TG-5

Writing exercise instructions

⏰ 30-40 minutes

✏️ 200-300 words

🎯 Develop your writing skills and taking a stand: Is banning The Giver justified, or does it hinder critical thinking?

Introduction:

• Introduce the concept of book banning and censorship and briefly explain why The Giver has been a controversial book.

• End with a thesis statement that clearly takes a stand (either in favor of banning or against it).

Practice writing three body paragraphs:

• Reasons for banning – Present arguments and specific examples (e.g., themes of euthanasia, emotional suppression, and control) why some people believe The Giver is inappropriate for certain audiences.

• Counterarguments – Explain why banning the book may be harmful, for example how The Giver encourages critical thinking about government control, free will, and emotions.

• Your stance – Support your position with evidence from the book, as well as real-world examples of censorship’s impact on education and society.

For example:

"Some schools ban The Giver because it discusses death and emotions, but isn’t that exactly why we should read it? The book challenges us to think about freedom and control. If we avoid difficult topics, we risk becoming like Jonas’s society—obedient but blind to what really matters."

Writing exercise instructions

⏰ 30-40 minutes

✏️ 200-300 words

🎯 Develop your writing skills about how the lack of historical knowledge affects a character in The Giver

Instructions:

Practice writing about two characters:

• Choose two character, and from their perspectives, explain how they experience living in a world without history:

  • Jonas realises how much has been hidden from him and begins to rebel

  • Rosemary is overwhelmed by pain because she was unprepared for it

  • The Giver carries emotional burdens that no one else can understand

  • Fiona follows rules without questioning them as she lacks historical context

For example:

"Jonas watched Fiona carefully as she carried out her duties at the House of the Old. She smiled, unaware of what release truly meant. He wanted to tell her, to make her see. But how could he explain something she had no words for? “Fiona,” he said hesitantly, “do you ever wonder if things could be different?

Fiona dipped the sponge into warm water, carefully washing the frail skin of the elder before her. She worked efficiently, as she had been taught. Jonas had been acting strange lately—asking questions, hesitating before following the rules. Why couldn’t he just accept things the way they were?”