I am pleased to bring you a writer and fellow blogger this week. Help me welcome Bethany North to the blog today.
Because of a Book: The Giver
Today I am a professional freelance writer, and it all happened because of a book... When I was a child, I was an avid reader, and one of my absolute favorites was The Giver. This book was written in 1993, so it was perfect in my generation for us to be required to read in school. As a young girl, I definitely read my share of fluffy literature, which is pretty much the junk food of the reading world. Nonetheless, I still love to read, so whether it was The Babysitters' Club or something more substantial, that was my entertainment.
The Giver was something that was special to me because it had a huge message behind it. Even when I was in middle school, I could understand that it was talking about something bigger, namely the anti-utopian society. At first, you delve into the book feeling a comfort in the sense of the community where no one is different, and there are also no emotions. In the end, the main character Jonas has to rebel and step outside of all of the restrictions put on him by his society so that he doesn't give away the best parts of himself.
Those are things that I didn't understand so cohesively when I was a preteen reading this book, but I actually took the time to go back and read it again last year. It still reads like an adult book, and even more so, you can see a serious message running throughout the book from a more mature perspective. As a freelance writer today, The Giver has encouraged me to put my heart into what I write. Though I don't write fictional books, I still have the opportunity to write in my own voice, offer what I care about, and even provide a theme to some of my work. The point is that you have to do what you believe in, so to take a cue from The Giver, it's important to step out in what you are passionate about!
About The Giver: Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
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The Giver is one of my favorites as well, Bethany. Thanks for stopping by today and sharing your thoughts.
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