Chapter 21 of The Giver: The Escape Begins

TLDRIn chapter 21 of The Giver, Jonas learns that Gabriel will be released the next morning. To save Gabriel, Jonas decides to leave the community that night. He steals food and his father's bicycle with a child seat on the back. Over the next few days, Jonas and Gabriel make their way through nearby communities, avoiding search planes. Jonas uses memories of cold to evade heat-seeking technology. As they travel, Jonas notices that his dreams are becoming weaker and shallower. This chapter shows Jonas' courage and compassion as he risks his own safety to save Gabriel.

Key insights

🔒Jonas decides to leave the community that night to save Gabriel

🚲Jonas steals his father's bicycle with a child seat on the back

🛩️Jonas and Gabriel make their way through nearby communities, avoiding search planes

🌬️Jonas uses memories of cold to evade heat-seeking technology

💤Jonas notices that his dreams are becoming weaker and shallower

Q&A

Why does Jonas decide to leave the community that night?

—Jonas decides to leave the community that night to save Gabriel. He learns that Gabriel will be released the next morning and realizes that he must take immediate action to protect him.

What does Jonas steal before leaving the community?

—Jonas steals food and his father's bicycle, which has a child seat on the back. The bicycle allows him to carry Gabriel while they travel.

How do Jonas and Gabriel avoid being caught by search planes?

—Jonas and Gabriel make their way through nearby communities and use memories of cold to cool down their body temperatures. This prevents heat-seeking technology from locating them.

Why are Jonas' dreams becoming weaker and shallower?

—As Jonas gets further from the community, he sheds his memories, including his dreams. This is intentional, as he hopes his dreams will return to the people in the community.

What does this chapter show about Jonas' character?

—This chapter demonstrates Jonas' courage and compassion. He puts himself at great risk to save Gabriel, even more so than if he had followed his original plan with The Giver.

Timestamped Summary

00:01Jonas learns that Gabriel will be released and decides to leave the community that night

00:27Jonas steals food and his father's bicycle to carry Gabriel

01:06Jonas and Gabriel travel through nearby communities, avoiding search planes

01:26Jonas uses memories of cold to evade heat-seeking technology

01:41Jonas notices that his dreams are becoming weaker and shallower

01:56Jonas shows courage and compassion as he risks his own safety to save Gabriel

02:04Jonas hopes that his memories will return to the community

02:07The return of memories will bring happiness, love, pain, and color back to people's lives

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