Summary
Chapter 21
Luke’s father receives a letter from the Government saying he cannot grow anything indoors. It seems that the Government noticed his library research on hydroponics as well as his purchases of equipment. Luke helps his parents decipher the letter, and they realize that the Government thinks Luke’s father plans to grow drugs. Luke’s father is disappointed because this could have been a chance to gain a little extra income for the family. Luke feels a stab of guilt and wonders how much his family could afford if they didn’t have him. Luke is only able to visit Jen a few times, but they make cookies and play board games together.
Jen talks about the playgroup she had that was made up entirely of Shadow Children. One of them had a dog, which surprises Luke because pets are illegal. Luke looks at his cookie guiltily, but Jen reminds him that it was the improper distribution of food rather than the population explosion that actually caused the famines - at least according to the sources that Jen has given him to read.
Chapter 22
Luke is unable to visit Jen for the first couple weeks of April due to rain, but when he’s finally able to see her, she informs him that the plan to protest outside the president’s house on behalf of the Shadow Children will happen later that week. She’ll use her parents car to pick up a few other children, but she’s made sure to save room for Luke.
Jen was also able to hack the computers and give a few of the Population Police unexpected days off. Jen looks exhausted, but proud to have planned this.
Jen continues explaining her plan, but Luke panics and wants to back out. Jen says that their crowd of thousands will overwhelm the police. She dismisses the previous skepticism of her friends, and she starts planning protest signs. Luke says he doesn’t want to go, but Jen says that this will be better than hiding for the rest of his life. Luke insists he isn’t brave like her, but Jen points out that he was the one to come to her house.
Luke is firm in refusing to go, and Jen coldly tells him to leave the house.
Chapter 23
Luke thinks angrily about Jen, remembering all of the ways she showed off around him. The rally is probably just another way of her showing off. Then, his anger gives way to worry. What if someone does shoot Jen?
Luke’s mother comes home and asks if he is sick. He lies and says that he’s fine.
Chapter 24
For three days, Luke tries to think about what to do, but he can’t decide. When he goes to sleep on Thursday night - the night before the rally - he is woken up by Jen, who has snuck into his house. Luke apologizes for not being able to go to the rally, and says it’s people like Jen who change history - people like Luke just let events happen to them. Jen says she understands, and says that she’ll miss him. Luke is puzzled, and says that she’ll be able to walk through his front door if the rally is successful. Jen replies that they can hope for this, and then she’s gone.
Chapter 25
Luke listens eagerly to the radio for the next few days, but there are no mentions of the rally. Luke also turns on the porch light - his signal to Jen - but there’s no response from her. Luke is anxious and fidgeting, eagerly awaiting some sort of news about Jen. Finally, he comes up with a plan.
Analysis
Disturbingly, the Government has noticed Luke's father's attempts to build a hydroponics system in his basement. The fact that the Government was able to discern this based on purchases and library records seems to indicate that they have a sophisticated spying system, but it is never clear how much the Government really does know. In some ways, that makes it more frightening, since citizens never know what they can get away with and what would result in reprisal or violence.
Jen is still determined to go through with her rally, and she is frustrated when Luke says he's too afraid to go. He says it's too frightening and dangerous, and she insists that they have to take such risks in order to make change happen.
During their argument, Luke says "It's people like you who change history. People like me--we just let things happen to us" (pg. 117.) This quote is deeply revealing about Luke's character. Because Jen is determined, intelligent, and from a wealthy family, he believes that she has a better chance of changing history than he does, since he is quiet and from a poorer family. In fact, Luke will eventually find a way that he can use his personality and his unique talents to help people.
Jen eventually accepts his decision, and sneaks into his house the night before the rally in order to bid him goodbye. In fact, this act foreshadows her death, which she is well aware could happen.
After the rally, Luke hears no news from the radio, and it is unclear if this is a good or bad sign. If the Government killed all of the children, they might want to cover up information about this massacre. If the Shadow Children were successful and obtained rights, the Government also might not want to share that information, since then other people dissatisfied with governmental regulations would also rise up.
