The Giver

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, tells the story of Jonas and his "structured" Community.  Jonas, age 12, lives in a community created in order to keep its residents safe.  Safe from feelings, experiences, emotions, and most importantly, safe from individuality.  As Jonas nears the Ceremony of Twelves, he wonders what "job" he will be selected for.  When he receives the assignment of Receiver, he is excited, but nervous.  The last Receiver did not finish her training, and elected to be released from the Community.
Jonas meets with the elder (The Giver) who will transmit past memories through hand to skin contact.  Through touch, Jonas will experience color, snow, love, and a plethora of experiences, some of them painful. 
However, Jonas soon realizes that he has been living without free will.  All his choices have been made for him by the Community.  Soon Jonas and the Giver develop a plan that will change Jonas and the Community forever.  Jonas will escape from the community.  His disappearance will lead to all his feelings being left to the community to feel.  Jonas' sacrifice of leaving his home, will in turn, give the community the power of feelings, and making their own choices.  A story of courage and conviction, The Giver envisions what our world would look like if power and control were absolute.

As a teacher I would use this text to further a discussion on power and control mechanisms.  To begin with I would ask a few questions like, "What are your rights of passage?" and "In what ways is Jonas' community similar to ours?"  These questions would be a good starting point to delve deeper into the issue of absolute control and what our world would be like if power got into the wrong hands.  We could then discuss communities and countries in our world that are similar to Jonas' community and what they look like and who they are run by.

The Giver. ISBN 978-0-440-23768-6. Lois Lowry. 1993. Newbery Medal. Age 12-18. Science Fiction.