The Giver Essay

Let the Children Read

Anne Frank wrote, “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a persons character lies in their own hands.” She helps to explain that children need to learn for themselves, and that parents cannot be in control of all aspects of their child’s life, because it does not help with forming a child’s maturity and self education. After reading The Giver by Louis Lowry, and through examples in articles on teen education, it is appropriate for children to read The Giver beginning in middle school. Students, at this age, are interested in books that relate to them. The book also encourages students to raise questions and become more educated on subject like puberty, suicide, and euthanasia, which are discussed in the book. The opposing party might disagree with the fact that children are ready for these subjects and want to stop their children from reading these kinds of novels in school, but an analysis of educated opinions projects the case for students to read this book.

Students are interested in books that relate to them. When children are in middle school, they go through similar experiences to those of Jonas in The Giver. The main character, Jonas, is going through puberty, just like children in middle school. Jonas has “Stirrings” which are what children might know as “wet dreams”, which occur when a child is going through puberty. Giving a child examples through a book of things like puberty help them to have something to relate to, and makes it easier for a child to understand and read. At this age, children are also faced with harsh issues like suicide and euthanasia, which are seen in school, the community and in the media. Children see suicide happening, and it is never really explained to them. Parents and other adults usually avoid subjects like suicide and euthanasia because they are hard to talk about. In the media and in school education, euthanasia is discussed in countries...