Lowry never gives a detailed description of the Giver's appearance but there are minor descriptions of what he looks like in the story. When Jonas initially arrives at the Annex for his first training session, he is greeted by an attendant, who allows him inside a locked door leading to the Giver's unique dwelling. Inside the Annex, Jonas comes face-to-face with the Giver. Jonas notices that the Giver is wearing a special long robe, which designates the Elders from the other members of the community. He then notices that the Giver has pale eyes, which is why it seems like Jonas is staring directly into a mirror of himself. The Giver also has "sagging flesh" on his face and there are dark circles around his piercing, intense eyes. Jonas comments on the Giver's age by saying that he can tell he is very old. However, the Giver responds by saying...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
that he is not as old as he seems. The Giver's job is extremely difficult and the massive amount of stress, pain, and trauma have aged him significantly. Overall, the Giver looks like an old man with pale eyes, who has seen a lot and is very wise.
How is the Giver described in the book The Giver?
In Ch. 10 Jonas meets the Giver of the first time and we get a few details about his appearance.
We know that he has blue eyes like Jonas:
"Jonas looked self consciously into the pale eyes that mirrored his own."
We also know he is quite old and seems fairly worn out ... we just don't know why yet.
"The man was wrinkled, and his eyes, though piercing in their unusual lightness, seemed tired. The flesh around them was darkened into shadowed circles."
We also know he is "very old" because Jonas exclaims this to the Giver...although respectfully.
We also know from later in the book that he is in a lot of pain due to the memories he carries. This causes him to be in physical agony, and so his appearance is also affected by this stress. This is why he looks so exhausted. Â