Matty

The protagonist of the novel; though it doesn't give his age, he's probably around fourteen or fifteen years old.
Matty is a kind and compassionate adolescent, and he loves learning things.

Leader
The leader of Village, who was the character Jonas from The Giver. Though he appears older to Matty, he's still
a young man in his early 20s. He arrived in Village years ago

Kira
Kira is Seer's daughter; she was the protagonist of Messenger’s prequel, Gathering Blue. She lives in a village a
week's walk away from Village, has a "crooked leg" and so walks with

Mentor
Mentor is the local teacher in Village. At first, Mentor is a kind man who looks out for everyone in Village,
especially children who have never been to school before. He's middle-aged, stooped, and balding

Seer
Seer (who is named Christopher in Gathering Blue) is the blind man that Matty lives with. He arrived in Village
years before Matty was born after being injured and left for dead by men

Ramon
Ramon is one of Matty's best friends. Though he's kind and caring, Ramon is also boastful and self-important,
to the point of making Matty sarcastically wonder whether Ramon's true name might be Boaster or

Jean
Jean is Mentor's daughter. She's a young girl with curly hair who's about Matty's age, and she has a reputation
for flirting with many different boys. She grows flowers and bakes bread

Frolic / The Puppy

An energetic puppy born to Mentor and Jean's dog. Thanks to Matty's use of his gift, Frolic and his mother are
the only ones to survive a sickness that strikes the entire litter

The Woman
A woman who comes to Village with her son, Vladik. Though happy to be in Village, when the residents vote
to close Village to outsiders, the woman considers leaving Vladik and returning to her old town to find her other
children’s.
Minor Characters
Gatherer
Gatherer is a young man who is entangled and killed by Forest. In life, he was kind and generous;
both Ramon and Matty remember him fondly for tossing berries in their mouths as he passed by. He leaves
behind a wife, toddler, and new infant.
Stocktender's Widow
A woman in Village whom Mentor wishes to court. The one time she appears, she seems cruel and suggests that
Mentor will have to trade a lot more of his true self and become more handsome before she'll return his
advances.
Trademaster
A mysterious man who oversees proceedings at the Trade Mart. He came to Village already with a true name
and appears callous, cruel, and secretive.
Vladik
The woman's son, and the only one of his siblings that the woman brings to Village with her.
Herbalist
The herbalist in Village.

Messenger Summary
Matty, the protagonist, is a teenage boy who lives with his blind guardian called Seer in a village simply
called "Village." The community is a utopian place where the selfless inhabitants help each other as much as
possible; they even provide the constant stream of new arrivals with food, clothes, shelter, and education. They
have changed Matty, who once was one of those refugees, from being "the fiercest of the fierce" to a decent
young man.
Matty's town is surrounded by a mysterious forest, which seems to be alive and deadly. For example, it warns
people by stinging them with twigs, and when the warnings are ignored and the forest is entered again, the
intruder is killed. Matty, however, is able to go through the paths in the forest without being harmed by it, so the
village leader tasks him with delivering messages to the other towns in the region. Therefore, Matty wishes that
one day he will be a full member of the village when he receives what he feels should be his true name,
"Messenger."
On one of his journeys, Matty also discovers his gift: He is able to heal a frog with a severed leg. Later, he uses
this gift to revive a dog and her puppy, who he adopts and names Frolic. However, every time he uses the gift,
his energy is drained, and he needs some time to recover.
Feeling that he is now old enough, Matty wants to desperately visit the mysterious Trade Mart, because he
learned that the family of one of his friends got a Gaming Machine and he wonders how one can get these items.
At the Trade Mart, however, Matty is surprised that nobody brought any tangible items to trade. Instead, the
villagers seem to trade their self to receive immaterial goods. For example, the schoolteacher Mentor trades
his personality for a better look to appeal to a woman he has been courting.
Due to these trades, the altruistic nature of Village changes. The villagers become increasingly selfish,
culminating in a town meeting where they decide to build a wall and prevent new refugees from entering.

