Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Among the Hidden, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Propaganda, Fear, and Control
Privilege, Wealth, and Perspective
Protest and Resistance
Coming of Age, Independence, and Family
Summary
Analysis
Luke stares blankly at Jen. It’s frightening enough to run from his house to hers, where there’s probably nobody watching. The prospect of being in public and asking the Government for rights is terrifying. Jen says she’s scared too, but once they’ve held the rally, they’ll be free. They won’t have to hide anymore, and it’ll be a relief. She tells Luke to think about it and turns to her computer.
Jen seems to have no qualms about going into public and demanding rights, but Luke has been raised to fear the Government. So while Jen might be right that if the rally works they won’t have to hide anymore, Luke can’t get past the fact that going to the rally at all seems like a dangerous idea.
Themes
On the computer screen, words are appearing quickly. Someone named Carlos writes that it’s 105 degrees and his parents won’t run the air conditioning for him. Sean suggests Carlos turn it up and then turn it off before his parents get home, and someone named Yolanda says she can’t wait to hear Jen’s opinion on the matter. Quickly, Jen types a sarcastic response and when she presses a key, the words appear on the screen. Confused, Luke asks if this is a game—maybe these people are imaginary friends. But Jen explains that this is a secret chat room for third children. Sean, she says, even has a brother who’s a fourth child.
Remember that Jen has never met anyone who wasn’t a Baron before, and these kids in the chat room seem to also be Barons. In this world, air conditioning seems to only exist in the homes of wealthy people—so if Carlos has access to air conditioning, his family is certainly wealthy. It’s shocking for Luke to discover essentially that there are a bunch of kids in the world who are like Jen: wealthy and in hiding. They’re kind of like him, but they have privileges he’s never dreamed of.
Themes
As Jen explains that she’d be lost without these online friends, she writes a message to the chat room that she’s here with another third kid named Luke. Several people respond with greetings to Luke, but Luke panics—the Government can surely find him now. Jen assures Luke he’s safe, since the chat room is password protected. She insists that if it wasn’t safe, the Government would’ve found her a long time ago. Luke argues that Jen’s parents can keep her safe by bribing people, but his can’t. In response, Jen says her parents can’t totally protect her from the Population Police. That’s why they have to hold the rally, so that everyone can live their lives without having to bribe people. Jen explains that she created the chat room with her parents’ help; there are now 800 kids using it. The password is “free.”
It's worth considering that Jen’s parents’ ability to bribe people might offer her more security than she realizes. In other words, there may be more reasons than her password for why the Government hasn’t found the chat room yet—and if Jen’s parents are pulling strings, that’s something that Luke’s parents can’t also do to protect him. Unlike Luke’s parents, Jen’s realize that their daughter needs an outlet, which is why they helped put the chat room together in the first place. Jen isn’t totally isolated from the world, which contributes to her happiness.
Themes
