Rosemary!!!!!

In chapter 18 we find out about the previous receiver, Rosemary. She asked to be released after just 5 weeks of training! The Giver seems to be thinking about a way "out" for Jonas! Hmmm......I wonder........?

Chapter 17

Today is an unscheduled holiday! Jonas is happy but he realizes that his family really feels NOTHING! Jonas sees Asher playing in a field. The kids are all playing "war." He asks the children, "please don't play it anymore", he can't help but relive the memories he has of warfare. Asher gets smart with Jonas and then apologizes. Fiona asks Jonas to go for a bike ride, he says "no".
In the evening at home, Father talks about the releasing tomorrow. He tells how he will make the lighter twin comfy and prepare it for Elsewhere. Jonas asks if someone from elsewhere gets the twin....father says yes. In the end Lily is chattering about the idea of everyone being a twin......maybe she would be a good storyteller.

The Giver's favorite memory!

The Giver shares his favorite memory......it includes family, love, grandparents, warmth, happiness. It is Christmas!
Jonas goes home and asks his parents. "Do you love me?" They laugh and tell him that "love is a very generalized word, so meaningless that it has become obsolete." Jonas lied and said that he understood why the word was inappropriate, even though he had never felt anything so meaningful.
The December ceremony is now 2 months away. Gabe has been doing well in Jonas' room. He will be given to a family at the next ceremony. Jonas tells Gabe....Things could be different, and there could be "love." Jonas throws away his pill!

Take some of the pain........

Jonas arrives for work and The Giver is in terrible pain, he begs Jonas to take some of the pain. Jonas enters into the memory of WARFARE! It is a horrific memory of young soldiers dying on a battlefield. When Jonas opens his eyes...The Giver says "Forgive me"

Chapter 14 New pain and realization!

Jonas gets the painful memory of a broken leg from a sledding accident. Jonas is feeling more and more apart from everyone he knows, except The Giver. Everyday of training now includes some pain, and Jonas is beginning to realize how unfair his situation is. The Giver talks about why a receiver is needed for the community.
Jonas' father is preparing for the release of an identical twin to be born soon. Father is responsible for choosing the baby to be released, hopefully the choice will be an easy one. Jonas' father also talks about Gabe and how he is still having trouble sleeping. Jonas volunteers to have Gabe's crib in his room for the night, so his family can sleep. Gabe wakes during the night and Jonas accidentally gives Gabe the memory of a soothing sailboat ride. Gabe wakes again during the night and Jonas is able to soothe him back to sleep with the memories. Jonas decides not to tell The Giver.

It isn't FAIR!!!

The Giver talks to Jonas about the idea of having choices and Jonas decides "We really have to protect people from wrong choices."
Jonas tries to give away the memory of color to Asher, it doesn't work. Next he tries to give his dad and Lily the heart wrenching memory of the elephant's tusks being poached, he can not do it and he seems to know that he shouldn't. Jonas asks The Giver if he has ever had a spouse. He says that he did have a spouse, but now that they are no longer needed to create families, his spouse lives with the Childless Adults. The Giver begins to help Jonas understand that there is a whole part of his life that he can not share with a family, that his life is the memories. The Giver says that the community needs them, to prevent the chaos that was caused by the memories being released 10 years ago when the other selection failed.
Jonas is often sent away from his training when The Giver is in too much pain. One afternoon, following a day when Jonas has been sent away, he asks The Giver what causes him pain? The Giver decides it is time to show him and has Jonas recall the sled and the snow. .......

COLOR vs BLACK and WHITE:

Jonas dreams of the sled ride over and over all during the night, but he is not allowed to tell his dreams. It is a relief to him because there is no way to explain it to his family.
On his way to training, Jonas is with Fiona and something about her hair changes. Jonas asks The Giver about it. The Giver tests him and decides that it is the Capacity to See Beyond and that what Jonas sees is color! Specifically the color RED!
Jonas learns that years and years ago the community decided to get rid of color. The Giver tells him "we gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others." Jonas decides that the community "shouldn't have" gotten rid of the colors. The Giver is surprised at how fast he came to that conclusion. In the end he decides to give Jonas the memory of a RAINBOW!

