Line #117 Characters/TheGiverQuartet


1	A listing of characters who appear in Lois Lowry's ''Literature/TheGiverQuartet'', consisting of ''Literature/TheGiver'', ''Literature/GatheringBlue'', ''Literature/{{Messenger}}'', and ''Literature/{{Son}}.''
2
3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	[[folder: Recurring Characters]]
6
7	!!Jonas
8
9	The main protagonist of ''The Giver'' and supporting character in ''Messenger'' and ''Son.'' At the onset of the first book twelve-year-old Jonas is selected to become the next Receiver of Memory, who stores all the memories of the time before Sameness so they can aid the Community in making decisions the Elders lack the experience to make. As Jonas receives memories of beautiful things such as sunshine, love, and family, as well as terrible things like war and starvation, the more horrified he becomes at how emotionally sterile the community has to be in order to function at all, and he and the Giver set out to change things.
10
11	Played by Creator/BrentonThwaites in the 2014 film.
12	----
13	* AdaptationDyeJob: He has brown eyes in the film, instead of blue eyes like in the book.
14	* AgeLift: He was eleven going on twelve in the book, but is sixteen in the movie.
15	* BigBrotherInstinct: [[spoiler:Despite his plans to leave the Community, leaning that Gabe is going to be killed promptly causes him to ditch the Giver's advice and leave early.]]
16	* BigBrotherIsEmployingYou: He is being trained to take a role in perpetuating the dystopia they all live in.
17	* TheCameo: In ''Gathering Blue'', Matt describes a boy with "amazing blue eyes."
18	* TheChosenOne: He is chosen by his society to be the new Receiver of Memory, a very revered position. Halfway through the book he decides that pulling a ScrewDestiny will work for the better of society in the long run.
19	* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Like most people in his community, Jonas takes things that would be downright horrifying to many people as normal -- although once he receives memories of better times, he realizes how horrible the Community is to make its residents live this way.
20	* CrapsackOnlyByComparison: Inverted. At first he ''thinks'' that he's in a utopia and takes great pains to reiterate how good the community is compared to the past, but eventually realizes it's a CrapsackWorld.
21	* EroticDream: His dream of his "favorite female friend," Fiona, which prompts his mother to start giving him the pills.
22	* FirstSnow: He is very confused upon seeing snow for the first time (because he's used to total climate control).
23	* InferredSurvival: [[spoiler:It's all but said outright in ''Messenger'' that Leader is Jonas: the mentions of his blue eyes, his sister, and Fiona, the sled makes an appearance, and that he first discovered his powers via an apple. Confirmed in ''Son''.]]
24	* LivingIsMoreThanSurviving: He comes to realize that the community gave up genuine emotion and humanity for an emotionally sterile, functional utopia.
25	* LoveInterest: Fiona is this at first in ''The Giver'', though it doesn't end up coming to be. [[spoiler:In ''Messenger,'' Kira gets some implications with him, too. He graduates to full-on OfficialCouple with the latter.]]
26	* MeaningfulName: "Jonas" is a variant form of the Hebrew name "Jonah". Much like the prophet Jonah in Literature/TheBible, Jonas (who's arguably a "prophet" in his own way) is a ChosenOne selected by his rulers to receive great messages, and he ultimately [[spoiler: decides to elude his destiny by running away and starting a new life somewhere else]].
27	* MentorsNewHope: The Receiver of Memory who mentors Jonas is revealed [[spoiler: to have had another protege in the past, hinted to have been his own biological daughter (in their society, children are assigned to parents other than their birthmothers), who committed suicide out of despair brought on by the knowledge she received from her mentor, and was unpersoned by the Community]].
28	* MilestoneBirthdayAngst: Jonas is initially apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve, because their career paths will be decided on the day.[[note]]In their {{dystopia}}, children don't have individual birthdays and are referred to by their birth years, eg. Jonas at the beginning is an Eleven.[[/note]]
29	* NiceGuy: Intuitive, understanding, sensitive, kind, well-meaning, polite, and wanting to do what's best for the Community.
30	* OccultBlueEyes: Has blue eyes, which are very rare in the community, and is a sign that he is capable of "seeing beyond".
31	* OfficialCouple: [[spoiler: By ''Son'', he and Kira have two children together.]]
32	* OnlyOneName: Justified, since he and the rest of the Community are raised by adoptive parents assigned by the government, and have no reason to carry family names.
33	* PapaWolf: Towards Gabriel; Jonas is pretty protective of him.
34	* ParentalSubstitute: He becomes protective of Gabriel, and [[spoiler:when they reappear in ''Son'' they have a dynamic sort of like this, although Jonas notes he could never have been a true parent to him]].
