Prior to reading these three books by Lois Lowry, I had only read that her books dealt with more serious issues than most children’s books, and had read and forgotten Number the Stars. What I heard of her intrigued me, and I wanted to discover what worldview produced these controversial works. Lowry’s ability to write about universal truths amazed me.
Perhaps least impressive is her view of God, though only because it is so obscure. Theism is not even mentioned in The Giver. In Gooney Bird Greene and Number the Stars, religion is only a part of culture. Annemarie is Lutheran because she is an average Dane. Her friend Ellen is Jewish because she is Jewish. God and any interaction with Him are irrelevant to their lives or at least to the story. Gooney Bird mentions a town church in passing, but her plot is not very deep in general. I still have questions about Lowry’s theology.
Lowry’s characters, however, are well rounded. They do both good and evil, wrestling between them. Annemarie struggles with whether lying is acceptable in protecting her Jewish friend; Jonas admits to breaking rules or being rude to others and apologizes. They see others whom they respect or fear also doing both good and evil. Significantly, the Giver himself admits failure with a former pupil. And in Number the Stars, Germans soldiers are sometimes shown to be kind or happy. Protagonists also deal with a variety of emotions and react complexly to each situation. This both demonstrates Lowry’s skill as an author and shows her worldview of man’s nature.
Finally, Lowry’s proficiency most clearly shines in her treatment of reality and ethics. Her deeper stories, Number the Stars and The Giver, show her ability to raise and navigate deep questions about universal truths. The plots become well rounded, because Lowry does not ask merely the easy questions. She does not stop at asking whether Annemarie will risk her life to protect her friend, she wonders with the girl whether it is ethical for her to lie to do so. And Jonas faces difficult decisions, because while he longs to share his new memories and joys with others, doing so would destroy the peaceful life of the community. He struggles with the loneliness of responsibility and must come to terms with atrocities committed by his loved ones, who have chosen ignorance and painlessness over choice and joy.
Lowry impressed me with her well rounded characters, then her well rounded plots, both of which showed her solid, though not definitely Christian, worldview. As a result, I want to read some non-fiction about the German invasion of
Gooney Bird Greene
Elementary age. This would be a perfect book for a first, second, or third grade teacher doing a unit in class on story-writing. Otherwise, the book has neither the interest nor a theme impressive enough to render it recommendable.
Number the Stars
Elementary age. This is a terrific book about defending the helpless. The content is serious, discussing the deaths of close friends and relatives who stood up for what was right, as well as demonstrating the dangers of protecting the helpless and the enigma of lying to protect the innocent. Still, the issues are presented simply and carefully enough to be acceptable for children. Examples: Annemarie deals with her fear on her mission by telling herself the story of Little Red Riding Hood. And just as all of
The Giver
Intermediate age. While not very long, this excellent book deals with a more complex theme than Number the Stars (instead of a threat to the sanctity of life, there is a threat to human emotions). The evil, too, is more complex, because the very characters that Jonas and the Giver seek to rescue also willingly participate in euthanizing the elderly and unwanted. Furthermore, there are a few vague references to puberty changes and increased sexual awareness, which are presented well but may be too mature for elementary readers. For intermediate readers, however, this book would expertly evoke consideration of deep truths.
