Lois Lowery and Her Writing

I recently finished “The Giver” by Lois Lowery. I read the book many years ago, however needed to read it again in order to design a lesson plan for a middle school or high school level class. When I read the novel through this time, I found myself reading it as a writer rather than a reader. I paid close attention to the different techniques she used, and one thing that really stuck out to me was the way in which she used descriptions and euphemisms within her writing. Many of her euphemisms include words such as “stirrings”, “Newchild”, and “Elsewhere” which she uses to demonstrate to the reader how protected and guarded the community that she writes about is. She also describes “memories” of feelings by describing certain scenes. For example, she describes the feeling of love through a description of a warm room with a glowing fireplace, a lit Christmas tree, colorfully wrapped gifts, happy children, and smiling grandparents. She also describes the feeling of excitement through a sleigh ride downhill as the brisk cold air hits your face and the scenery whirls by. Overall the novel was better than I remember it being. I found myself becoming engaged in the storyline, but also interested in the way in which she presented her ideas and descriptions.