35	* PsychicPowers: It's vaguely mentioned that he has the capacity to "see beyond." He fully displays this [[spoiler: in ''Messenger'', where he gets visions and can see people's true selves]].
36	* RiteOfPassage: Getting assigned a job is an important rite that determines the rest of a person's life; being assigned the unusual job of Receiver is what marks Jonas as special in the community.
37	* SomeoneHasToDoIt: How he deals with his duties as the Receiver of Memory, at least initially.
38	* SplashOfColor: In-universe. He first starts seeing color by noticing red for the first time, when everyone else is unable to see anything other than black and white.
39	* ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself: [[spoiler:Why the Giver asks to be left behind in the Community while Jonas escapes, and why, years later, Jonas lets Gabe fight Trademaster by himself]].
40	* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: He grows up in a false Utopian society where the word "love" has become obsolete. When he learns about it through memories received from the Giver and asks his parents if they love him, they admonish him for not using precise language and say that asking "Do you enjoy me?" or "Do you take pride in my accomplishments?" would have been better. What makes it better is that they actually laugh and treat the question as meaningless. Jonas can't help but think that what he felt earlier was anything ''but'' meaningless. He realizes that further questions would also be met with either ignorance or programmed responses.
41
42	!!Gabe
43	A newchild informally adopted by Jonas's family due to his slightly stunted development. He and Jonas form a strong bond, especially after Jonas realizes that he can Receive memories as well.
44	----
45	* AmbiguousDisorder: As an infant, he's considered extraordinarily difficult and slow to learn basic skills, at least compared to the average child in the Community. This is somewhere between downplayed and nonexistent in later books; there are a few mentions of him slacking off in school, but nothing to suggest his behavior is especially out of the ordinary.
46	* BreakingSpeech: Gives one in ''Son'' to [[spoiler: Trademaster, on how the people he's victimized still manage to find good lives for themselves.]]
47	* CheerfulChild: As a baby, he's very loud and happy. He's also mentioned to have skipped homework to go play in ''Messenger''.
48	* TheDeterminator: He's so determined to find his mother that he tries to build a boat all by himself and sail down a very turbulent river to find her. Jonas also describes him as tenacious.
49	* InSeriesNickname: His real name is Gabriel, but Jonas's father dubs him "Gabe" and it sticks.
50	* MeaningfulName: Gabriel is the name of an angel who is often considered a symbol of healing.
51	* MysteriousPast: In ''Son.'' He only knows what Jonas has told him, which isn't a lot, and is frustrated by his answers of, essentially, "[[CrapsackWorld that's just how it was]]."
52	* OccultBlueEyes: Has blue eyes, which are very rare in the community, and is a sign that he is capable of "seeing beyond". Gabe's power is veering, in which he can briefly transport himself into another person's body and experience their thoughts and feelings.
53	* PsychicPowers: His revolve around seeing another person's emotions.
54
55	!!Kira
56	The main character of ''Gathering Blue'' and supporting character in ''Messenger'' and ''Son''. Born with a deformed leg, Kira is ostracized by members of her community and would have been put to death at birth had it not been for her mother's intervention. Upon her mother's death she is nearly sentenced to die, but is instead singled out for her exceptional weaving skills and is chosen to be the Threader, the person who will embroider the Singer's robe with the history of their people.
57	----
58	* TheChosenOne: Along with Thomas and Jo, she's chosen by the council to pass on the history of human civilization.
59	* CoolBigSis: To Matty. She teaches him manners. Also, she develops a relationship like this with Jo later on.
60	* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: In a way, to Jonas -- while Jonas is from a futuristic society, able-bodied, had been treated well since birth, and male, Kira is from a backwater village, disabled, ostracized because of it, and female. However, they're both determined young people burdened to pass on the history of human civilization. [[spoiler: Jonas eventually has to make a sacrifice by leaving his community and Kira makes a sacrifice by staying in hers, for the betterment of both. Also, they end up together.]]
61	* DeadGuyJunior: In ''Son'', [[spoiler:her and Jonas's son is named Matthew for Matty and their daughter is named Annabelle for Annabella.]]
62	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: How her gift manifests itself -- visions of the future appear in her embroidery.
63	* IncorruptiblePurePureness
64	* InsecureLoveInterest: [[spoiler: Downplayed in ''Son'', in which she's still insecure about her deformed leg even after two children with Jonas.]]
65	* InspirationallyDisadvantaged: She's been crippled since birth, but since her mother's death, her weaving and embroidery skills keep her from being killed by the council, and she later rises above those who scorn her.
66	* KeepingTheHandicap: After Matty discovers his power of HealingHands, he offers to heal Kira's lame leg. She refuses because her disability is intrinsic to who she is.
67	* LikeBrotherAndSister: In ''Messenger'', she and Matty are this way.
