The Giver Character Analysis in The Giver

Known as the Receiver until Jonas becomes his trainee, The Giver is a kind, elderly man whose breadth of experience through memory makes him look and seem older than he actually is. Although he lives in luxurious quarters and does not have a very active life, he is weighted down by the memories he carries and is often subjected to crippling pain. He is wise and patient with Jonas, and grows to love him as he loved his previous trainee, Rosemary. His grief and sense of hopelessness after Rosemary's death is later transformed into enthusiasm for Jonas's idea for escape. The Giver demonstrates total selflessness by offering to remain behind in order to help the community cope with the influx of memories. He willingly offers Jonas his most precious memories of love and music, and his selflessness inspires Jonas to risk his own life to save Gabriel.

The Giver Quotes in The Giver

The The Giver quotes below are all either spoken by The Giver or refer to The Giver. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Houghton Mifflin edition of The Giver published in 2012.

I have a great honor. So will you. But you will find that that is not the same as power.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 106

Explanation and Analysis:

Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness. Before my time, before the previous time, back and back and back. We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with difference. We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others. >

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 120

Explanation and Analysis:

Sometimes I wish they'd ask for my wisdom more often-there are so many things I could tell them; things I wish they would change. But they don't want change. Life here is so orderly, so predictable-so painless. It's what they've chosen.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 130

Explanation and Analysis:

"I couldn't quite get the word for the whole feeling of it, the feeling that was so strong in the room."
"Love," The Giver told him.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 157

Explanation and Analysis:

Memories are forever.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 180

Explanation and Analysis:

"Having you here with me over the past year has made me realize that things must change. For years I've felt that they should, but it seemed so hopeless. Now for the first time I think there might be a way," The Giver said slowly.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 193

Explanation and Analysis:

Though he had never seen one before, he identified it from his fading memories, for The Giver had given them to him often. It was a bird.

Related Characters: ,

Page Number and Citation: 215

Explanation and Analysis:

The Giver Character Timeline in The Giver

The timeline below shows where the character The Giver appears in The Giver. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...of the Old, where a desk attendant unlocks a door and respectfully directs Jonas to The Receiver 's room. Jonas is surprised because no doors are ever locked. The attendant tells Jonas... (full context)

The Receiver 's quarters are more luxurious and spacious than any houses in the community. His bed... (full context)

The Receiver is old and grey, and tells Jonas that he is going to use his last... (full context)

The Receiver describes himself as weighed down by memories, like a sled traveling downhill but slowed by... (full context)

The Receiver instructs Jonas to lie on his stomach. He walks over to the wall speaker, which... (full context)

The Receiver places his hands on Jonas's back and transmits the memory of sledding down a hill:... (full context)

Afterward, The Receiver tells Jonas that other people do not have the memories of sledding or hills or... (full context)

The Receiver next gives Jonas a memory of sunshine. At Jonas's request, he then gives Jonas his... (full context)

As Jonas leaves for the day, The Receiver tells Jonas not to call him "The Receiver" any longer, since Jonas is actually the... (full context)

...way that the apple changed. When he arrives a minute late to his session with The Giver , The Giver asks him why he arrived late. He explains that the sight of... (full context)

...the community would want to get rid of the color red, which is so beautiful. The Giver responds that the community had to give up some things in order to gain control... (full context)

The Giver explains that Fiona's hair is unlike other people's hair—just as Jonas's eyes are different from... (full context)

Jonas soon becomes angry that color has been removed from his world. He tells The Giver that he wants to choose things for himself, like which color shirt to wear in... (full context)

One day soon after, The Giver gives Jonas a memory of an elephant killed by poachers, with its tusks cut off... (full context)

One day, Jonas asks whether The Giver has a wife. The Giver says that he did, once, but now his wife was... (full context)

The Giver tells Jonas that he wishes the Committee of Elders would ask for his wisdom more... (full context)

Some afternoons, Jonas arrives for training and The Giver is hunched over in pain with a memory. On those days he sends Jonas away.... (full context)

One day, Jonas asks The Giver to give him one of the painful memories. By taking a painful memory, Jonas realizes,... (full context)

The Giver gives Jonas a memory of falling from the sled, breaking his leg and scraping his... (full context)

After many more days in which The Giver transmits painful memories to him, Jonas, frustrated, asks The Giver why they have to hold... (full context)

The Giver tells Jonas that people do not want memories of pain. The Receiver's job is so... (full context)

Worried that he will be reprimanded or worse, Jonas decides not to tell The Giver about what he has done. He frightens himself with the thought that he has more... (full context)

The next day The Giver is in terrible pain, and he asks Jonas to take the memory he is having.... (full context)

The Giver is gentle with Jonas for days following the war memory. He gives Jonas wonderful memories... (full context)

When Jonas asks The Giver to describe his favorite memory, The Giver tells Jonas he wants to give it to... (full context)

The next day, Jonas asks The Giver about release. The Giver responds that on days when his memories particularly pain him, he... (full context)

The Giver tells Jonas that her name was Rosemary, and that he loved her very much, the... (full context)

...in release stems from the fact that his father is releasing a twin that morning. The Giver wishes newchildren weren't released, then tells Jonas that as Receiver he can actually watch releases.... (full context)

The Giver turns on the video screen, and he and Jonas watch as Jonas's father weighs the... (full context)

The Giver explains that this is why he was so sad when Rosemary was released. He tells... (full context)

Jonas demands that they do something to stop the community from living in ignorance. The Giver argues that change is hopeless, and that the other people of the community don't feel... (full context)

Jonas and The Giver hatch a plan: Jonas will escape from the community, so that all of his memories... (full context)

The Giver tells Jonas he is not able to see colors anymore because he has given them... (full context)

The Giver and Jonas decide that over the next two weeks, The Giver will transmit as many... (full context)

The Giver will stay behind and help people cope with their new memories. He tells Jonas that... (full context)

Jonas and The Giver 's plan hits a snag that night: at dinner, Jonas's father tells the family that... (full context)

...support him rather than all the memories of courage he had expected to have from The Giver , he rides across the river and out of the community. (full context)