Critical evaluation of Messenger by Lois Lowry

Abstract

Lois Lowry’s Messenger forms part of a utopian/dystopian trilogy aimed at young readers, depicting an ideal village surrounded by a threatening forest. The narrative follows Matty, a messenger with the power to heal, on his mission to save Kira. Through Gérard Genette’s narrative perspective, the reading reveals an omniscient narrator and a structure that alternates between scene and summary. The village and forest form a dual framework symbolizing the fragility of utopia in the face of selfishness, while
Matty embodies the values of altruism and sacrifice in a profoundly educational and humanistic vision.