Summary of Chapter 2

If you are using this summary, here is what I would like you to do.  Read the summary.

Then, read the comprehension questions for chapter 2 on The Reading Guide.  Try to find the lines in the book that answer the question and underline those lines.

Summary of The Giver, Chapter 2

The chapter begins with Jonas talking to his parents about the upcoming Ceremony of Twelves.  First Jonas remembers earlier ceremonies.

·        At the Ceremony of One, the newchildren are given to their family unit.  Family units apply for a newchild.  We know that each family unit is made up of a father, a mother, a male child and a female child. 

·        There are always 50 newchildren.

·        The Committee chooses a name for each newchild.

·        At the Ceremony of Nine, children get a bicycle.

·        Twelves learn what their assignment (job) for adulthood will be.  That is why Jonas is nervous.  He does not know what will be chosen for him.

In this chapter, we also learn about two broken rules.

·        First, we learn that Jonas’s father has broken a rule.  He is worried about a newchild who is not growing well.  He looked at the list of newchild names even thought the list is supposed to be secret.  He wants to call the child by his name, Gabriel, because he thinks that will help the child.

·        Second, we learn that most children ride a bike before they are nine even though the rule says that they can only ride a bike when they are nine or older.

We also learn that there is a committee of elders who are the leaders of the community.  The Receiver is the most important elder.