Among the Hidden Theme of Government Power: Totalitarian

If you grumble every time you have to buckle your seatbelt or jam a bike helmet on your head, then you probably know (kind of) how the people in Luke's world feel. But in Among the Hidden, the Government isn't looking out for you: they're looking out for themselves. And that means the Powers That Be have the final say on the who, what, where, when, and how of everything. (We're sensing some major control issues here.) There's no government of the people and by the people; instead, people are nothing more than pawns in the Government's game. Sure, there are still some people who don't drink the Government's Kool-aid—they are the ones who usually lead the revolution to change things. Yep, we're pretty sure that Jen Talbot and Katniss Everdeen would have been great friends.

Questions About Government Power: Totalitarian

  1. How do Luke and Jen view the Government differently?
  2. What would Luke's life be like with a different government system? (Think communist, democratic, fascist, etc.)
  3. If you could only choose one, which would you have the Government change: repealing the Population Law or bringing everyone out of poverty?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

The Government's control and manipulation is so strong that even Luke isn't sure whether or not he should exist.

No government should enact laws like the Population Law, since governments should never have such absolute power over people's lives.