From Text to Reality

Cultural representation, or intentional lack of, in both novels.

"...they chose to do without all of them. Color, race, religion; they created sameness. If we were different, we could be envious, angry, resentful."

-The Giver

Connections to the lives of students

In the 8th grade classroom that this novel is taught in, a majority of the students are from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Many students are immigrants, English language learners, students of Color, and have other diversities. These texts differ in their approaches to representation of diversity greatly.

In The Giver, color, race, and religion are no longer a part of society. In E.X.O., the central character is an educated African man portrayed as a superhero - clearly an important and purposeful member of his society.

Representation greatly matters, and the choices of both authors of the books and the illustrators of E.X.O. to showcase how society benefits from diversity call students do the same.

Connections to current issues

and social injustices

Although they address these topics very differently, common themes of social injustice between the two novels - which students will investigate thoroughly - are as follows:

Poverty
Hunger
Unemployment
Racism & Discrimination
Homelessness
Sickness
Abuse &/or Violence
Sickness &/or Pain
Anxiety, Depression,

& Other Negative Feelings