Summary of Chapter 3

Summary of The Giver,  Chapter 3

Gabe, the newchild that is having trouble, comes to Jonas’s family.  Jonas notices his pale eyes.  Jonas has the same kind of eyes.  No one talks about it, because it is considered rude to talk about differences. 

Lily likes the newchild and says she wants to be a Birthmother.  Her mother tells her that Birthmothers are given good food and rest for three years, but then they become Laborers for the rest of their lives.  Her father tells her that Birthmothers never see the newchildren. 

Jonas remembers a time when the Speakers said: ATTENTION.  THIS IS A REMINDER TO MALE ELEVENS THAT OBJECTS ARE NOT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE RECREATION AREA AND THAT SNACKS ARE TO BE EATEN, NOT HOARDED.  The announcement had been for him.  He was embarrassed.

Jonas had taken the apple because when he was playing with it, it had changed.  We don’t yet know how it changed, and Jonas doesn’t know how it changed.   He could not make it change again.