Ruby "is given" the ability to

[user_user]

Jamie Oliver: Children's book cut over First Nations portrayal

The 400-page fantasy novel is accused of stereotyping Indigenous Australians.

www.bbc.com

Among the complaints is that Ruby is given the ability to read people’s minds and communicate with animals and plants, because "that’s the Indigenous way".

Question:
The structure "is given the ability" shows "given" can't have been used as adjective (because of the following object, the ability), it's used as past participle as part of passive voice (with "by" omitted). So, without any further context given, just by looking at the above sentence, should I interpret it like, after she is born and sometime later, she is given the ability by someone or something?

 

[jutfrank]

It means that Jamie Oliver gave her this ability when he created the character.

 

[user_user]

It means that Jamie Oliver gave her this ability when he created the character.

What would be the difference between "is given" and "has been given" in that sentence? If the character Ruby was given that ability when it was created, then by the time the readers first get to know and read about the character, isn't it more like "Ruby has been (already) given the ability to~" to them?
"is given" to me more sounds something like "she is given the ability when she turns 8 by someone". Like a factual sentence. A fact that develops in the story.

 

[jutfrank]

What would be the difference between "is given" and "has been given" in that sentence?

In effect, not much, but there's no need for a perfect aspect here.

"is given" to me more sounds something like "she is given the ability when she turns 8 by someone". Like a factual sentence. A fact that develops in the story.

As I said, it means that she was given her ability by the author, when he drew up the character.

 

[user_user]

If that means "Jamie Oliver gave her this ability when he created the character.", then why did the author say "is given", not "was given"? Oliver gave her the ability=Ruby was given the ability. what's the difference.

 

[emsr2d2]

If that means "Jamie Oliver gave her this ability when he created the character no full stop here", then why did the author say "is given", not "was given"? Oliver gave her the ability=Ruby was given the ability. What's the difference.

There is no difference. We frequently use the present tense when talking about the plot or storyline of a book/movie or an article.

In George Orwell's 1984, Winston Smith lives in/is living in a dystopian world ...
In the 1997 film Titanic, Leonardo diCaprio's character Jack is given American nationality because the actor couldn't master a decent British accent.
In The Story of Doctor Dolittle, the title character is given the ability to talk to the animals.