The Giver by Lois Lowry
A Brief Introduction and Study Guide
Value and meaning. These terms, when applied to the question of human existence and experience, underlie some of the perennial questions of philosophy. What makes a person valuable? What makes life meaningful? It is important to note that, although these questions are related, that is to say they are not completely independent of one another, they are not the same question.
What makes a person valuable has been, and continues to be, a hotly debated question. Roughly speaking, however, there are about three different answers to this question. Some argue value is granted, others say that value is earned, and some think value is illusory.
If value is granted, granted by whom? By God? By the state? If value is granted then is that value absolute? Is it conditional or unconditional? If human value is granted by the state then is it not only as good as the state granting it? Value granted by the state would necessarily be conditional because the same state which could grant value to human life could decide to grant it no longer, or they could grant it to some but not others, or grant it to all but later be conquered by another nation which does not grant it at all.
If, on the other hand, human value is a thing granted by God then that value is absolute because the one granting it is absolute. Value granted to human beings by God cannot be corrupted or revoked, God’s perfections of power and character assure us of this, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) This is, in fact, a central idea in the Christian faith, that man is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27) and is therefore inherently valuable.
Some have, of course, argued that human value is earned rather than granted. Of course one could easily argue that the basis for granting value to a person (by the state) is in regard to whether a person shows themselves worthy through their work. So these two ideas can be related. But others insist that they can make themselves valuable without reference to anything outside of themselves granting them value. For instance, some people fancy themselves as being valuable because they are beautiful, others because they are intelligent, others still because they have produced great art, or accomplished a humanitarian effort of importance, etc. The problem of such things as a source of value ought to be obvious, namely, beauty fades, Alzheimer’s occurs, you’re only as great as your last great painting or song, and what you call humanitarian effort others call “colonization” (there is no pleasing everyone). If this is what accounts for the value of human persons then value is fleeting and not able to be maintained. If human value is rooted in mutable (i.e. changeable) qualities, or in our ability to be productive, then our value is always in peril. A person could be valuable at one moment and worthless in the next.
Still others have said human value is completely illusory to begin with. Certain existentialist philosophers who have grappled with these questions have concluded that human beings have no real objective value. Value is, at best, subjective and relative to each person. Nietzsche argued that men “will to power” and impose meaning and value on life by an act of will. Ultimately, however, Nietzsche’s own views led him to an early grave. He died alone in an asylum, having been driven insane by syphilis (which he contracted by living out his own atheistic worldview). He certainly lost the will to power in the end. If there is no God then it is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is also no objective value or meaning in this life.
Things of value are cherished, protected, and loved. Things with no value are ignored, discarded, and despised. What you believe about human value makes an incredible difference as to how you treat each person you meet. But value is only one issue. What about meaning?
It is perfectly coherent to conceive of a person who is valuable and yet fails to live a meaningful life. An analogy might be made by considering what it would be like to have $1,000,000,000 while never spending a dime of it. It could be said that the hoarded money has value yet that value is completely meaningless unless you are actually willing to spend it on something. Limitless money does you no good if you just hoard it in a vault like Scrooge McDuck.
In the same way, even if we grant that every human life is inherently valuable, it certainly does not follow that every life will be a meaningful one. By the fact that we are image bearers, we are valuable, we are packed with amazing potential, but there is no guarantee that this potential will not be squandered. In fact, a person could live a comfortable life, a life that some would carelessly call “a good life,” while in reality they will have lived a meaningless life. What makes life meaningful?
Again, some will rush to a utilitarian answer and will say, “Life is made meaningful by work, by productivity.” It is not to say that there is nothing to that claim, for work can be very meaningful! Work is part of the creation mandate (Genesis 2:15), but it should not be confused with man’s chief end. If man’s chief end is to be productive then the life of a baby, or many a senior citizen, is meaningless. It may come as a complete surprise to many to hear this but it is actually the “useless” things in life which are most meaningful in themselves and also which impart meaning to us.
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” - C. S. Lewis (The Four Loves)
Lewis’ quote touches on this idea of the meaningfulness of useless things. Useless, does not mean valueless. Useless means it isn’t a means to anything else. Anything you love, truly love, you don’t love for the sake of some other end. You love it for its own sake. Your wife, your child, a beautiful painting, truth itself, you don’t want to use them or trade them for something better. You want them. They are “useless.”1
Trying to find meaning and value in fleeting qualities or productivity is the last place you will ever find true value and meaning.
Every great thinker of note has touched on these crucial questions. From Homer to Plato to Augustine to Nietzsche and many more. Volumes upon volumes of philosophical and religious texts have tried to address the questions of value and meaning. So where to start? I know of no better way to start someone on the road to thinking about the ideas of human value and meaning than through the power of story. I know of no better story to introduce these particular ideas than Lois Lowry’s The Giver.2
Set in an unknown time in the future, in an undisclosed part of the world, lies a community. In that community is a male child named Jonas. (Why didn’t I just say a boy?)
Jonas has everything. He has Mother and Father, a sister named Lily (she is a Seven), in short, he has a family unit. He has friends to play with who enjoy him. He has a safe, warm, home without fear of any physical dangers from the outside world. He always has plenty of food to eat, no one in the community is ever starving. He receives a rigorous education which gives him hope of a career where he brings valued services to his community. Everyone has their place in the community. Jonas is very content with life in the community, as everyone is. Why shouldn’t he be? He has everything.
But Jonas has nothing. He just doesn’t know it. Then he meets the Giver.
The Giver is the first in a series of four books followed by Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. I cannot commend the whole series to you strongly enough. Lois Lowry is an award winning author who has written quite a few other books worthy of your attention, Number The Stars being one of note. Below you will find a study guide to this first great book of The Giver Quartet. The links will become live as each new section is posted. Pick up a copy today and start reading!
Lesson 1: Chapter One
Lesson 2: Chapter Two
Lesson 3: Chapter Three
Lesson 4: Chapter Four
Lesson 5: Chapter Five
Lesson 6: Chapter Six
Lesson 7: Chapter Seven
Lesson 8: Chapter Eight
Lesson 9: Chapter Nine
Lesson 10: Chapter Ten
Lesson 11: Chapter Eleven
Lesson 12: Chapter Twelve
Lesson 13: Chapter Thirteen
Lesson 14: Chapter Fourteen
Lesson 15: Chapter Fifteen & Sixteen
Lesson 16: Chapter Seventeen
Lesson 17: Chapter Eighteen & Nineteen
Lesson 18: Chapter Twenty
Lesson 19: Chapter Twenty-One
Lesson 20: Chapter Twenty-Two & Twenty-Three
Gentlemen, despite the truth of this statement, I heartily recommend not telling your wife how useless you find her.
Another great place to go for a story which wrestles with these themes, however, is The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy. The giver might be a better starting spot as it is an easier read, but both are excellent.