68	* LooseLips: Mentioning to Jamison that Annabella knows there are no beasts in the woods [[spoiler:gets Annabella killed]].
69	* OccultBlueEyes: Has the blue eyes linked to "seeing beyond."
70	* PsychicPowers: It's implied her prodigious talent at embroidery is somewhat psychic in origin. This is elaborated on in ''Messenger,'' where she's now able to see temporary visions of the future in her work.
71	* SupremeChef: It's mentioned in ''Son'' that she's an exceptional cook.
72	* TextileWorkIsFeminine: Her job is to embroider the Singer's robe while Thomas's is to carve the Singer's staff.
73	* ThrowingOffTheDisability: Actively defied. Matty offers to heal her leg in ''Messenger'', but Kira refuses.
74	* TwoGuysAndAGirl: With Thomas and Matt.
75
76	!!Matty
77
78	Supporting character in ''Gathering Blue'' and protagonist of ''Messenger.'' Matt is a tyke from the Fen, a swampy region with strange customs and an odd way of speaking. He is at first Kira's only friend and acts as a sidekick of sorts to her. By ''Messenger'', he's been adopted by Christopher and has taken on the name "Matty."
79	----
80	* BigBrotherMentor: To Gabe. It's mentioned in ''Son'' that Gabe really admired and looked up to him.
81	* {{Courier}}: Matty craves the admiration and prestige of being the village's Messenger.
82	* HappilyAdopted: In ''Messenger,'' he is now Seer / Christopher's adopted son.
83	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Essentially sacrifices himself to heal the world]].
84	* LikeBrotherAndSister: He and Kira have this dynamic; she acts as the CoolBigSis to his TagalongKid. Solidified when Christopher adopts him.
85	* HatesBaths: Due to growing up in the Fen, he's never without layers of dirt. He hates it when Thomas forcibly bathes him.
86	* HeroesLoveDogs: He forms a strong attachment to Branchie and is devastated when he dies. He later adopts Frolic and loves him just as easily.
87	* MessianicArchetype: [[spoiler:He sacrifices himself so that the residents of Village can find the good in themselves again. It's outright stated in ''Son'' that the villagers found ways to become worthy of his sacrifice.]]
88	* NonHumanSidekick: Branchie in ''Gathering Blue'' and Frolic in ''Messenger'' after the former's death.
89	* OnlyFriend: After Kira's mother's death, he's at first the only person willing to interact with her.
90	* ThePigPen: Kira often describes him as filthy. He cleans up by ''Messenger''.
91	* {{Sidekick}}: To Kira at first, although he graduates to full-on Hero in ''Messenger''.
92	* TagalongKid: To Kira in ''Gathering Blue,'' where he's her eight-year-old sidekick.
93	* WorldHealingWave: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Messenger'' -- effectively healing the world of all evil, but effectively taking his life in the process.]]
94
95	!!Christopher/Seer
96	Kira's DisappearedDad. Before his reappearance in ''Gathering Blue'' all that was known of him was that he was taken by beasts (which, he eventually reveals, was a lie). In ''Messenger'' it's revealed that in the interim he'd found himself a new home in Village, where he serves as a source of guidance to its residents.
97	----
98	* DisappearedDad: To Kira, although they end up reuniting.
99	* GoodParents: He clearly cares about Kira, and he does a good job raising Matty after adopting him in ''Messenger''.
100	* KilledOffscreen: Dies between ''Messenger'' and ''Son.''
101	* LeftForDead: What really happened to him when he was supposedly "taken by beasts". He was hunting when another man, envious of his position, savagely attacked him and left him blinded and barely alive. But he was found by people from the Village, who nursed him back to health and helped him build a new life for himself.
102	* ParentalSubstitute: He becomes one to Matty -- the boy ends up being his eyes while he serves as a much-needed parental influence.
103	* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Like the Giver, he's a wise old man who's experienced extremely trying times and serves as a source of wisdom to his community. Both of them also [[spoiler:lost their daughters (although Kira and Seer reunite)]] and take gifted young boys under their wing.
104
105	!!Trademaster
106
107	The antagonist of ''Messenger'' and ''Son'', a mysterious man with the power to grant your wishes at a high price.
108	----
109	* BigBad: The instigator of the main problems in ''Messenger'' and ''Son''.
110	* DarkIsEvil: Dark hair, dark outfit, dark outcomes to his wishes...
111	* DealWithTheDevil: His whole schtick. He'll give you what you want, but his prices require you to trade away the best part of yourself -- for example, it's implied Ramon's mother traded her children's health for a Gaming Machine. But ''refuse'' to trade with him and it's possible you'll be even worse off than when you started -- he cripples Einar for being proud enough to refuse his help.
112	* TheDreaded: To the people in the Village after the events of ''Messenger''.
