Setting

The events in the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry last about a year. The novel begins in late November or early December, just before the December Ceremony. Jonas' and Gabriel's escape begins just before the December Ceremony next year. The novel therefore around December the following year. Jonas is then almost thirteen years old: "During his twelve years in the community, he had never felt such simple moments of exquisite happiness" (Chapter 23, 83%).

The physical setting is an unnamed fictional place in the future. We do not know on which continent or in which country the small community is located. Other similar communities exist around the collective. Jonas has to ride his bike several nights to get out of this rather large area, which is monito...