Throughout My Name is Asher Lev, Asher’s father continuously reject who Asher is, an artist. He continuously tells Asher that drawing is foolish, and that he should stop. On page 169, Asher says, "Please don’t get angry at me, Papa. I can’t help it." Asher’s father says: "An animal can't help it. A human being can always help it. A man has a will. Do you understand me, Asher?" The Ribbono Shel Olom gave every man a will. Every man is responsible for what he does, because he" has a will and by that will he directs his life. There is no such thing as a man who can't help it. Only a sick man can’t help it." His father is putting words into Asher’s mouth. He does not understand that Asher’s talent is a gift. Aryeh was brought up with an idea of strict devotion to god, and he does not want his son to stray the least bit away from it. On page 106, Asher’s father says: "Asher, you have a gift. If it is from the Other Side, then it is foolishness, for it will take you away from Torah and from your people and lead you to think only of yourself." Asher’s father needs to accept his son. He dose not have to like that Asher is an artist, but he should still show Asher that he cares about him. At the very end of the book, when Asher is leaving to go to Paris, Aryeh does not even say goodbye. I’m sure that he wanted to, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Aryeh would not let himself accept Asher. This creates a lot of controversy between Asher and Aryeh. Asher loves his father but Aryeh will not give Asher the chance to show it. Aryeh believes that if Asher truly loved him, he would have stopped drawing, and followed in his footsteps. I also believe that Aryeh loved Asher. He just could not bring himself to give into the fact that Asher is an artist.
On page 351, Asher says, "My father stood next to her (Rivkeh), tall, heavy- shouldered, his eyes dark-and moist, I thought. He said nothing, but he shook my hand." This small exert sums up the entire book, Asher’s father loves him deeply, but refuses to show it.