To get the picture for this blog, I typed "perfect family" in a google image search and these are the first two images that appeared. I wouldn't have expected anything different, yet at the same time felt somewhat disappointed. We see societal views haven't changed much in the past, oh, 50 years.
Is society right? Do these images capture "family"? Do they capture the "family unit" in the "perfect world" of The Giver? Would you say the "family unit" was a "family"?
Think about all the times throughout the book we are asked to question the meaning of "family" and how this applies to real life. You may want to consider discussing:
-Mother's job in the Department of Justice vs. Father's job as Nurturer (gender equality, anyone?)
-When Jonas recieves the memory of Christmas/Love
-The concept of grandparents, and biological parents (birthmothers) vs. those who raise the child (family unit)
-Jonas asking his parents if they love him
-The Giver's love for Rosemary and Jonas
-Jonas' relationship to Gabe
Try to take these events from this fake society and expand them out to real society, adding your own opinions about what is family?