113	* EmotionEater: It's suggested that selfishness, and the chaos and destruction it causes, feed him in some way.
114	* EvilSmellsBad: In ''Son'', it's mentioned several times that he smells absolutely disgusting.
115	* IShallTauntYou: He gives a big speech out of all the chaos he's caused to Gabe in an attempt to unnerve him.
116	* MadeOfEvil: According to Leader, he's pure evil. Gabe describes him as a force disguised as a man.
117	* ManOfWealthAndTaste: Claire describes him as surprisingly well-dressed.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:''The Giver'']]
121	!!The Giver
122	----
123	The current Receiver of Memory, who selects Jonas to become his replacement, a lonely, isolated man who carries all the memories of the time before Sameness. He considers them a burden, but cares deeply about Jonas and the Community and looks out for their best interests.
124
125	[[quoteright:162:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/th_1_00.jpg]]
126	[[caption-width-right:162: The Wise Elder Who Started It All.]]
127
128	Played by Creator/JeffBridges in the 2014 film.
129	----
130	%% * BigGood
131	* CastFromLifespan: He mentions that using his memory-absorbing power has "aged" him; though it isn't clear whether it has actually shortened his life, or if he just looks much older than he really is.
132	* CharacterTitle: The titular "Giver" of the novel, although his real title is Receiver.
133	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: His real name is never revealed and he is always just called "Giver" by Jonas and "Receiver" by other characters.
134	* TheGoodChancellor: His role in the Community is to advise them well based on the memories he's received.
135	* KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge: The ''only'' one in the Community (apart from his predecessor and successor) allowed to know how things used to be.
136	* TheMentor: He is this to Jonas.
137	* MyGreatestSecondChance: After the startling failure of the previous Receiver-in-training, he is determined to do right by Jonas.
138	* NoNameGiven: His real name is never revealed.
139	* OccultBlueEyes: Has blue eyes, which are very rare in the community, and is a sign that he is capable of "seeing beyond".
140	* PassingTheTorch: An essential part of his relationship with Jonas. Jonas accepts the job as the Receiver with the understanding that he will eventually become the next Giver, with the task of passing on the accumulated memories to the next Receiver.
141	* PsychicPowers: Like the other characters who can "see beyond," he has these. His started when he began "hearing beyond."
142	* TogetherInDeath: It's implied that [[spoiler: Rosemary is his biological daughter, and that, after he helps the Community adjust to having emotions, he'll "release" himself to reunite with her]].
143	* TookALevelInBadass: In the film adaptation, [[spoiler:he stalls the Chief Elder long enough to prevent Fiona's execution]].
144	* TransferableMemory: Perhaps one of the most extreme examples of this trope out there. As part of the process of training [[spoiler: his daughter Rosemary]] to be the next Receiver, he is forced to give her all of the memories that he holds- good and bad. She does okay with the good ones, but the bad ones quickly become too much for her to bear and she chooses to [[DrivenToSuicide Release herself]] -- ''with the Giver watching'' (unsurprisingly, the poor guy quickly finds himself having to turn his head). It gets REALLY bad when you consider that not only did the Giver [[spoiler: lose a child]], but he couldn't even turn to his family or community for support- because they literally don't have any concept of what grief even IS (let alone the love that leads to grief!) Really, it's a miracle the guy managed to stay sane.
145	* YoungerThanTheyLook: While it's unclear how old he actually is, it's mentioned that the stress of keeping all the memories is part of the reason he looks so old.
146
147	!!Asher
148	Jonas's best friend, a cheerful boy whose main concern is having fun -- as such, he's assigned to become the next Assistant Director of Recreation. Although their friendship is genuine, the knowledge Jonas has to bear puts a strain on their friendship.
149
150	Played by Cameron Monaghan in the 2014 film.
151	----
152	* AdaptationPersonalityChange: He is consistently happy and cheerful throughout the book (where he's assigned a recreational position), while in the film he starts off that way but becomes more serious and unsmiling after being assigned drone pilot.
153	* AgeLift: He was eleven going on twelve in the book, but has been aged up to sixteen for the movie.
154	* AscendedExtra: In the book, he fades into the background as Jonas gets farther and farther in his training, until he eventually isn't mentioned anymore. He has far more to do in the film.
155	* CheerfulChild: He's a very outgoing and energetic child.
156	* CorporalPunishment: As a three, he asked for a "smack" instead of a "snack" when he was hungry and was hit so often with the stick that his legs had marks and he went silent for a time. The Chief Elder remembered this fondly.
157	%% * TheHedonist: Is absolutely ''delighted'' when he is assigned to be the Assistant Director of Recreation.
158	* MeaningfulName: "Asher" means "happy." Not so much in [[Film/TheGiver the film]], where he's a serious, unsmiling busybody.
