wearing his nurturing uniform, entered the room, cradling a tiny newchild wrapped in a soft blanket in his arms."   

               

Chapter 16

Dialogue between Jonas and me, his quiet friend from another world.

Me : Hey Jonas! What's up? You look so different from when I talked to you a few days ago. There is something in your face, what's new.

Jonas: Really?! Mhmm... I don't know. Maybe because I threw my pill away. But maybe you just see emotions, experience and memories for the first time on my face.

Me: You did WHAT? What about your community rules? How did all this happen?

Jonas: I know it's a big change in my life and that it has an effect on my character, but it felt so nice to learn about things like family, happiness, grandparents and...love. At the first time everything was strange and foolish. But now? I just feel a little more complete ... It's hard to be different and have secrets. But in a special,unusal way it makes me proud to have an own life and my own thoughts. Nobody can control my mind, too. This gives a feeling of safety. In spite of this it's a little bit lonely if suddenly nobody can understand you because you're knowing things, they don't know. Sometimes it's hard to take the load of so many secrets. It happens with my Assignment- with my selection. It's my job to be different,now.

Me: And...do you like it?

Jonas: Yes and No. Yes because all the feelings are interesting and refreshing. And an other reason is, that I have no longer this feeling...to wear a mask or to be caged. And a little bit "No" because I felt never before so much separate... And suddenly there is the feeling to show this big world of emotions to them. It's so sad that's a secret...and to tell you the truth: I don't really understand why... I wish I could part for example this indescribable feeling of "love"...
At the first time of my life I get the thought that something goes wrong here...

Me: Well... Your thoghts seem to be dangerous. Good luck. And : Watch out! It can be very hard if you know something, which is actually important for the whole community.

Jonas:  I thought about it... I will be careful. Good bye, my friend from elsewhere.

Chapter 10

Exercise for the test

How to write an analysis:

• Introductory sentence : Titel, author, kind of book, number of chapter, year of origin
• short summary
• main part : - Setting (time, place, milieu)                                                                                            
• characterisation (direct, indirect)
• point of view ( 1st - person narrator, 3rd-person narrator ( omniscient narrator, limited narrator)
• symbolism
• language ( stylistic devices, levels of speech, special appearances)
• (conclusion, interpretation)

Chapter 7)

immediately    -   gleich,umgehend
irritation         -   die Irritation, die Verärgerung
indicating       -   die Anzeige
mischief         -   die Gefahr, der Schaden
unworthy       -   unwürdig
exasperated   -   außer sich, entnervt
toddler          -   das Kleinkind
maturity         -   die Reife, der Termin, die Fristigkeit
progress        -   der Fortschritt, der Ablauf, die Entwicklung  
exchanged     -   ausgetauscht
duplication     -   Verdopplung
tattletale        -   Schwätzer, Quasselstrippe
solemnly       -   feierlich,festlich



Diary entry of jonas :

Dear diary,


I've never felt so invisible and inconsiderable in my whole life. But I want to tell you the story from the beginning.
It was the day of Assignment.  We sat in the very front, immediately before the stage. We were arranged by our original numbers. I'm Nineteen, because I had been the nineteenth newchild born in my year. I sat there and knew that very soon I would not be an Eleven but a Twelve, and age would no longer matter...I was very excited! Asher was Four, and sat now in the row ahead of me. Fiona was Eighteen and sat on my left. When the Chief Elder in her speech said "But today we honor your differences. They have determined your futures." I was very confused after this since  I really didn't know what were my differences to the other Elevens. I was uncertain what was special about me. Then she began to describe this year's group and its variety of personalities, though she singled no one by name. The following procedure dragged on. I was seriously trying to recognize each reference- But if I'm honest...my thoughts were always with myself.
I was feeling like a damn egoist! But I noticed that Asher's Assignment was very funny and furthermore that he and Fiona got "jobs" , which made them happy and satisfied. After Fiona it would have been my turn. But when the Twenty was called up, I realized that I had been skipped !!!
My first thought was that it was a mistake. I was sure, though that it was very unlikely that the Chief Elder did anything wrong. I panicked and got stunned. Although I was like in a trance for the rest of the ceremony, I felt the eyes of the others looking at me. And in the end there was only despair and I wondered what wrong I had done ???!!!
...
I will tell you the rest of the amazing ceremony soon...but I'm so tired now and just want to go to bed. There is so much unbelievable happend.
- A big change...
- A little bit patience ;-)

Good night !

