Gathering Blue
Lois Lowry
I read The Giver last year and had been wanting to read its' companion, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry and I have finally finished it. Both books depict a futuristic society where the weak are cast aside, but in Gathering Blue, they are left to die in the fields. Kiera, the protagonist, is an orphaned girl with a twisted leg whose mother, her only protector, has recently died. After her mother's death, Kiera is brought to The Council of the Guardians. Her life is spared when she proves that she can embroider well and is given the task of restoring the society's most valuable possession, a robe of the singer whose job it is to annually sing about the history of their civilization. They feel it is important to remember their past. Kiera is now considered valuable to the society because she can offer something that they need; she is able to dye colors in her embroidering, though neither she, nor anyone else can dye the color blue.
Kiera's world is full of fear and a lack of security. Kiera learns that people with gifts like her are treated well because they serve the society, but at the same time, they are held captive by the needs of others. She is motivated with her friend Thomas to find the color blue. On the day of the ceremony, Kiera is fixing the singer's robe and as he finishes the song, Kiera notices his chained and bloodied feet which are under the robe. At this point, Kiera realizes that she must stay and change her corrupt society. I believe she remembers her mother's words before she died and they help guide her to try to improve the world in which she lives.
"Take pride in your pain; you are stronger than those who have none."
No comments:
Post a Comment