What

What dodo you

you think
think happens
happens atat the
the end
end of
of The
The Giver?
Giver? Lois
Lois Lowry
Lowry deliberately
deliberately leaves the ending
leaves the ending aa mystery – a cliffhanger
mystery—a cliffhanger
– in
— in order for the
order for the reader to decide
reader to decide what
what happens.
happens. Write
Write your
your explanation
explanation of the ending
of the ending using
using evidence from the
evidence from text to
the text to
support your answer. Also, list three reasons why you believe this is the outcome of the
support your answer. Also, list three reasons why you believe this is the outcome of the novel.novel.

I think that in the ending of The Giver, Jonas and Gabriel die but they do reach Elsewhere but instead of it being a
physical place it's an afterlife.
Reason
Reason 1
1
In the beginning of Chapter of 23, Jonas says that he had little hope that he'd reach Elsewhere, but he was certain it was
nearby. Jonas is becoming weaker and he can hardly move his freezing legs. On page 175, it says "His hope diminished
further when the sharp, cold air began to blur and thicken with swirling white." Jonas possibly dies of hypothermia
because they're freezing and Jonas's memory of warmth is slowly fading. The Giver said that when Jonas dies the
memories would be released to the community, which explains why his memories are fading.
Reason
Reason 2
2

In Chapter 23, Jonas starts to recall memories of his friends and family. This could mean that his life is flashing before his
eyes and he's starting to hallucinate which could be a side effect of hypothermia. On page 178 it says, "But he began,
suddenly, to feel happy. He began to re-recall happy times. He remembered his parents and his sister. He remembered his
friends, Asher and Fiona. He remembered The Giver." I think he is starting to feel what afterlife would be like, which is
full of memories of his family that make him happy.
Reason
Reason 3
3

I think that Elsewhere is an afterlife because Jonas feels as if they were waiting for him. He hears singing,
which could the people who placed the sled for him and Gabriel. He recognized lights and he is fills with joy
thinking that they were waiting for them. On page 179 it says, "...they sped in a straight line through an
incision that seemed to lead to the final destination, the place that he had always felt was waiting, the
Elsewhere that held their future and their past." The lights and emotions he sees and feels could indicate he's
reached Elsewhere.