Seer fears that his daughter Kira, who dwells in a village on the other side of Forest, will not be able to live
with him as she promised. Therefore, he sends Matty through the forest to get her, while Leader asks him to
post notices all over the forest informing people that nobody is allowed to enter Village any longer.
While going through the forest with Frolic, Matty notices that it is getting darker and more hostile toward him.
However, he manages to get through and meet Kira. The young woman reveals her gift to him, which is her
ability to foresee the future by stitching. Kira has a stiff leg, so Matty tells her that he would be able to heal it so
that she could move to the dangerous forest more quickly. However, Kira declines his offer, saying that she
would lose her identity and become someone else, which she does not want.

On the way back, the two are attacked continuously by Forest's flora and fauna. They barely make it to the
middle when they run out of strength. At the same time, Leader, with his gift of seeing beyond, has started to
fight through the forest as well to rescue them. However, he is soon trapped by a vine and unable to move
forward.

Just when it seems like there is no escaping the vicious forest, Matty uses his gift to lie down and embrace the
earth, thus healing the forest and everything in it, including Kira and Leader. However, this process drains him
completely. He has sacrificed his life to reverse the effect of the dark forces. The villagers stop building the wall,
and their previous personalities are restored. In the end, Leader awards Matty his true name: Healer.

Messenger Themes
Altruism
The essence of Village is the people's altruism. They are willing to use their best qualities, as indicated by their
true names, to nourish each other as well as the countless newcomers without asking for anything in return.
Indeed, they never have any problems with supplies until a sense of selfishness grows in the villagers; this is
also the moment the forest thickens and threatens Matty and Kira.
Secrets
One of the rules in Village is that there are no secrets. It is remarkable that all villagers had voted in favor of
this proposition, but less surprising considering where the foreigners had come from: Communities where they
did not just suffer from beatings and hunger, but from a lack of knowledge. In these communities, the
government kept information secret, thus being able to control their people.

Imperfections and Identity

As soon as the trade mart is open, some villagers such as Mentor are eager to trade their deepest self away to
receive better looks. Therefore, their focus has shifted from an altruistic to a selfish perspective. Kira, on the
other hand, rejects Matty's offer of healing her leg, saying that it is an essential part of her. In her opinion,
healing the leg would mean losing her identity, which emphasizes that she is happy with herself. He
understands her now, even though in his earlier conversation with Leader, who called Kira lovely, he thought
her crooked leg was a weakness.

Messenger Analysis
The central message of the book is that everyone is a valuable member of society, and everyone can contribute
to the common good. In Messenger, we learn about Village, an altruistic community where everyone who seeks
refuge is accepted. Indeed, people come from all kinds of regions run by oppressive governments, but soon they
are able to shed their past, and with the help of the villagers they are integrated into their community.

Messenger Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Beets
Seer keeps telling Matty to eat his beets, even though the young man has become sick of them already. Beets
are considered a symbol of love, which indicates that Seer wants Matty to develop his compassion and love for
others.
Books
The books in Leader's house and the library are a symbol of knowledge. Unlike in his previous community,
where the government was hiding information from its people, Leader allows Matty to freely browse his books,
which means he encourages his people to gain knowledge.
Birthmark
Mentor's birthmark is a symbol of impurity and identity. Where Matty came from, "people were put to death for
less," which indicates a society which does not tolerate impurities. Eventually, at the trade mart Mentor trades
his identity for a better look, which is the beginning of the community's decline.
Trade Mart
The Trade Mart symbolizes the people's greed and selfishness. For example, Mentor, a formerly considerate
person, now pushes people aside to be the first one to trade. Wanting to be loved, he is ironically willing to lose
his altruistic qualities.
Forest
The forest symbolizes the dangerous effects of the villagers' growing selfishness. Mirroring the efforts of the
villagers, it starts to entangle them; some are even killed in it. Only with Matty's ultimate sacrifice, spreading
his altruistic attitude to everyone, could it be overcome.

Messenger Literary Elements

Genre
Young adult fiction
Setting and Context
A village entangled by a hostile forest
Narrator and Point of View
Omniscient third-person narrator
Tone and Mood
Mysterious, suspenseful
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Matty, fighting against the forest symbolizing greed and
selfishness.
Major Conflict
There are two groups of people at Village: The selfish group wants to build a
wall around it and prevent people from seeking refuge, while the altruistic
group tries to prevent this development.
Climax
On their way back to Village, Matty and Kira are almost killed by the hostile
forest. However, Matty is able to use all his strength to reverse the negative
effects of the villagers' selfishness. The process drains all his energy and he
dies.

