Character Comparison ('Among The Hidden', Literacy Assignment)
Jen and Luke, the two
main characters in our assigned lit circle book, 'Among The Hidden', though very
much alike in the situation in which they are placed (being 3rd children in a
world where one having more than two is illegal, thus having to constantly stay
in hiding, for fear of being found out by officials, and discovering what
'really' happens to all those 3rd children found out about and taken in by the
Population Police), differ much in character. For starters, Jen, one of the main
characters and 'hero' of the story, is very brave and fearless, not to mention
ambitious, and, at times, impatient and bad-tempered. This is not much like Luke
at all, who is much more shy and reserved, cautious, and strategic. Jen's
bravery and fearlessness is proven several times throughout the book, such as at
the point in the story when it comes time for her to leave for a rally she
organised, made to bring all 3rd children together to convince the government to
repeal the population law making their existence illegal. She leaves without
worry or fear, certain that her plan will succeed. Luke, on the other hand,
decides not to go, for fear of what could go wrong, demonstrating his
fearfulness, and, proving he is much more cautious than his partner. This,
however, ends up saving his life when the rally does go wrong, and all 3rd
children who attended end up getting shot and killed by the Government. Jen's
ambitiousness is proven in the book as well, an example being of how, throughout
the story, and even before (according to the story plot) Jen constantly works
towards her goal of one day overcoming the Population Law, starting up a website
on which shadow children can communicate, coming up with and organising a rally
to make her goal of achieving freedom for all shadow children worldwide come to
reality, then putting her plan into action, spreading word of the rally to the
other shadow children she has contact with, via her website, then heading to the
place of the rally on its date, to watch all she had planned unfold. As well as
being brave, as well as ambitious, she is as I mentioned before, impatient and
bad-tempered at times. This is shown in the story at the point where Jen
witnesses a group of shadow children debating over fake I.D’s. Jen loses it,
angry they’d even consider giving up the idea of the rally, and fighting for
their freedom, happy just live their lives under a fake name , living with a
family other than their own and pretending to be someone their not for the rest
of their lives. It is something of this sort that would be completely out of
character for Luke, who, being his shy and reserved self, is much to afraid, in
the book, to even speak out his opinion about his distaste of his situation,
having to eat every meal on the bottom of the staircase of his home—away from
it’s revealing, transparent windows, and with it, his family, the only people he
has contact with (before he meets Jen and her father), having to face the
possibility of spending every night in his attic, unheated, if his father gets
his way, spending every day home alone, once his mother gets her job in the
factory, with nothing to do but read, watch houses, and dream of how fantastic
his life could be, if only his situation was different. Luke, being shy and
reserved, just keeps this all to himself, locked up inside him, afraid to speak
out his mind for fear of how others will react, that, and under the belief that
even if he speaks out his mind, no one will do anything about what he complains
about, pushing his complaints and requests to the side as always, to ensure his
safety, and, with it, the safety and well-being of the family. As well as being
cautious, as well as shy and reserved, Luke is strategic. This is repeatedly
shown in the story, an example of which being at the point when Luke first
discovers there may be a 3rd child living next door to him, in the
‘Sports Family House’(that 3rd child later turns out to be Jen). Luke
takes note of all the surroundings from the distance between his home and the
‘Sports Family’s’ ,planning out a route he can navigate to travel to the home,
to see if what he believes is true, and if there really is another
3rd child, just like himself, living out his/her days in the house
next door. This is unlike something Jen would do, Jen being more the type to act
out quickly without considering and preparing for all possibilities, as shown
when she heads to the rally without fear and preparation of what could go wrong,
certain that what she believes is right, and that the government won’t dare to
bring harm to that many shadow children at the rally (for she expected thousands
of shadow children to show up for the
rally).
Though Luke and Jen
differ much in character, they have various similarities as well. Those
similarities including the fact they are both knowledgeable, caring of others,
curious, and persistent. Not to mention the fact that they both have the skills
to face various challenges in their everyday lives, whether that challenge be as
difficult as dealing with a parent’s displeasure with you, or as difficult as
having to lead a double life, having to keep one secret from your
family.
