The Giver
Tuesday, July 29, 2014 Unknown 0 Comments Category : bookaholic , books , bookworm , Lois Lowry , random thoughts , Taylor Swift , The Giver
"A world without pain, without memories, without love is a world without color."
What if one day you would wake up living in a world which is meticulously ordered? A world where disorder became harmony. A world without danger or pain. A world where everything is predictable. Would you get up and live in this utopian society? Or would you rather get back to sleep and wake up from this nightmarish situation?
Many people might think that an organized, painless and safe life is an ideal one but you'll be having second thoughts upon reading Lois Lowry's dystopian novel, The Giver, which has a movie adaptation and is going to hit the cinemas this coming August 15. Here are some pictures of the main characters and a short description which will somehow give you an idea of the story.
Brenton Thwaites as Jonas, The Receiver.
The most honored position in the community who bears the reality and the memories of the past behind this seemingly perfect world. He thinks that these are worth sharing to the people.
Jeff Bridges as The Giver.
The community's current Receiver who trains Jonas to be the next one.
For the love of his people, he wants change.
Katie Holmes as Jonas's Mother.
She holds an important position at the Department of Justice.
She punishes people who break the strictly enforced rules in the community.
Alexander Skarsgard as Jonas's Father, a Nurturer.
He is responsible for taking care of the Community's new babies.
His job also involves the Releasing of incapable babies, a ritual which antagonizes Jonas.
Odeya Rush as Fiona.
Jonas's friend and love interest.
Cameron Monaghan as Asher.
Jonas's best friend.
Meryl Streep as The Community's Chief Elder.
She acts as the villainous boss in the story.
And finally, (I guess you know by now why I'm interested in this movie)
Taylor Swift as Rosemary.
The teen chosen to be the new Receiver before Jonas's selection.
Her training wasn't completed because she asked for a Release and this broke the heart of The Giver because of their special relationship. Her decision brought chaos to the community.
For an interactive online experience of the movie, visit their official promotional site HERE.
The Giver has an offbeat plot which made me flip the pages a little faster. From a utopian start gradually changing to a dystopian one, you will have different perceptions as you go along the story. It teaches you that not everything you see is what it appears to be. Sometimes, a perfect life can't be considered a perfect one at all. You can't learn survival if everything you need is at hand. You can't totally enjoy freedom if you always stay in your comfort zone. You can't enjoy power if it's predetermined. Last but not the least, you can't enjoy love and joy without the existence of pain and sorrow. It also points out the importance of choices, sacrifice and individuality.
"The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared."
{The Giver}
If curiosity strikes you, grab a copy of the book now or better wait for the movie. Based on the movie trailer, I guess it's more thrilling than the book. Lois Lowry even admitted that there are some stuff in the movie that she wishes she'd thought of first. I just hope that it will really live up to my expectations.
Credits: Photos are not mine. All photos belong to their respectful owners.
Till next post, lovies. Ciao!