Messenger by Lois Lowry - Quizizz

questions
1. Multiple-choice
Q. What is ironic about the name Seer?
It was also the name of Seer's father.
Seer can see, but he can't hear.
Seer can't see.
It is not his name.
2. Multiple-choice
Q. Which of the following does NOT describe the setting of Messenger?
The story takes place in Village.
A forest surrounds the place where Matty lives. 
The story takes place in the Middle Ages. 
None of the above.
3. Multiple-choice
Q. Which character is able to travel to go into the forest because it "likes" him?
Seer
Leader
Matty
Kira
4. Multiple-choice
Q. Why did the people of the village need Matty?
To help take care of their dogs.
To help take care of the elderly men.
To deliver messages within and outside the Village.
To deliver food from other places into Village.
5. Multiple-choice
Q. How can we know that Leader and Gabe are Jonas and Little Gabe from The Giver?
The story tells us explicitly who they both are.
The story implies it because they both arrived in the village on the sled.
The story implies it because they both return to their old home.
There is no way to know this. 
6. Multiple-choice
Q. What did Ramon's family trade for what Matty was interested in?
a new sled
a bike
a puppy
a Gaming Machine
7. Multiple-choice
Q. Fill in the blank: "There were no _____ in Village."
secrets
problems
evil people
honest people
8. Multiple-choice
Q. What is Matty's gift?
He can see beyond.
He can travel safely through the Forest.
He has a power to heal.
He can see inside people's thoughts.
9. Multiple-choice
Q. Which of the following traits are NOT among the physical changes Mentor
underwent after trading?
He seemed to grow taller.
His birthmark went away.
He became younger.
His hair grew back. 
10. Multiple-choice
Q. What did Matty find off about the Trade Mart?
People traded in things that were more valuable that what they received in return.
Everyone dressed up for the event.
Seer didn't like to go. 
No one seems to have brought anything to trade.
11. Multiple-choice
Q. What was Mentor interested in getting at the Trade Mart?
a Gaming Machine
a new puppy
a brother for Jean
Stocktender's Widow
12. Multiple-choice
Q. What effect did the Trade Mart trading have on the woman who traded for a
Gaming Machine have?
She became younger.
She became impatient and unkind.
She grew taller.
There was no apparent effect. 
13. Multiple-choice
Q. In what ways did Jean say her father was behaving differently since his trade?
He was more shy.
He was cruel to her.
He was impatient as with the dogs. 
He slept more. 
14. Multiple-choice
Q. What was the outcome of the vote on the petition to close Village?
Village would close to outsiders immediately.
Village would close to outsiders in three weeks.
Village would not close.
Village would close to outsiders in a year. 
15. Multiple-choice
Q. Why was Seer suddenly concerned about the closing of Village?
He wanted to return to his old town.
His daughter Kida was not yet in Village with him.
He had a grandson that needed to come to Village.
He was afraid Matty wouldn't return in time. 
16. Multiple-choice
Q. What was happening to Matty's friend, Ramon?
He growing deathly ill.
He was becoming mean and impatient.
He was learning how to heal animals.
He was considering stealing Jean away from Matty.
17. Multiple-choice
Q. Which of the following is NOT a change that Matty noticed in Forest as he began his
journey to go to his former village?
The fish were slow to come back to his hook.
A chipmunk chittered angrily and bit his finger when he held his hand toward it.
The forest was suddenly full of poisonous snakes.
Poison ivy was growing across the path again and again, where it had never grown
before.
18. Multiple-choice
Q. Why could the blind man never return to see his daughter?
She didn't know who he was.
He will be killed by those who put his eyes out.
He could not see to travel through the Forest.
He hated that she had a crippled leg. 
19. Multiple-choice
Q. Why did Matty have to watch his time on this trip and hurry back to Village with
Kira?
Forest was thickening and Village would close soon.
Kira was pregnant and would deliver soon.
Seer was dying and may not be alive when he returned.
Leader needed Kira to help him see beyond. 
20. Multiple-choice
Q. What is Kira's handicap?
She is deaf.
She has a twisted leg.
She has only one leg.
She has a speech impediment.
21. Multiple-choice
Q. What is Kira's gift?
She can see beyond. 
She "sews" the future.
She is a gifted artist.
She can hear beyond.
22. Multiple-choice
Q. What is happening in Village while Matty is away?
People are working to stop the closing of Village.
Village is burning.
People are sick and dying.
People are angry, impatient, rude to each other, and rushing to build walls.
23. Multiple-choice
Q. In what ways does Forest attack Matty as he and Kira begin traveling through it?
It tries to strangle him.
Sharp vines try to stab him.
Vines drip acid on his arms.
The frog tries to attack him.
24. Multiple-choice
Q. What did Kira see in her embroidery?
Forest was an illusion.
Village was closing.
Matty was going to die.
Leader was coming.
25. Multiple-choice
Q. When Leader went into the forest to find Matty and Kira, what weapons did he take?
His gifts
A bow and arrow
Seer's cane
He went defenseless.
26. Multiple-choice
Q. Which of the following did NOT happen when Matty touched the earth, "waiting to
die"?
Kira began to breathe more easily.
Seer's eyesight was restored.
Ramon sat up suddenly in the bed, where he had been ill for days, and felt the fever
seep from him.
A healing breeze came up in Village.
27. Multiple-choice
Q. What phrase best describes the difference between Matty's trade and those that
had been in Village?
Matty's trade was for something immaterial, those in the Village were for things.
Matty's trade was self-less; those in the Village were selfish.
Matty's trade was not by choice; those in the Village were by choice.
Matty's trade involved the supernatural; those in Village did not. 
28. Multiple-choice
Q. What characters from The Giver and Gathering Blue are main characters in
Messenger?
Katrina, Matty, and Seer
Jonas, Kira, Seer, and Matty
Kira, Matty, and Branchie
Ramon, Mentor, and Jean
29. Multiple-choice
Q. What does Matty see in the tapestry is happening at Village?
They're holding another Trade Mart.
They're turning people away from Village.
They're building a wall around Village.
People are waiting for Matty's return.
30. Multiple-choice
Q. What does Leader feel when he enters Forest?
Hope.
Darkness.
Death.
Anger.
31. Multiple-choice
Q. What happens to Ramon as Matty's power is unleashed on the earth?
He is healed.
He realizes Matty is in danger and rushes to Seer's house.
He wakes from a nightmare and begins to cry.
He calls out for his mother in fear.
32. Multiple-choice
Q. What happens to Leader as Matty's power is unleashed on the earth?
He is freed from the vines that had trapped him.
He slumps down and falls asleep.
His body heals and he reaches out to Matty.
His body heals and he reaches out to Kira.
33. Multiple-choice
Q. What is the meeting of Kira and Leader's minds compared to?
Waves on an ocean.
Ships meeting in a storm.
Wisps of smoke.
Vines.

