Attention, attention: Shmoop's court will now come to order. Don't worry; we're a lot nicer than the court in Among the Hidden. That's a good thing, because Among the Hidden teaches us that, if you enact oppressive rules, you're just setting yourself up to get flouted. Most of the rules get broken regularly and willfully, even by otherwise respectable folk like Luke's parents, who themselves have their own set of rules for keeping Luke safe and hidden. And breaking those rules? That comes with consequences.
Questions About Rules and Order
- Is breaking the law bad if it's a bad law that's broken? Why or why not?
- Which disobedience or transgression has the most consequences in the book?
- How does Luke's attitude towards sneaking out of the house and keeping or breaking other rules change throughout the course of the book?
Chew on This
Technically speaking, Luke doesn't break the Population Law; his parents do.
Jen and her father have opposite approaches to going against the Government's laws. Jen directly challenges the law, while her father indirectly challenges it.