Among the Hidden

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the novel over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Luke’s attitude toward his home changes throughout the novel.

• How does Luke feel toward his home before the forest comes down, and what causes his change in perspective? (topic sentence)
• Cite evidence from the book showing Luke’s life before and after the forest comes down.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how the changes in Luke’s life impact his attitude toward staying home and hidden all the time and his ultimate decision to accept a fake ID.

2. Jen and Luke’s experiences as shadow children are very different despite them both being illegal.

• How do the two families’ economic statuses impact the experiences of their shadow children? (topic sentence)
• Cite evidence from the book to show the way Luke’s parents believe they must protect Luke; then cite evidence to show how Jen’s family operates differently.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, trace the causes of these differing attitudes and explain how Jen’s and Luke’s upbringing contrast one another because of it. Connect your answer to the theme of The Effects of Privilege or The Impact of Propaganda depending on the evidence you’ve chosen.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Why is the setting of Among the Hidden considered a dystopian society? Select two or three tropes of dystopian fiction and explore the way Among the Hidden adheres to these tropes to tell a dystopian story. How does the dystopian setting impact the events of the story and the decisions of the characters? Create a separate body paragraph for each trope you choose to analyze. Incorporate one or two quotes per trope to support your assertion that the novel adheres to them.

2. What role does privilege play in the way the events of Among the Hidden unfold? How does privilege influence character perspectives and decisions? Write an essay consisting of at least two body paragraphs in which you explore the role of privilege, its benefits, and its drawbacks in the lives of Among the Hidden’s characters and connect it to the overarching theme of The Effects of Privilege. Use quotations from the book to support your assertions about the way privilege influences the story.