Jonas

Chapter 5

Vocabulary


contribut        -   beisteuern, einen Beitrag leisten
rarely             -   selten
grasp             -   auffassen,erfassen,verstehen
vividly            -   eindringlich,lebhaft
lengthy           -   übermäßig lang
discuss           -   erörtern, sich über etwas beraten
disquieting      -   beunruhigend
infraction        -   Übertretung, Verletzung
chastise          -   jmdn. stafen
reluctantly      -   ungern,widerstrebend
dealt              -   gehandelt
punishment     -   Strafe
citizen            -    der Bürger / die Bürgerin
frowning        -    finster,stirnrunzelnd
odd               -    merkwürdig,sonderbar
chest             -    Brust
perspiring      -    schwitzend
plate             -     Bank
embarrassed -     verlegen,verwirrt,betreten
convince       -     überreden
murky           -     trüb,dunkel
wiggle           -     schlängeln,wackeln
instructor      -     der Ausbilder / die Ausbilderin
tray              -     die Ablage
Stirring         -     das Rühren (hier ist Jonas' neuartiges Gefühl gemeint)
mentioned    -     betreffend, erwähnt
treatment      -     Behandlung, Bearbeitung
apply to s.o. -     sich an jemanden wenden
reassuring     -     beruhigend
affectionate   -     herzlich,liebevoll,teilnehmend
brightened    -     aufgehellt (aufgemuntert)
rude             -     gemein,grob,unverschämt
swallow       -     schlucken
dosage        -     die Dosis
adjust         -      anpassen
confide       -      vertraulich mitteilen
oddly         -       seltsam
pleasurable -      angenehm
upon          -      an,auf
disappear   -      verschwinden,erlöschen

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PElhV8z7I60

This video fits very good to chapter 5, because everything is very stiff and motionless. The music transfers gentle feelings with its seeming of unblameable sweetly sound. But  actually both, the video and the chapter, are about abort feelings : passion and appetency. Actually this video has the atmospere of desperation and if Jonas wouldn't take his pills I think he would feel the same...

____________________________________________________________________________

Poam about chapter 5


At first it was just a little,innocent dream
My thoughts are  virgin and confused...


But they 're mine
and was so fine
you can't reckless steal
those traumas never heal...


I'm really not amused !


(You must just allow
this new emotions.....)


Work up the courage to feel!
The reason why I seal:
I was full of social fears
Today I'm standing to my laugh and tears.


The dream was so promising
what  a sweetly, unusual  thing...


Beautiful warth everywhere
I never felt like this before
maybe this "New-thing" need my care
Want to dream it one time more...


And now it's lost until I'm old?
Start to revolt,
start to revolt!
And liberate yourself.


"But it shall stay a single time"
Whispers all the pills...
 And you don't rid the feeling,that...
          These pills kills!

Chapter 3+4 - Summary

Chapter 3)

Summary : When they arrive at home with Gabe, Lily notices his pale eyes. Jonas,too observes that Gabe, like he himself, has a certain depth in his look. Lily dreams of being a Birthmother, but Jonas tells her that it's better to be a Nurturer, because there's little honor in being a Birthmother. An Announcement is made when Jonas takes an apple home with him. He only took it, because he had noticed a change of the apple, while playing with it. He still thinks about the incident in the evening.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 4 )

Summary: Jonas is looking for Asher with who he wants to spent his volunteer hours. He finally finds him and a girl named Fiona at the House of the Old. After getting his sign-up sheet stamped and sealed he joins Asher and Fiona who are helping in the bathing room. While bathing Larissa, she tells him about the celebration of the release of Roberto and Edna, the telling of his life and how he bowed to all of them and then walked through the special door in the Releasing Room. Larissa finds Roberto's life exciting and Edna's life boring and unimprtant, because she was just a Birthmother. From this you can conclude that in the eyes of the community it isn't a good job. Larissa can't answer Jonas' question where the released go and what happens to them. A part from that she thinks that nobody knows it,except the committee.

