During the December Ceremony's Naming and Placement of newborns, we find out that names are "recycled." When an elderly person is released from the community, apparently the released person's name is put on a list and is used again. For example, because an elderly man named Roberto was released in Chapter 4, a newborn is named Roberto and given to a family unit in Chapter 6.
The Ceremony proceeds with each age group in consecutive order. When the Nines receive their very own bicycles, Fritz, who lives in the dwelling next door to Jonas', almost bumps into the podium. Fritz is quite clumsy and is always getting into trouble for such things as not studying for school quizzes, losing his homework, or wearing his shoes on the wrong feet. Fritz's behavior is a problem for his parents because it indicates that they are not good parents; remember, people who do not behave the same as others in the community jeopardize the order and success of the entire community.
When the Ceremony of Twelve begins, Jonas, also known as Nineteen (the number given him at birth because he was the nineteenth child born that particular year), is sitting in the Auditorium in numerical order with the other Elevens. He is comforted with the realization that whatever Assignment he receives will be the right one for him. Rarely are people dissatisfied with their Assignments. If people are unhappy with their Assignments, or if they feel as though they no longer fit in the community, they can apply for release. Again Lowry wants us to question anything that has to do with a release when she has Asher comment, "Here today and gone tomorrow. Never seen again." Applying for release because a person dislikes an Assignment is almost unheard of because the decisions made by the Committee of Elders are meticulously thought out.