Jen and Luke, the two
main characters in our assigned lit circle book, 'Among The Hidden', though very
much alike in the situation in which they are placed (being 3rd children in a
world where one having more than two is illegal, thus having to constantly stay
in hiding, for fear of being found out by officials, and discovering what
'really' happens to all those 3rd children found out about and taken in by the
Population Police), differ much in character. For starters, Jen, one of the main
characters and 'hero' of the story, is very brave and fearless, not to mention
ambitious, and, at times, impatient and bad-tempered. This is not much like Luke
at all, who is much more shy and reserved, cautious, and strategic. Jen's
bravery and fearlessness is proven several times throughout the book, such as at
the point in the story when it comes time for her to leave for a rally she
organised, made to bring all 3rd children together to convince the government to
repeal the population law making their existence illegal. She leaves without
worry or fear, certain that her plan will succeed. Luke, on the other hand,
decides not to go, for fear of what could go wrong, demonstrating his
fearfulness, and, proving he is much more cautious than his partner. This,
however, ends up saving his life when the rally does go wrong, and all 3rd
children who attended end up getting shot and killed by the Government. Jen's
ambitiousness is proven in the book as well, an example being of how, throughout
the story, and even before (according to the story plot) Jen constantly works
towards her goal of one day overcoming the Population Law, starting up a website
on which shadow children can communicate, coming up with and organising a rally
to make her goal of achieving freedom for all shadow children worldwide come to
reality, then putting her plan into action, spreading word of the rally to the
other shadow children she has contact with, via her website, then heading to the
place of the rally on its date, to watch all she had planned unfold. As well as
being brave, as well as ambitious, she is as I mentioned before, impatient and
bad-tempered at times. This is shown in the story at the point where Jen
witnesses a group of shadow children debating over fake I.D’s. Jen loses it,
angry they’d even consider giving up the idea of the rally, and fighting for
their freedom, happy just live their lives under a fake name , living with a
family other than their own and pretending to be someone their not for the rest
of their lives. It is something of this sort that would be completely out of
character for Luke, who, being his shy and reserved self, is much to afraid, in
the book, to even speak out his opinion about his distaste of his situation,
having to eat every meal on the bottom of the staircase of his home—away from
it’s revealing, transparent windows, and with it, his family, the only people he
has contact with (before he meets Jen and her father), having to face the
possibility of spending every night in his attic, unheated, if his father gets
his way, spending every day home alone, once his mother gets her job in the
factory, with nothing to do but read, watch houses, and dream of how fantastic
his life could be, if only his situation was different. Luke, being shy and
reserved, just keeps this all to himself, locked up inside him, afraid to speak
out his mind for fear of how others will react, that, and under the belief that
even if he speaks out his mind, no one will do anything about what he complains
about, pushing his complaints and requests to the side as always, to ensure his
safety, and, with it, the safety and well-being of the family. As well as being
cautious, as well as shy and reserved, Luke is strategic. This is repeatedly
shown in the story, an example of which being at the point when Luke first
discovers there may be a 3rd child living next door to him, in the
‘Sports Family House’(that 3rd child later turns out to be Jen). Luke
takes note of all the surroundings from the distance between his home and the
‘Sports Family’s’ ,planning out a route he can navigate to travel to the home,
to see if what he believes is true, and if there really is another
3rd child, just like himself, living out his/her days in the house
next door. This is unlike something Jen would do, Jen being more the type to act
out quickly without considering and preparing for all possibilities, as shown
when she heads to the rally without fear and preparation of what could go wrong,
certain that what she believes is right, and that the government won’t dare to
bring harm to that many shadow children at the rally (for she expected thousands
of shadow children to show up for the
rally).
Though Luke and Jen
differ much in character, they have various similarities as well. Those
similarities including the fact they are both knowledgeable, caring of others,
curious, and persistent. Not to mention the fact that they both have the skills
to face various challenges in their everyday lives, whether that challenge be as
difficult as dealing with a parent’s displeasure with you, or as difficult as
having to lead a double life, having to keep one secret from your
family.