Abstract
The secondary worlds created in fantasy encourage the reader to compare and contrast the real world with the imaginary. In this way, fantasy as a genre can be transformative. In this article, the dystopia created in The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry is examined as a metaphor for racism. After exploring the young adult novel as mystical fantasy in the context of reader response theory, the author evaluates the monochromatic world of The Giver as a portrayal of the consequences of a colorblind stance. Pedagogical considerations and implications for practice are also discussed.
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Additional information
Susan G. Lea received her M.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania, where she is currently a doctoral candidate. She also serves as Chair, Board of Trustees, The Agnes Irwin School, an independent girls day school in Rosemont, PA. Her areas of research include how aesthetic response and co-constructed meaning are enhanced through well-known visual art presented in intertextual sets of picturebook art parody, local public mural art parody, and original artwork.
Zelnick, “The battle for color-blind public policy.”
Lowry, The Giver.
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Lea, S.G. Seeing Beyond Sameness: Using The Giver to Challenge Colorblind Ideology. Child Lit Educ 37, 51–67 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-005-9454-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-005-9454-2