159	* OnlyOneName: Justified, since he and the rest of the Community are raised by adoptive parents assigned by the government, and have no reason to carry family names.
160
161	!!Fiona
162	Jonas's closest female friend, a kind and gentle girl who is assigned to care for the people at the House of the Old.
163
164	Played by Creator/OdeyaRush in the 2014 film.
165	----
166	* AgeLift: She was eleven going on twelve in the book, but has been aged up to sixteen for the movie.
167	* AscendedExtra: Like Asher, Fiona in the book fades away as the story progresses. In the film, she's a major part of Jonas' arc.
168	* DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:During the climax of the film adaptation, in which she's sentenced to Release for her role in helping Jonas escape.]]
169	* FieryRedhead: Inverted. She is said to be calm and serene from Jonas.
170	* MeaningfulName: Fiona is an Irish name; although ethnic names of all types appear in "the community," Fiona is the only person with red hair, a feature the Irish are known for.
171	* NiceGirl: She's caring and considerate, which makes her a good fit for the job of caring for old people. Although [[spoiler:her job of "releasing" old people is not so nice, but she doesn't understand the implications of such an act.]]
172	* OnlyOneName: Justified, since she and the rest of the Community are raised by adoptive parents assigned by the government, and have no reason to carry family names.
173	* PromotedToLoveInterest: In the book, she is a good friend of Jonas's whom he eventually drifts apart from (although he's definitely interested in her). In the film, [[spoiler:he manages to convince her to stop taking the injections and she realizes she loves him as well. She eventually aids in his escape, and he promises her he'd come back for her]].
174
175	!!Rosemary
176	The previous Receiver-in-training. When she failed in her duties, the Community had to absorb the horrifying memories she'd received. Determined not to let this happen again, she was unpersoned by the Community and took great pains in choosing Jonas to be Rosemary's successor.
177
178	Played by Music/TaylorSwift in the 2014 film.
179	----
180	* DrivenToSuicide: She couldn't take the horrors of the memories she received, and applied for Release, which, unknown to most of the characters, is a lethal injection. And she knew exactly what it was--she asked to perform the Release herself. Her death caused the memories she had absorbed to revert back to the community, with near-catastrophic results. This prompted the community to add a new rule, in that future Receivers of Memory cannot ask to be released.
181	* MeaningfulName: Rosemary (which stands for remembrance, according to Ophelia in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''). Her name will never be used again after her death forced the community to remember the vivid emotions they have left behind.
182	* OnlyOneName: Justified, since she and the rest of the Community are raised by adoptive parents assigned by the government, and have no reason to carry family names.
183	* PosthumousCharacter: Her suicide took place years before the story starts.
184	* PsychicPowers: Like the Giver and Jonas, she was able to "see beyond."
185	* ReleasedToElsewhere: Somewhat unusual in that she ''asked'' to be released, but she still counts.
186	* {{Unperson}}: The story's {{dystopia}}n society has removed her from the public memory, going as far as to forbid her name to be used for a new child ever again, after [[spoiler:the memories she received dissipated out into the community when she applied for [[ReleasedToElsewhere release]] (assisted suicide, and she knew what it was) and the members of the community had to feel emotion and pain for the first time]].
187
188	!!Chief Elder
189
190	The leader of the Community, the Chief Elder is the speaker at all of the ceremonies in the Community as well.
191
192	Played by Creator/MerylStreep in the 2014 film.
193	----
194	* AdaptationalVillainy: She is a minor character in the book. In the film, she is a KnightTemplar villain.
195	%%* BigBad: Of the film.
196	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Her real name is never revealed, and she's known to everyone only as "Chief Elder."
197	* FreudianExcuse: The film implies that that [[spoiler:Rosemary was her daughter, showing why her loss drove her to be obstinate and controlling]].
198	* HumansAreFlawed: She believes in this in the film, which is why she endorses the Community's methods.
199	-->'''Chief Elder''': "People are weak, people are selfish, when people have the freedom to choose, they chose wrong. Every single time."
200	* LightIsNotGood: In the film adaptation, she wears white despite being the BigBad.
201	* LoveIsAWeakness: She believes this as part of her HumansAreFlawed viewpoint in the film. She's the leader of a society that tries to tamp down emotions.
202	-->'''Chief Elder''': (scoffing with contempt): "Love is just passion. Passion that can turn, turn into contempt and murder."
203	* NoNameGiven: Her name isn't mentioned in the book or movie.
204	* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: In the film, she's shown to firmly believe this, because according to her, when people have the freedom to choose they choose wrong, and that tamping down this freedom by taking away people's emotions is the best way to build an efficient society. Especially with her conversation to the Giver at the end:
205	-->'''Chief Elder''': You have seen children starve, seen people stand on each other's necks, just for the view. You know what it feels like when men blow each other up over a simple line in the sand, and yet, and yet, you and Jonas want to open that door again, bring all that back."
