The Giver - Show; Don't Tell
With the trailers for the new film version of Lois Lowry's The Giver showing up more and more, I thought I would start a series of posts looking at the book's introduction and characters. I must admit I have never read The Giver, but I'm correcting that error as I prepare these posts.
The first thing I noticed as I was listening (I do better with audio due to some reading problems) to the book was the use of the "Show; Don't Tell" principle. Jonas lives in a dystopian society that is described very well through scenes in the book's introduction.
First, we see a jet flying over the community. An announcement forces people inside, leaving their bicycles lying where they were dropped. From this, we know this is a very disciplined society that is monitored by some unseen group, and this group can communicate to everyone at any time. We also learn the severity of being "released." Lowry could have simply defined the word for us, but Jonas's memory of using it in jest as a young child provides a deeper emotional meaning than any words could have accomplished.
We see the discipline of the community when Asher is tardy for class. He had to apologize to the class for being late, and he had to use a specific set of words to communicate that apology. The class even had to respond with a specific phrase.
With the instant and complete obedience of the community to announcement to go inside, the regimented apology, and the emotional intensity of the idea of being "released," we get a view into the world that words alone could not convey.
As we move away from Jonas and into Jonas's family ("expansion"), we learn more and more about the society.
The first thing I noticed as I was listening (I do better with audio due to some reading problems) to the book was the use of the "Show; Don't Tell" principle. Jonas lives in a dystopian society that is described very well through scenes in the book's introduction.
First, we see a jet flying over the community. An announcement forces people inside, leaving their bicycles lying where they were dropped. From this, we know this is a very disciplined society that is monitored by some unseen group, and this group can communicate to everyone at any time. We also learn the severity of being "released." Lowry could have simply defined the word for us, but Jonas's memory of using it in jest as a young child provides a deeper emotional meaning than any words could have accomplished.
We see the discipline of the community when Asher is tardy for class. He had to apologize to the class for being late, and he had to use a specific set of words to communicate that apology. The class even had to respond with a specific phrase.
With the instant and complete obedience of the community to announcement to go inside, the regimented apology, and the emotional intensity of the idea of being "released," we get a view into the world that words alone could not convey.
As we move away from Jonas and into Jonas's family ("expansion"), we learn more and more about the society.
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