Messenger: Chapters 9-12

by Lois Lowry
In the third book of The Giver Quartet, award-winning author Lois Lowry tells the story of Matty, who risks his life to save his village. Along the way, Matty receives guidance from Leader (Jonas from The Giver) and reunites with Kira (from Gathering Blue).

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-12, Chapters 13-17, Chapters 18-21

Explore other lists of The Giver Quartet here.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Her eyes had been wide in her gaunt face that day.
  2. difficulty
    a state of affairs requiring great effort to overcome
    “Patience is important here, because we have so many in Village who have difficulties,” Matty explained.
  3. concern
    something or someone that causes anxiety
    “I have a concern,” the woman said suddenly, and he knew it was not a concern about the condition of the paths or directions to the buildings.
  4. adjust
    adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions
    Perhaps he was having trouble adjusting to Village.
  5. debate
    a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal
    You and I can’t vote because we don’t yet have our true names. But we can go and listen to the debate. We can speak if we want.
  6. opinion
    a personal belief or judgment
    One by one the people of Village stood and gave their opinions.
  7. obvious
    easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
    It was frighteningly obvious now, with the population gathered, that something terrible was happening.
  8. cruel
    able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
    At Trade Mart it had been evening, dark, and Matty had been so interested in the proceedings that he had not noticed many individuals, only those who went to the platform, like Mentor, and the woman who had been so oddly cruel to her husband as they started home.
  9. stalwart
    dependable
    Some of those who had been among the most industrious, the kindest, and the most stalwart citizens of Village now went to the platform and shouted out their wish that the border be closed so that “we” (Matty shuddered at the use of we) would not have to share the resources anymore.
  10. poverty
    the state of having little or no money and possessions
    Now and then a lone citizen, untouched by trade, would go to the platform and try to speak. They spoke of the history of Village, how each of them there had fled poverty and cruelty and been welcomed at this new place that had taken them in.
  11. braggart
    a very boastful and talkative person
    “I remember what he was like! If we close the border, we won’t have to do that anymore! We won’t have to deal with thieves and braggarts and people who have lice in their hair, the way Matty did then, when he came!”
  12. stunned
    in a state of mental numbness as resulting from shock
    He was stunned, as if someone had slapped him.
  13. incite
    provoke or stir up
    Her voice incited others, and now large numbers of people were calling out, “Close Village! Close the border!”
  14. summon
    ask to come
    “Don’t try. If it comes without your summoning it, it is because of need. Because someone needs your gift.”
  15. quality
    a characteristic property defining the nature of something
    The weight of the young man’s arm took on a quality of something beyond human flesh. It came alive with power.
  16. sluggish
    moving slowly
    “I was going to say like a clotting of blood. Things turning sluggish and sick.”
  17. tragic
    very sad, especially involving grief or death or destruction
    We can post the messages at the entrance to Village. It will mean new ones will have to turn back after terribly long journeys, and that’s tragic.
  18. distressed
    afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble
    “I’m going to try again to see beyond Forest. I’m going to try to see Seer’s daughter and her needs. You may stay with me now, because whether you make this journey will depend on what I learn. But be aware that it is very hard for me to do this twice in a row. Don’t be distressed as you watch.”
  19. accustomed
    in the habit of or adapted to
    But Matty was accustomed to living on the food that Forest provided.
  20. contagious
    (of disease) capable of being spread by infection
    Herbalist is afraid it may be contagious. That an epidemic could come.
  21. epidemic
    a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease
    Matty felt a terrible unease. There had never been an epidemic here. He remembered the place he had come from, where many had died, from time to time, and all of their belongings had been burned, after, in hopes of destroying the illnesses carried by filth or fleas or, some thought, sorcery.
  22. recover
    get over an illness or shock
    If he himself survived such an attempt, he would be desperately weakened, he knew, and would have to recover.
  23. behalf
    benefit that will fall to someone other than yourself
    He could not possibly make the journey through Forest if he first weakened himself on Ramon’s behalf.
  24. impassable
    incapable of being gone across or through
    Forest was already thickening, he knew, whatever that meant. It would soon become impassable. The blind man’s daughter would be lost to them forever.
  25. divergent
    tending to move apart in different directions
    The puppy followed him and sat watching patiently as he posted the messages along divergent paths.
  26. task
    a specific piece of work required to be done
    But he reminded himself that being a messenger was his most important task, and so he took the side paths, walked great distances, and left the message of Village’s closure at each place where new ones coming could be advised to turn back.
  27. elements
    violent or severe weather
    The weather remained clear and he was grateful for that, because although he had bragged about past journeys through snow, in truth it was very hard to fight the elements, and almost impossible to find food in bad weather.
  28. provisions
    a stock or supply of foods
    Now there were early-fall berries and many nuts; he laughed at the chattering squirrels who were storing their own provisions, and with little guilt robbed a nest he found that was half filled with winter fare.
  29. frolic
    light-hearted recreational activity for amusement
    It amused Matty to talk to Frolic as if he were human. Since his other puppy had died, he had always traveled the paths alone. Now it was a treat to have company, and sometimes he felt that Frolic understood every word he said.
  30. anticipate
    make a prediction about; tell in advance
    Matty knew Forest so well that he could anticipate changes that came with the seasons.
  31. amiable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    A chipmunk, usually an amiable companion, chittered angrily and bit his finger when he held his hand toward it.
  32. benevolent
    generous in providing aid to others
    The trees seemed to have moved at their tops, leaning toward each other to create a roof across the path; they would protect him from rain, he realized, and perhaps that was a good thing. But they didn’t seem benevolent. They created darkness in the middle of day, and shadows that distorted the path and made him stumble from time to time on roots and rocks.
  33. decay
    undergo decomposition
    There was a stench to Forest now, as if it concealed dead, decaying things in the new thick darkness.
  34. sturdy
    having rugged physical strength
    The piece of log that had been there so long, sturdy and useful, had simply fallen into chunks of dead vegetative matter; never again would it provide Matty a place to rest.
  35. torment
    make suffer emotionally or mentally
    He began to have trouble sleeping. Nightmares tormented him.
Created on Tue Jun 20 13:35:30 EDT 2017 (updated Tue May 31 12:46:34 EDT 2022)

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