206	* WellIntentionedExtremist: In the film, she actually believes that the society she endorses is the best solution for mankind.
207
208	!!Jonas' family
209
210	Jonas's family, consisting of his parents and little sister, Lily -- although like the rest of the family units, none of them are biologically related. Like the rest of the Community, they are ConditionedToAcceptHorror and remain oblivious to Jonas's increasing distance.
211
212	Played by Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard (Jonas's father), Creator/KatieHolmes (Jonas's mother), and Creator/EmmaTremblay (Lily) in the 2014 film.
213	----
214	* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler:Jonas thinks of his dad as a stand-up kind of guy who loves his job caring for the babies. And... he is and he does. But in this society, "caring" for the babies can sometimes mean ''euthanizing them''.]]
215	%% * AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Lily can come off as this sometimes.
216	* BureaucraticallyArrangedMarriage: Like all couples in the Community, they are arranged this way, so that they complement each other and work well together, though it's still loveless and sexless.
217	* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler:Jonas's parents are this to Jonas. It's especially so for the father after Jonas saw a recording of the former "releasing" a twin baby. In the sequels Jonas does not even refer to them as his parents anymore, instead calling them "the people who raised him."]]
218	* ConditionedToAcceptHorror:
219	** People who work with the very young or the old are conditioned to accept [[spoiler:euthanasia]] as a fact of life, starting from their early adolescence. [[spoiler:This includes Jonas's father, who nonchalantly euthanizes a baby.]]
220	** Presumably Jonas' mother as well, since her job involves sentencing people to Release if the laws require it. She admits to being a little sad about the possibility in one case, but it's more like disappointment that it came to that; she, too, clearly has no concept of the magnitude of this.
221	* DaddysGirl: Lily appears to be very close to her father.
222	* FriendToAllChildren: Jonas's father works with newborn babies, and is very good at it, doting on Gabriel and even persuading the Elders to let him take him home to help nurse him back to health, so he won't have to be released. [[spoiler:Disturbingly, this is still true even after it's revealed what being released actually means, since Jonas's father is ObliviouslyEvil -- ''we'' know he's murdering a defenseless baby, but he genuinely has ''no'' idea. "Bye-bye, little guy!" Brr...]]
223	* GenkiGirl: Lily is very energetic.
224	* MotorMouth: Lily has to stop and catch her breath after speaking sometimes.
225	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In the film adaptation, [[spoiler:Jonas's father realizes that he had been committing institutionalized murder with each Release all along as the memories return to the Community]].
226	* NiceGuy: Claire singles out Jonas's father as being especially kind and friendly.
227	* ObliviouslyEvil: [[spoiler:Jonas's father has no idea what death even ''is'', so he has no way of knowing he's committing infanticide. The way he sees it, he's just doing his job of seeing to it that an infant is ReleasedToElsewhere, which, as far as he knows, will be perfectly well and good for the little one. Similarly, Jonas's mother, who's a judge, doesn't realize she's been handing out death sentences for harmless mistakes.]]
228	* NuclearFamily: Minus the dog, as pets don't exist in the Community. Invoked by the Community, as all families are intentionally set up like this.
229	* SexlessMarriage: Like every other marriage in the Community, theirs is this, since sexual desires are suppressed by pills.
230	* UnnamedParent: Both of Jonas's parents are unnamed.
231	* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: When Jonas asks them if they love him, they admonish him for not using precise language and say that asking "Do you enjoy me?" or "Do you take pride in my accomplishments?" would have been better. What makes it better is that they actually laugh and treat the question as meaningless.
232	[[/folder]]
233
234	[[folder:''Gathering Blue'']]
235	!!Annabella
236	An old woman skilled in the art of dyeing threads who teaches Kira the skill.
237	----
238	* CoolOldLady: Age hasn't diminished her talent with plants at all.
239	* HeKnowsTooMuch: [[spoiler:It's heavily implied the Council killed her for knowing that the "beasts" were just them manipulating the residents.]]
240	* TheMentor: She teaches Kira everything she knows about making dyes -- not with weaving and embroidery, however, as she notes she never had the talent. That comes from Kira's mother and Kira's own innate talent.
241	* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler:She's offed when Kira tells the Council that Annabella knows there are no beasts]].
242
243	!!Katrina
244	Kira's kind mother, who died of an unspecified illness prior to ''Gathering Blue''.
245	----
246	* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Was always good to her daughter and encouraged her talents -- a stark contrast to [[AbusiveParents the other parents in the setting]].
