The Giver

In The Giver, Asher’s Assignment is Assistant Director of Recreation. At the Ceremony of Twelve, the Chief Elder gives him this role because his energetic, playful personality makes him well suited for organizing games and activities for children. The community sees the assignment as a perfect fit for him, and Jonas is happy that Asher receives a job he will enjoy.

Asher is known for being fun-loving and carefree, though he also struggles with speaking precisely, which is very important in the community. The Chief Elder even jokes publicly about the mistakes he made as a child, including when he confused the words “snack” and “smack.” Despite these problems, the Elders recognize that Asher’s cheerful nature and love of games make him valuable in recreation work.

Later in the novel, Asher’s Assignment becomes more complicated for Jonas. Asher helps direct games that imitate war and combat, but Jonas—after receiving painful memories from The Giver—can no longer see these games as harmless fun. This difference in perspective creates distance between the two friends because Asher cannot understand the games’ association with violence. Their friendship shows how the community keeps people emotionally shallow by denying them memory and true understanding.