The Giver by Lois Lowry

This Newberry Award winner allows adults to explore some pretty serious themes after enjoying a quick and easy read. So, without further ado, here are discussion questions for The Giver by Lois Lowry.
1. Why is collective memory so important? What would be the results if society had no memory of its past? Is this happening or has it happened in the past?
2. Why was the destruction of true emotions essential to the creation of the Utopian society found in The Giver?
3. Why was exactness of language so important to the the society in the book? Does the exactness of language denote the lack of depth of feelings as it is implied in the book? Why is ambiguity in language so important to our abilities to share feelings and describe the world around us?
4. The book is written from a limited third person perspective. How does this perspective help you as a reader? Did you enjoy the perspective or would you have preferred a more omniscient narrator to better understand the society as a whole?
5. We see in the book that, among other things, music and color were taken away, how is the elimination of these two things beneficial to a society such as the one found in the book? Is the elimination of color the same thing as being color-blind.
6. The book highlights the dangers of completely unified society. Do you think unity is important? How can we be unified without destroying the variety that can make life interesting and beautiful?
7. Is language inherently ambiguous because of the feelings that language was created to describe?
8. How did Ms. Lowry use ambiguity, or the lack thereof, to show the development of Jonas as a character?
9. What do you think of when you listen to Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin?
10. If you had to choose between living in a world without color or without music what would you choose?
11. Why is it important to learn about civilizations and cultures other than ours? In The Giver they didn't know about their past, but they also didn't really know about any other communities, and from the ending it appears that there are communities that didn't succumb to the sameness. Why would it be important for us to learn about, for example, China's history from the Chinese perspective and not simply as a small portion of Western History? Learning about different perspectives in history and politics may create more confusion or ambiguity of feelings of your perspective, is this beneficial or detrimental? Can this question get any longer? I must get back to work.Enjoy.

Oliver Twist

A little while ago, I read Oliver Twist, while it is not my favorite of Dickens' works, it brings up a certain number of questions regarding society and the literary devices Dickens uses to advance his social causes. Here are some questions to inspire discussion:
1. Why is Oliver Twist the flattest character in the book? Or if you don't think he is, defend your position.
2. Why do you think Dickens made the gang of thieves the most varied and deep characters in the novel? Do you think he was trying to make a statement by the varying reasons for crime found among the thieves?
3. Why doesn't Nancy accept the help and sanctuary that is offered? Did she really love Bill or are her actions more of a self-imposed punishment often given by those who believe they are not good enough for redemption?
4. Did Bill really love Nancy? Defend your answer.
5. Dickens clearly is making political and social statements, how do you think this story compares to other sociopolitical novels? Is it more effective or less effective, and why?
6. Why does Oliver have to be the inheritor of great sums of money, wouldn't Dickens' point about a person's virtue being based on who they are, not how they come into the world be more effective if Oliver really had been born of the scum of the earth?
7. Who is your favorite character? Why?
8. What is your opinion of Fagin? Does he care about his urchins and thieves, or is he a completely self-interested person?
9. Does Oliver's complete goodness annoy the snot out of you?