247	* MamaBear: Fought vehemently against the Council's orders to have her daughter put to death. It helped that Katrina's own father and husband were influential.
248	* SoapOperaDisease: Her cause of death was a vaguely-defined illness, although [[spoiler: Kira increasingly suspects she was poisoned by the Council]].
249	* SomeoneToRememberHimBy: Christopher disappeared while she was pregnant. She never remarried and raised Kira by herself in memory of him.
250	* StrongFamilyResemblance: According to Annabella, Kira strongly resembles her.
251
252	!!Jamison
253
254	One of the Guardians, a group of wise old men who rule over Kira's village and oversee all decision-making. He is appointed as Kira's defender during her trial and later oversees her duties as the Threader.
255	----
256	* CoolOldGuy: A renowned hunter and respected Guardian.
257	* EvilAllAlong: Turns out he was just manipulating Kira the whole time.
258	* GreenEyedMonster: He was jealous of the power and influence Christopher wielded and set him up to die for it.
259	* ManipulativeBastard: He defends Kira at her trial in order to gain her trust so she wouldn't suspect she was being used for her gift.
260	* KarmaHoudini: Although we see in ''Messenger'' that Kira's village has gotten better in some aspects, we don't see any direct comeuppance Jamison gets.
261	* TreacherousAdvisor: He looks like he supports Kira at first, [[EvilAllAlong but]], [[ManipulativeBastard well]]...
262
263	!!Thomas
264	The Carver, a boy Kira's age singled out by the Guardians for his amazing woodcarving skills (much like Kira). His job is to carve the Singer's staff with key events so the Singer would not forget their place in the Song.
265	----
266	* BirdsOfAFeather: He and Kira bond thanks to their similar experiences and circumstances.
267	* TheChosenOne: By the Council, to carve the Singer's staff.
268	* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: He was taken in by the Council and his gifts were nurtured by them after his parents were killed in a lightning storm. Both of them. At the same time. A little ''too'' convenient...
269	* NiceGuy: He helps Kira adjust to her new way of living.
270	* ShipTease: With Kira, with whom he quickly bonds, but they end up married to different people.
271
272	!!Jo
273	A little girl from the Fen in training to become the next Singer. Unlike Thomas and Kira's relative freedom, the Guardians are cruel to her.
274	----
275	* CheerfulChild: She's upbeat and enthusiastic at the Gathering.
276	* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: Like Thomas, both of her parents recently died; her mother succumbed to illness, and her father apparently killed himself out of grief. It's one more piece suggesting there's something amiss in the Community.
277	* TheChosenOne: To become the next Singer.
278	* OrphansOrdeal: When she's first introduced, she's scared and lonely due to her mother's death and Jamison's treatment of her. Jo then becomes happier and more outgoing thanks to Kira and Thomas.
279	[[/folder]]
280
281	[[folder: ''Messenger'']]
282	!!Leader
283
284	The young and powerful leader of Village.
285	----
286	* BigGood: One of the most moral, well-intentioned people in Village and also its leader.
287	* CharacterOverlap: [[spoiler:In the fourth and final book, ''Son'', it's outright stated that he and Jonas are the same person.]]
288	* TheFaceless: His appearance is not described, other than the fact that he's a young man.
289	* TheLeader: Of his community.
290	* IKnowYourTrueName: His psychic powers allow him to sense a person's true name and purpose.
291	* PsychicPowers: He "sees beyond," and uses this power to watch over Village.
292	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He does his best to accommodate everyone in Village and lead them well.
293	* ShipTease: Done rather subtly with Kira. [[spoiler:When he first sees Kira, he describes her as being beautiful. By ''Son'', they have two kids together.]]
294	* YoungAndInCharge: It's pointed out that he's much younger than plenty of the people he leads, but is in such a position because of the wisdom brought about by his PsychicPowers. [[spoiler:Since ''Son'' confirms that he's Jonas]], he'd be about nineteen at the time of ''Messenger'', and it's implied that he's been leading the village for a while already.
295
296	!!Mentor
297
298	The town's schoolteacher. He starts off as friendly and caring, but becomes harsher over the course of the story, one of the first signs that something is wrong with Village...
299	----
300	* CoolTeacher: He's quite well-liked by the school children.
301	* FriendToAllChildren: He's described as being quite patient with all of his students.
302	* RomancingTheWidow: Mentor wants to do this with Stocktender's widow.
303	* TookALevelInJerkass: He becomes much less kindly [[spoiler:due to his trade with Trademaster]].
304
305	!!Jean
306
307	Mentor's daughter. She often sells homemade bread in Village, and Matty has a crush on her.
308	----
309	* NiceGirl: She's friendly and caring.
310	* ShipTease: She gets a bit with Matty. [[spoiler:It ends up going nowhere due to his death.]]