THE GIVER!!!!

WOO HOO!!! Chapter 11!
Jonas gets a memory of something very unfamiliar to him.....SNOW!!! We find out that the community has something called "climate control" so that they have no changes in weather, and "sameness", so that they have no hills. The old Receiver makes an interesting statement that "Honor is not the same as power." He says that this job that they have has a lot on honor not power.
The second memory that Jonas is given is SUNSHINE. He gets the word for it without being told and he enjoys the feeling of warmth on his body. When he has finished the second memory he and the old Receiver talk and the old Receiver tells him that he has learned from the failure of the previous Receiver. Jonas tells him that he wants to experience some of the pain and that he is brave.
The old Receiver gives Jonas some pain in the form of sunburn. Jonas thinks that the pain isn't really going to be that bad after he receives it. Jonas thanks the old Receiver and prepares to leave, but asks the old Receiver before he leaves "What should I call you?" and he is told to call him "The Giver."

Chapter 10...Off to his new assignment!

Jonas goes off to his first day of training. He is surprised by all kinds of things in the Annex. First, there is a lock on the door. Second, the attendant stands when Jonas enters the Annex. Third, the room he enters is FULL OF BOOKS!!!! Fourth, the speaker in the room can be turned off.
The old Receiver looks tired and worn. He has light eyes like Jonas and Gaberial. He tells Jonas what his job will be. He must transmit to Jonas all the memories he has within himself. The memories of the past. Jonas is confused. The old man decides that he will start with Snow, Sled, and Downhill. He tells Jonas to take off his tunic and lay on the bed. He will transmit these memories by placing his hands on Jonas' back.

QUIZ TOMORROW!!!!! Chapters 7-10

Chapter 9: Separate and alone

Jonas is feeling separate and different. He thinks that the other people in the community are treating him differently as well. He goes home and his parents talk to him about this "great honor." They also tell Jonas about the failed Receiver (10 years ago) and how HER name is never to be spoken or given to a newchild again. No one really knows what happened to her.
Alone in his sleeping room Jonas opens his training folder. He has a list of 8 rules. Each of the rules is surprising to him. The last one makes him question everything he knows...YOU MAY LIE!!!!!!
Jonas wonders, does everyone have this in their rules?....WOW !!!!!Has everyone been lying to him?

Chapter 8......at last!!!!

"The audience is clearly ill at ease."
Chapter 8 begins with Jonas being called to the stage and the Chief Elder apologizing for the confusion. She begins to explain Jonas' selection as Receiver of Memory. She tells Jonas that it is the most honored position in the community and that his training will require him to be alone and apart. Jonas is concerned. The Chief Elder goes on to explain the qualities that they have found in Jonas.
Intelligence, Integrity, Courage, Wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond.
She also goes on to talk about the PAIN that Jonas will need to endure.
Although he is nervous, Jonas' heart swelled with gratitude and pride as the community chanted his name.
WOW...I don't think I would be excited about a job that involved indescribable pain. Would you?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT

Today was an independent reading of Chapter 7. How did you do? Did you read carefully? Did you remember how to answer the open ended question?

In the chapter, Jonas is waiting for his assignment to be given to him. (when his number "19" is called) The Chief Elder talks to the crowd about the Ceremony of Twelve being a celebration of differences, the only time when being "different" is a good thing in this community. Jonas' group mates get their assignments one by one and Jonas is not really surprised by any of them. Asher receives the assignment of Assistant Recreation Director. Fiona is Caretaker of the Old.
When it is Jonas' turn....the Chief Elder skips his number! Jonas wonders what had he done wrong?

MONDAY MONDAY

Today was a notebook test.....keeping your notebook organized is VERY important!!!!
If you didn't do such a great job so far.....change that!