Chapter 20 Practice Quiz — The Giver
by Lois Lowry — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter 20
Why does Jonas refuse to go home at the beginning of Chapter 20?
He is devastated after watching his father release (kill) the lighter twin newchild in the previous chapter. He cannot face his family or return to his normal life.
Where does Jonas stay the night in Chapter 20?
He stays overnight in the Annex room with the Giver, who allows him to remain rather than sending him home.
What happened when Rosemary was released ten years ago?
Her accumulated memories returned to the community's citizens, causing widespread confusion and distress because people had never experienced real emotions or sensations before.
Why would Jonas's departure have a much greater impact than Rosemary's release?
Rosemary only held a few months' worth of memories, while Jonas holds a lifetime's worth of accumulated human experience—far more memories would flood back to the community.
What is 'Elsewhere' in the context of this chapter?
Elsewhere is the unknown world beyond the community's boundaries where Jonas plans to escape. It represents freedom from the community's control and the existence of genuine human experience.
What memories will the Giver transmit to Jonas during the two weeks before the escape?
Memories of courage and strength, specifically chosen to prepare Jonas for the dangerous journey to Elsewhere.
What will Jonas do with food in the weeks before his escape?
He will secretly stockpile and hide food to sustain himself during his journey to Elsewhere.
What is Jonas supposed to do on the night before the December Ceremony?
He will slip out of his dwelling, leave his bicycle and extra clothing by the riverbank, and prepare to be hidden in the Giver's vehicle.
How will the Giver help Jonas physically escape?
The Giver will order a vehicle ostensibly to visit another community, hide Jonas in the storage compartment, and drive him partway to give him a head start on his journey.
Why is the bicycle left by the river an important part of the plan?
When the community finds Jonas's bicycle by the river, they will assume he fell in and drowned, giving Jonas time to get far away before anyone searches for him.
What is a Ceremony of Loss?
A community ritual held when someone is believed to have died. Citizens chant the person's name more and more softly until it fades away, symbolically letting go. The community will hold one for Jonas when they believe he drowned.
Why does the Giver say he must stay behind?
He is too old and weak for the journey, and more importantly, the community will need him to help people cope with the overwhelming flood of memories that will return when Jonas leaves.
What is the Giver's role after Jonas escapes?
He will help the community process and understand the returning memories, guiding citizens through the emotional chaos, just as he helped them after Rosemary's release.
What does the Giver reveal he wants once his work helping the community is finished?
He wants to 'be with Rosemary,' his deceased daughter—implying he wishes to die and join her after fulfilling his final duty.
What is the relationship between the Giver and Rosemary?
Rosemary was the Giver's daughter. She was the previous Receiver-in-training who requested release after being unable to bear the painful memories.
How does the escape plan serve the community, not just Jonas?
When Jonas leaves, his memories will return to the people, forcing them to experience real human emotion for the first time. This could break the hold of Sameness and restore genuine feeling to the community.
What theme does the Giver's willingness to die explore?
It explores themes of sacrifice, grief, and the burden of knowledge. The Giver has carried the community's memories alone for decades, and his wish to join Rosemary reveals the profound loneliness and emotional toll of his role.
How does Chapter 20 mark a shift from passive to active resistance for Jonas?
Instead of merely absorbing memories and privately questioning the community, Jonas now commits to a concrete plan of action—escaping to Elsewhere to force change upon the community from the outside.
What is the December Ceremony, and why is it chosen as the timing for the escape?
The December Ceremony is the annual community event where children receive their age-related assignments and milestones. It is chosen because the entire community will be gathered and distracted, and Jonas's absence may not be noticed immediately.
What is the emotional tone of Chapter 20?
The chapter is somber, urgent, and bittersweet. There is determination in the planning, grief over what Jonas has witnessed, and sadness in the Giver's farewell—knowing they will likely never see each other again.