Similarities in Dystopian Novels: Comparing 'Among the Hidden' and 'The Sky Inside' Anonymous 8th Grade

What if you had to hide in your house your whole life? Or live a life where you were brainwashed into thinking everything was perfect? In dystopian societies, you don't have any other choice than to follow the rules of society and live a certain way. This brings up a similar concept amongst dystopian novels that authors follow. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix and The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle are two examples of dystopian novels that are placed in entirely different dystopian worlds, yet share common characteristics of what people believe to be a dystopian society. This essay will discuss the similarities in the portrayal of dystopian societies through citizen's fear of being constantly monitored, propaganda to keep the status quo, and the fear citizens have towards those in power.

The first similarity is that both books portray their citizens as frightful that they are being constantly monitored. In the book Among the Hidden the citizens thinks that if they do something wrong the population police would know. In one part of the story, a character named Jen, a rebel, says “Don't tell me your family believes that Government propaganda stuff,” she said. “They've spent so much money trying to convince people they...