And a good picture appropriate to a situation in "The Giver"

-->    http://edu.glogster.com/media/5/17/85/9/17850983.jpg

* You should pay attention to :

• Clothing
• Location
• And to the apple, which is an important symbol of the further story ( I assume)

Another interesting bookcover

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/104/c/4/The_Giver_Cover_by_lunagoddess21.jpg

This is another bookcover of  "The Giver".  I was surprised that there is a girl on it. But I think in spite of that it fits very well, because this face is ever so motionless! I think the gloomy atmosphere is furthered by the fact that it is held just in black and white.

Homework for 11.3.2011 ! Chapter 6)

The growing up of children in this community 

My Task: Special Features:

1.  The Committee of Elders does the Matching of Spouses. An adult who applies to receive a spouse waits months or even years before a match is approved and announced. ( Factors are : Disposition, energy level, intelligence and interests.) The Matches are monitored by the Committee of Elders for three years before they can apply for children.
2. The Naming placement of the new-children ( New-children can be labeled Inadequate and released from the community).There are replacement children, who replace a lost child . Consequently there is a Ceremony of Loss and a Murmur -of-Replacement Ceremony.These Ceremonies do not exist for released children.
3.  no info
4.  The Fours,Fives and Sixes wear jackets fastened down the back so that they would have to help each other dress and would learn interdependence.
5. no info 
6. no info
7. The Sevens get a front-buttoned jacket ( The first sign of independence )
8. The Eights receive jackets with smaller buttons and pockets,indicating that Eights can keep track of their own belongings. They do volunteer hours for the first time.
9. Get a bicycle with a gleaming nametag
10. The Tens get a new haircut: Females lose their braids. Males get a manly short style which exposes their ears.
11. The Elevens get new clothing: different undergarments for the females, whose bodies were beginning to change; and longer trousers for the males, with a special pocket for a calculator that they would use this year in school.
12. The Assignment.

Conclusion: The rules in this community are strict and inhumane. The people aren't free- but the system works well. Everybody is safe except  those who are released. But what's the meaning of "released"? What happens to those who are released? I think this community forms little function- oriented robots! Furthermore I think it's difficult to have a typical childhood  there with a chance to develop into an individual.

Information about missed lesson.

Hey  folks,

I want to apologize for not being able to accomplish my tasks, because I didn't have the time to do so. I couldn't attend the last lesson, because there was an excursion with my latin-course. But I will do it later -this weekend!
I'm sorry.

Homework Chapter 1)

The first chapters are told with flashbacks. Jonas feels frightened as if something terrible would happen. He thinks of the first time he saw the aircraft and of his classmate Asher. He thinks about all this, while he's  walking home and thinks about his special feeling. Finally he decides, that he's apprehensive rather than frightened. This seems to be connected with the December, he has waited for so long . Moreover he seems to live in a strict community with a lot of rules at school, in the family and in gerneral. In the second chapter the reader realizes a family tradition: A kind of conference, where every member of the family  talks about his feelings.
In the end of the second chapter his parents have a serious conversation with him in course of which his little sister Lily is sent away, because she's too young. But she seems know what it is about. At this point of the story the reader realizes that something very important will happen in the future.

Characters we get to know:

Jonas

• reflective
• seems to be introverted
• twelve-year-old boy
• something special will happen with him in this December

Lily

• curious
• teachable
• caring
• her feelings were always straightforward, fairly simple,usually easy to resolve.
• seven-yearold sister of Jonas

Their parents

My Homework

Hey everybody,
as my homework until Friday I will write a short summery of the first two chapters and will describe the first characters I' ve come to know.

Pre-reading:

My first impressions / Assumption to the content:


Concerning the cover:

• A relationship between young and old
• Two persons in the same pose standing across from each other ( with outstretched arms)
• you can't perceive their faces
• The colours from the cover are in earthy tones
• It isn't very multicolored
• There is a light ray on the persons
• It seems to be mystical

Concerning the title:

• Maybe "The Giver" has a powerful position in the story
• Maybe it's about the give-and take in the society
• Or maybe it's about magic
• Or about a relationship between father and son

Well...we will see... ;)

It's a school project.
You see I created a "Reading Blog" about "The Giver" by Lois Lowrey.
I hope you will enjoy it!  (: