The Giver: Disability Informed Reading Guide
The Giver: Disability Informed Reading Guide PDF
Many commonly taught books and stories that feature disabled characters and/or themes related to disability include portrayals that can be confusing, stereotyped, or unintentionally harmful. Our disability informed reading guides help educators navigate these texts with care. These resources are not endorsements of the books themselves, but tools to support thoughtful conversations, offer important context, and encourage more inclusive, accurate discussions about disability. Like all of our resources, they’re designed to help classrooms be places where all students feel respected and represented.
The Giver is a novel with several important themes related to disability. First, it is set in a society that actively practices eugenics (via an assisted dying, called "release" in the novel). The society "releases" any infants who fail to thrive or exhibit difference, as well as elderly people. A key character experiencing mental health difficulties and trauma also is granted "release" in the novel, rather than receiving treatment, care or support for her challenges.
Second, major plot points in the novel revolve around memories and the society's ability to recall the past. A key character and role in the society is a man known as "The Receiver of Memory", who later becomes "The Giver" (the name that gives the book it's title). The Receiver is the repository for the entire society's collective memory, and exists to provide advice and guidance to the society. All other society members have no memory of difficult events like war or disease epidemics; it is not stated, but implied, that the society also has limited memory of deeply joyful and celebratory events. The main protagonist, Jonas, is tasked with learning to become a Receiver of Memory, replacing the older one; during his training, the memories that Jonas receives from The Giver are increasingly difficult to handle, and he also shows signs of experiencing trauma. While no diseases or conditions are explicitly named in the novel, this theme can promote discussion about memory and cognitive disabilities, as well as mental disabilities arising from traumatic experiences.
Finally, a key message evoked by many characters in this book is the importance of precision of language. This comes out in various ways, but noting and highlighting this theme could tie nicely into a lesson/discussions on person vs. identity first language in referring to disabled people, for example, or language related to stereotypes and discrimination.