The Giver Chapter 7

The Giver Chapter 7

page 1

Now Jonas's group had taken a new

place in the Auditorium, trading with the

new Elevens, so that they sat in the very

front, immediately before the stage.

They were arranged by their original

numbers, the numbers they had been given

at birth. The numbers were rarely used

after the Naming. But each child knew his

number, of course. Sometimes parents

used them in irritation at a child's

misbehavior, indicating that mischief

made one unworthy of a name.

page 2

Jonas always chuckled when he heard a parent, exasperated, call sharply to a whining toddler, "That's enough, Twenty-three!''

Jonas was Nineteen. He had been the

nineteenth new-child born his year. It had

meant that at his Naming, he had been

already standing and bright-eyed, soon to

walk and talk. It had given him a slight

advantage the first year or two, a little

more maturity than many of his groupmates

who had been born in the later

months of that year.

page 3

Asher was Four, and sat now in the row

ahead of Jonas. He would receive his

Assignment fourth.

Fiona, Eighteen, was on his left; on his

other side sat Twenty, a male named

Pierre whom Jonas didn't like much.

Pierre was very serious, not much fun, and

a worrier and tattletale, too. "Have you

checked the rules, Jonas?" Pierre was

always whispering solemnly. "I'm not sure

that's within the rules.'' Usually it was

some foolish thing that no one cared about.

page 4

The initial speech at the Ceremony of

Twelve was made by the Chief Elder, the

leader of the community who was elected

every ten years. The speech was much the

same each year: recollection of the time of

childhood and the period of preparation,

the coming responsibilities of adult life,

the profound importance of Assignment,

the seriousness of training to come.

page 5

Then the Chief Elder moved

ahead in her speech.

"This is the time," she began, looking

directly at them, when

we acknowledge differences. You

Elevens have spent all your years till now

learning to fit in, to standardize your

behavior, to curb any impulse that might

set you apart from the group.

''But today we honor your differences.

They have determined your futures."

page 6

She began to describe this year's group

and its variety of personalities, though she

singled no one out by name. She

mentioned that there was one who had

singular skills at caretaking, another who

loved new children, one with unusual

scientific aptitude, and a fourth for whom

physical labor was an obvious pleasure.

Jonas shifted in his seat, trying to

recognize each reference as one of his

group-mates.

page 7

The caretaking skills were

no doubt those of Fiona, on his left; he

remembered noticing the tenderness with

which she had bathed the Old. Probably

the one with scientific aptitude was

Benjamin, the male who had devised new,

important equipment for the Rehabilitation

Center.

He heard nothing that he

recognized as himself, Jonas.

page 8

Finally the Chief Elder paid tribute to

the hard work of her committee, which

had performed the observations so

meticulously all year. The Committee of

Elders stood and was acknowledged by

applause. Jonas noticed Asher yawn

slightly, covering his mouth politely with

his hand.

Then, at last, the Chief Elder called

number One to the stage, and the

Assignments began.

Multiple Choice

Which committee thought of the Assignments?

• The Committee of Laborers.

• The Committee of Spouses.

• The Committee of Elders.

• The Committee of Nurturers.

Multiple Choice

When were the original numbers of the group at the Ceremony of Twelve given out?

• At the Ceremony of Ones.

• At birth.

• Before they entered the auditorium.

• At the Ceremony of Nines.

Multiple Choice

What does a child do to provoke Adults to call their children by their original number and not their name?

• Misbehaves.

• Eats.

• Plays.

• Drinks.

Multiple Choice

Who makes the opening speech at the Ceremony of Twelves?

• A Birthmother.

• The President.

• The Chief Elder.

• The Receiver.