In Lois Lowry's dystopian novel The Giver, the elder who trains Jonas to receive memories is titled the Giver.
The Giver is the community's current Receiver of Memory, although people commonly use “The Giver” as the character's title. He transmits memories of pain, war, color, love, and joy to Jonas, who has been selected to become the next Receiver. These memories preserve experiences that the wider community has deliberately removed through Sameness.
Jonas is not trained by the Chief Elder, who announces assignments and oversees civic ceremonies. He is also not a Nurturer, the community worker responsible for caring for infants. The Giver's role is unique because he alone holds the collective memory needed to advise the community during exceptional decisions.
Lowry published the novel in 1993. Its controlled community appears peaceful and orderly, but the absence of choice and authentic emotion reveals the costs of eliminating difference.