Messenger Quiz (bookrags.com)

Directions: Click on the correct answer.
Questions 1-5 of 25:
1.
What does Kira carry in her pack? (from Chapters 14-16)

 Food and clothing.

 Food and water.

 Clothing and blankets.

 Her tapestry and materials.

2.
What does Kira provide for Matty to eat? (from Chapters 11-13)

 Bread, cheese and milk.

 Scrambled eggs and toast.

 Soup.

 Meat and potatoes.

3.
What does the woman say her son is working at? (from Chapters 8-10)

 He's working in the fields.

 He's working in the dairy.

 He's helping build new houses.

 He's helping tend goats.

4.
What is the smell Matty detects as he arrives at the Trade Mart? (from Chapters 5-7)

 Spearmint.

 Candy.

 Pine.

 Unhappiness.

5.
What color is the flower Jean puts in the bread she gives Matty? (from Chapters 11-13)

 Pink.

 Red.

 White.

 Yellow.

6.
Why does Matty go to pick up the puppy from Jean's house? (from Chapters 8-10)

 Her father is angry that the puppy is eating so much.

 Her father is angry that the puppy is so mischievous.

 The mother dog is snapping at the puppy.

  The mother dog has died.

7.
What is the meeting of Kira and Leader's minds compared to? (from Chapters 20-21)

 Ships..

 Waves on an ocean.

 Vines.

 Wisps of smoke.

8.
What does Seer say is Leader's gift? (from Chapters 8-10)

 He sees beyond.

 He knows how to lead .

 He understands human nature.

 He was the first to be able to read.

9.
What is Jean doing when Matty arrives to pick up the puppy? (from Chapters 8-10)

 Washing clothes.

