The characters in Among the Hidden have different aspects that make them special throughout the book. The protagonist, Luke, is a third child that has to stay hidden because of the Population Law. He is very shy and skittish because he has never been around anyone besides his family. He wants to be in the outside world, but the government would kill him if they found him. Matthew, Luke's older brother, was the first son. Jennifer was another third child that organized a rally against the government. Luke thinks they are lucky because they can go anywhere. The antagonist in the story is the government. The government has made a law that families can only have two children. This is what causes Luke to go into hiding.
The time is the future because the book describes laws that haven't been made yet. Also, famines are world wide and food isn't well distributed in the future.
The conflict in Among the Hidden is man vs. society. Luke has to stay hidden because of the Population Law. The government said that families could only have two kids so the world would have enough food. Also, the government tries to make everyone go vegetarian because they think that it is healthier for you. The Population Police kills any third child they find so they can get paid. The only way shadow kids (third child) can avoid the government from killing them is to get a fake identity.
The problem is that Luke has to stay hidden for the rest of his life. If he is found the Population Police would kill him because he is a third child. He can't go to school or have a normal kid's life. All he does is sit in his room and wait. He can't even eat at his family's table. The solution to his problem is that he can get a fake identity, and live with another family.
Among the Hidden begins with Luke being called into the house because the forest is being cut down for the Barons. He now has to be very careful and never go outside. He can't even eat with his family. In the middle of the book, Luke's family is busier than ever. His mother got a job so they can pay taxes. Also, they had to give up their hogs so it wouldn't stink. Luke also found a vent in his room so he could look outside at the Barons homes. While watching the houses he sees a child's face in the Sports' Families window after all the family members left for their jobs. At the end of the book, Luke finds out that the face he saw was another third child.
This third child is a girl named Jennifer. She is courageous and she is smart. She introduces Luke to both views of the Population Law. Also, she told him about the rally of the shadow kids to try to overthrow the Population Law. Luke told her at the last minute that didn't want to go. Even though he didn't go, she said she is going. When she got to the rally, the Population Police shot her and the other forty shadow kids. When Luke found out about this, he found her father, told him who he was, and asked for a fake I.D. In the end, Luke goes with his new fake parents in which he will now have a normal life as Lee Grant.