311	* TheTease: Jean is mentioned early on to enjoy playfully flirting with the local boys.
312	[[/folder]]
313
314	[[folder: ''Son'']]
315	!!Claire
316	Claire is a girl from the Community three years ahead of Jonas, whose disastrous first birth (by emergency C-section) terminates her assignment as Birthmother and gets her reassigned to Fish Hatchery. However, thanks to a slip-up by one of the handlers (they forgot to put her back on the Stirrings pills), she can't stop thinking about her son, Number Thirty-Six: whom the readers know as Gabriel. Overwhelmed with love and grief -- feelings she's kept bottled up due to them being forbidden -- she ends up amnesiac and living with a caring seaside community. As her memories slowly return, she knows she has one goal -- to find her son.
317	----
318	* CoolBigSis: She develops a relationship like this with some of the younger girls in the seaside village, Bethan in particular.
319	* DefiledForever: Few people in her new home want anything to do with her after her TeenPregnancy is discovered, largely because they can't wrap their heads around the idea that it didn't happen the "usual" way, leading them to assume other things about her character.
320	* TheDeterminator: She won't give up on finding her son, even if it means scaling the terrifying cliffs that prevent escape or [[spoiler:having to watch him from afar as he won't believe her story due to her RapidAging]].
321	* EasyAmnesia: When Claire wakes up from her shipwreck she can remember her name, but not much else. Her memories begin to come back, although the residents are astounded that things like colors and animals seem completely new to her.
322	* LivingIsMoreThanSurviving: She grows restless with her repetitive days in the Community after going off her pills, always yearning for something more.
323	* MeaningfulName: "Claire" means "clear," as in the horrors of her society becoming clear to her.
324	* MissingMom: To Gabe. Unlike most examples, she takes an active role in searching for her son.
325	* MysteriousWaif: She's this to the seaside community who take her in, as she's young, amnesiac, talks "elegantly" compared to the way the others speak, and is almost childlike in her ignorance of common knowledge such as animals and colors. Of course, to those familiar with the world of ''The Giver'', this is not her own fault.
326	* RapidAging: Trademaster's bargain for [[spoiler:finding her son is taking her youth, rendering her as an old woman. She gets better]].
327	* SignificantGreenEyedRedhead: Her eyes are described as green and her hair is described as coppery and red-gold. Given how red hair is unusual for the Community, this makes her significant as the protagonist of ''Son''.
328	* TeenPregnancy: She gave birth at fourteen, not that this is unusual for the Community -- but it's definitely unusual for the people who take her in, and she's ostracized a little once the knowledge is out.
329	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: She performs some pretty amazing things in the name of finding Gabe but retains a fear of water after nearly drowning in the sea. She's also afraid of being blindfolded thanks to having her eyes covered when giving birth to Gabriel.
330	* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: Birthmothers are kept off the "pills" that keep deeper feelings in line in order to keep their hormones and such functioning. When Claire is reassigned nobody tells her to start taking them again, so she doesn't. This results in her feeling love for Gabe. Too bad nobody can relate to it. After her memories are wiped she begins to adjust to it (it helps that by this point [[spoiler: she's living in a different community, with people who DO understand love]]).
331
332	!!Alys
333	The old woman who takes Claire in.
334	----
335	* CoolOldLady: She's an important person in the village and is always kind to Claire.
336	* LikeASonToMe: She grows to view Claire as her own daughter.
337	* TheMedic: She functions as this for the whole community, being skilled with herbs and healing.
338	* OldMaid: She's an old woman who never married, which Claire specifically takes note of. She did, however, use to be in a relationship with one of the old men in the village.
339	* ParentalSubstitute: To the teenage Claire, she's a much-needed source of maturity and guidance.
340
341	!!Einar
342	Once called Fierce Einar due to his rebelliousness, he was the first to climb out of the cliffs that isolate their community -- only to come down just as quickly with part of his foot missing, the circumstances of which he refuses to discuss. Having been re-dubbed Lame Einar, he now tends the sheep.
343	----
344	* AbusiveParents: His father was verbally and physically cruel towards him, due to Einar "causing" his mother's death.
345	* DeathByChildbirth: His mother died giving birth to him.
346	* {{Fingore}}: Trademaster ''cut off half his foot'' for being too proud to trade.
347	* ParentalIncest: Heavily implied. Einar tells Claire that, in addition to being made to cook for his father and do his laundry, he was "a wife in other ways that are too horrible to mention".
348	* TheQuietOne: He talks a lot to Claire, but Einar usually keeps to himself otherwise.
349	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: InUniverse. Claire [[spoiler: as an old woman frequently wonders what would have happened if she'd just stayed and married Einar]].
350	[[/folder]]

Context Characters / TheGiverQuartet