organizer for writing a summary of the giver€¦ · organizer for writing a summary of your...

OrganizerforWritingaSummaryofTheGiverThisportionisasummaryofthepartofTheGiverthattiestoyourthemeandfocusarea.DONOTsummarizetheentirebook!!Onlysummarizethepartofthebookthatrelatestothethemeyouareexploring.

ThesisStatement• tellhowthethemeisdemonstratedinthisbook;includethetitleandauthor

In the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas’s community demonstrates that people are easily controlled when their knowledge is limited.

Summary• includespecificexamplesfromthebookthatdemonstratethetheme–factsonly• usedirectquotesandcorrectMLAcitationasnecessary;presenttense&3rdpersonpointofview

Jonas lives in a world that has eliminated hunger, violence, war, poverty, and other ills that might plague a society. In order to maintain a so-called “utopian” world, the community founders make the choice to limit the information given to each citizen. For example, Jonas’s society knows nothing about choice. They are assigned a job, a spouse, and a family unit. They can’t even choose what they wear or where they live. Because citizens have no knowledge of a world with choices, they do not resist the strict rules of their society. The founders believe that community order is more important than individual choice. However, as Jonas receives memories of the world from the Giver, his perspectives begin to change. When he learns about the existence of color, he exclaims, “If everything’s the same, then there aren’t any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things! A blue tunic, or a red one?” (Lowry 97). In all of Jonas’s twelve years in the community, this thought has never crossed his mind. However, the new knowledge brings about new urges. Furthermore, when he learns about love and extended family, he says, “It seems to work pretty well that way, doesn’t it? ... I just didn’t realize there was any other way, until I received that memory” (125). When Jonas accesses secrets and new information, he begins to question the way in which his society is structured. The more information he receives, the more he begins to resist the community’s ways, and, ultimately, he runs away, leaving the community in chaos.

Wrap-up• discussthecostsand/orbenefitsofthisdecision• concludetheparagraph

The benefit of limiting information in Jonas’s society is a peaceful, orderly existence. However, if citizens discover that their free will is being extremely limited, the costs may be monumental. In Jonas’s case, the cost of limiting information is the destruction of the community.

OrganizerforWritingaSummaryofTheGiverThisportionisasummaryofthepartofTheGiverthattiestoyourthemeandfocusarea.DONOTsummarizetheentirebook!!Onlysummarizethepartofthebookthatrelatestothethemeyouareexploring.

ThesisStatement• tellhowthethemeisdemonstratedinthisbook;includethetitleandauthor

Summary• includespecificexamplesfromthebookthatdemonstratethetheme–factsonly• usedirectquotesandcorrectMLAcitationasnecessary;presenttense&3rdpersonpointofview

Wrap-up• discussthecostsand/orbenefitsofthisdecision• concludetheparagraph

OrganizerforWritingaSummaryofYourIndependentBookThisportionisasummaryofthepartofyourindependentbookthattiestoyourthemeandfocusarea.DONOTsummarizetheentirebook!!Onlysummarizethepartofthebookthatrelatestothethemeyouareexploring.

ThesisStatement• tellhowthethemeisdemonstratedinthisbook;includethetitleandauthor

Summary• includespecificexamplesfromthebookthatdemonstratethetheme–factsonly• usedirectquotesandcorrectMLAcitationasnecessary;presenttense&3rdpersonpointofview

Wrap-up• discussthecostsand/orbenefitsofthisdecision• concludetheparagraph

OrganizerforWritingaSummaryofaHistoricalorPersonalEventThisportionisasummaryofaneventthattiestoyourthemeandfocusarea.Onlysummarizethepartoftheeventthatrelatestoyourtheme.

Wrap-up• discussthecostsand/orbenefitsofthisdecision• concludetheparagraph

ThesisStatement• tellhowthethemeisdemonstratedinthisevent

Summary• includespecificexamplesfromtheeventthatdemonstratethetheme–factsonly• remembertoprovideenoughcontext(year,location,importantpeople/places,etc.)forthesummarytomakesense• conductresearchorinterviewsandciteyoursourcesusingcorrectMLAcitation• usepasttenseforhistoricalevents;use1stpersonpointofviewforpersonalevents

OrganizerforaComparison/DiscussionParagraphYourjobhereistopullthethreeelementstogether(TheGiver,independentbook,andevent),anddiscusswhattheyallhaveincommon.Howdoeseachelementillustrateyourtheme?Youshouldendthiscomparisonwithadefiniteopinionaboutwhethercostsoutweighthebenefitsineachelement.

ThesisStatement• explainhowallthreeelementsareconnected–includebooktitles,nameofevent,andyourtheme

TheGiver• explainandanalyzehowthisnovelconnectstothetheme• explainifthecostsofthisdecisionoutweighthebenefits–whyorwhynot?

IndependentBook• explainandanalyzehowthisnovelconnectstothetheme• explainifthecostsofthisdecisionoutweighthebenefits–whyorwhynot?

Wrap-up• discussyouropinionaboutwhetherthecost(s)areworththebenefits.Theanswermaybedifferentforeachelement• drawaconclusion–beclearanddefiniteinyouranswer;thisistheculminationoftheentireproject.

Event• explainandanalyzehowthiseventconnectstothetheme• explainifthecostsofthisdecisionoutweighthebenefits–whyorwhynot?