 Making bread.

 Cleaning the house.

 Working in the garden.

10.
What is Matty waiting for when his hands begin to vibrate? (from Chapters 20-21)

 To die

 For more instruction from Kira.

 To learn what he's supposed to do.

 For more instruction from Leader.

.
What is Matty planning to buy at the marketplace? (from Chapters 8-10)

 Flowers.

 A book.

 Vegetables.

 Bread.

12.
What kind of shoes does Kira wear? (from Chapters 14-16)

 Leather sandals.
  None.

 Canvas shoes.

 Leather boots.

13.
What does Matty say Ramon's mother traded for? (from Chapters 5-7)

 Another gaming machine.

 A new house.

 Nothing.

 Candy for her gaming machine.

14.
Who does Seer say he wants Matty to bring back from another village? (from Chapters 8-10)

 The new woman's children.

 As many people as he can.

 Matty's brother.

 Seer's daughter.

15.
What happens to Leader as Matty's power is unleashed on the earth? (from Chapters 20-21)

 He slumps down and falls asleep.

 His body heals and he reaches out to Matty.

 He is freed from the vines that had trapped him.

 His body heals and he reaches out to Kira.

What does Kira say about her sight after Leader has entered Forest? (from Chapters 17-19)

 That she can clearly see Leader's arrival.

 That it's blurry.

 That she can clearly see Matty's death.

 That she can clearly see her own death.

17.
What does Mentor say he's going to trade for? (from Chapters 5-7)

 A gaming machine.

 Stocktender's widow.

 The ability to close the Village to outsiders.

 A larger piece of land.

18.
What does Matty see in the tapestry is happening at Village? (from Chapters 14-16)

 They're building a wall around Village.

 People are waiting for Matty's return.

 They're turning people away from Village.

 They're holding another Trade Mart.

19.
How does Seer know Matty and Kira have entered Forest? (from Chapters 14-16)

 Leader tells him.

 He can sense it.

 He doesn't.

 Seer has a gift of sight.

20.
What does Matty plan to carry inside his shirt? (from Chapters 11-13)

 Herbs in case he becomes ill.

 Frolic.

 Food for snacks.

 The messages.

.
Who is the first to go to the stage to make a trade? (from Chapters 5-7)

 Jean.

 Matty.

 Mentor.

 Leader.

22.
Where is Frolic while Kira is working on her tapestry? (from Chapters 20-21)

 On Kira's lap.

 He's wandered off.

 On the blanket.

 Inside Matty's shirt.

23.
What does Leader feel when he enters Forest? (from Chapters 17-19)

 Anger.

 Darkness.

 Hope.
  Death.

24.
What happens to Ramon as Matty's power is unleashed on the earth? (from Chapters 20-21)

 He realizes Matty is in danger and rushes to Seer's house.

 He calls out for his mother in fear.

 He is healed.

 He wakes from a nightmare and begins to cry .

25.
What does Seer say he'll be doing while Matty is away? (from Chapters 11-13)

 Fixing up the spare room for his daughter

 Trying to put an end to Trade Mart

 Planning a homecoming

 Working to change the minds of those who want to close Village

"Messenger" by Lois Lowry Trivia Quiz | Authors | 10 Questions (funtrivia.com)

 What was Seer's name before it was "Seer"?

 Christopher
 Andrew
 Scott
 Thomas

2. How did Leader get to Village?

  on a big brown horse
 on a small gray bicycle
 in a large yellow bus
 on a little red sled

3. What animal did Matty first use his gift on?

 frog
 snake
 toad
 newt

4. What was the name of the girl who teased Matty, saying she was going to
kiss him, at the beginning of the book?

 Jean
 Joan
 Julie
 Joanne

5. What is the name of the puppy Matty got from Jean?

 Frolic
 Branch
 Flower
 Prancer

6. Which of these did Ramon's family trade for?

  Gaming Machine
 Computer
 Couch
 Television

7. What is Kira's gift?

 seeing ahead
 listening beyond
 seeing around
 listening ahead

8. What did Leader and Kira say Forest was doing?

 loosening
 living
 dying
 thickening

9. Kira, Matty, Frolic, and Leader all made it out of Forest alive.

 True
 False

10. What is Matty's true name?

 Healer
 Helper
 Messenger
 Tamer