Among the Impostors
Encyclopedia
Among the Impostors is a 2001 book by Margaret Peterson Haddix, about a time in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation
. It is the second of seven novels in the Shadow Children
series.
world and the Government’s Procrustean
attempts to arrest the symptoms of population growth
and scarcity amongst the Earth's resources. In this turmoil, the democratic government
has been overthrown and a totalitarian
Government has been put in its place. Laws established by the regime prohibit a family from having more than two children (any more will be killed). Luke does not want this to happen.
Luke Garner, an illegal third child living with a fake ID, is going by the alias Lee Grant at the Hendricks School for Boys. Lee Grant was killed while skiing down a mountain so no one knows that he was gone except for his family. He is at first confused and paranoid, as well as treated brutally by his roommates, mainly the boy he comes to call "Jackal Boy". Eventually, Luke begins sneaking out of the school to do things, and tries to plant his own garden in the woods. This brings him great happiness and a sense that he belongs. When his garden is trampled, he realizes that other people are going outside, including Jackal Boy.
He reveals himself to them, finding out that they are other illegals as well. The leader, Scott Renault (whose real name is Jason Barstow) otherwise known as Jackal Boy, is outwardly a huge admirer of Jen Talbot, Luke's only friend who died at a rally for third children's rights
. However, the later part of the book reveals that he is a Population Police operative and is trying to get the group's real names only to betray them. Luke is accepted into Jason's group, but is still too frightened to give his real name.
He learns more and more about Hendricks School, but never learns what his schedule is until he is asked about "finals" by Jason. He then is told that he has to take his semester final tests, and that his results will be sent to his fake parents, the Grants, who happen to be Barons, and one of the richest and most powerful people in the country. When awoken one night, he realizes Jason is gone, and Luke while looking for him happens to overhear a phone conversation of Jason's, where he is talking to a Population Police officer.
Luke finally realizes who Jason really is and attacks him with a history book, causing the phone
to get disconnected, and knocks Jason out. He comes up with a cover story for the Population Police officer at the other end and gets Jason down to the nurse's office. He calls Mr. Talbot, a double agent working with Population Police, and convinces him to come to Hendricks. When another officer comes, Mr. Talbot convinces them that Jason is lying about the third children and has Jason arrested along with Nina, his "accomplice" at the nearby Harlow's School for Girls, even though she has done nothing. Luke is later given the choice to leave the school, but he decides to stay at Hendricks and help the other third children.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...
. It is the second of seven novels in the Shadow Children
Shadow Children sequence
The Shadow Children series is a series of seven books by Margaret Peterson Haddix about a futuristic country which suffers food shortages due to a drought and the effects of the government's attempts to control resources as a way to solidify its power...
series.
Plot summary
The general plot revolves around an allegedly overpopulatedOverpopulation
Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...
world and the Government’s Procrustean
Procrustes
In Greek mythology Procrustes or "the stretcher [who hammers out the metal]", also known as Prokoptas or Damastes "subduer", was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica who physically attacked people by stretching them or cutting off their legs, so as to force them to fit the size of an iron bed...
attempts to arrest the symptoms of population growth
Population growth
Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement....
and scarcity amongst the Earth's resources. In this turmoil, the democratic government
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
has been overthrown and a totalitarian
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
Government has been put in its place. Laws established by the regime prohibit a family from having more than two children (any more will be killed). Luke does not want this to happen.
Luke Garner, an illegal third child living with a fake ID, is going by the alias Lee Grant at the Hendricks School for Boys. Lee Grant was killed while skiing down a mountain so no one knows that he was gone except for his family. He is at first confused and paranoid, as well as treated brutally by his roommates, mainly the boy he comes to call "Jackal Boy". Eventually, Luke begins sneaking out of the school to do things, and tries to plant his own garden in the woods. This brings him great happiness and a sense that he belongs. When his garden is trampled, he realizes that other people are going outside, including Jackal Boy.
He reveals himself to them, finding out that they are other illegals as well. The leader, Scott Renault (whose real name is Jason Barstow) otherwise known as Jackal Boy, is outwardly a huge admirer of Jen Talbot, Luke's only friend who died at a rally for third children's rights
Children's rights
Children's rights are the human rights of children with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to the young, including their right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal state-paid education,...
. However, the later part of the book reveals that he is a Population Police operative and is trying to get the group's real names only to betray them. Luke is accepted into Jason's group, but is still too frightened to give his real name.
He learns more and more about Hendricks School, but never learns what his schedule is until he is asked about "finals" by Jason. He then is told that he has to take his semester final tests, and that his results will be sent to his fake parents, the Grants, who happen to be Barons, and one of the richest and most powerful people in the country. When awoken one night, he realizes Jason is gone, and Luke while looking for him happens to overhear a phone conversation of Jason's, where he is talking to a Population Police officer.
Luke finally realizes who Jason really is and attacks him with a history book, causing the phone
Phone
Within phonetics, a phone is:* a speech sound or gesture considered a physical event without regard to its place in the phonology of a language* a speech segment that possesses distinct physical or perceptual properties...
to get disconnected, and knocks Jason out. He comes up with a cover story for the Population Police officer at the other end and gets Jason down to the nurse's office. He calls Mr. Talbot, a double agent working with Population Police, and convinces him to come to Hendricks. When another officer comes, Mr. Talbot convinces them that Jason is lying about the third children and has Jason arrested along with Nina, his "accomplice" at the nearby Harlow's School for Girls, even though she has done nothing. Luke is later given the choice to leave the school, but he decides to stay at Hendricks and help the other third children.
Main characters
- Luke Garner (aka. Lee Grant)
- Jason Barstow (aka. "Jackal Boy" or Scott)
- Trey
- Nina Idi
- Mr. Hendricks
- Mr. Talbot