Chapter 1 Summary

In Chapter 1, Luke Garner is standing in line with the other stablehands at Population Police headquarters. The boys are undergoing their daily inspection of their uniforms and hygiene at 6:30 in the morning. While the sergeant is the inspector, this morning he also has a man in uniform with a row of medals on his chest. The man with the medals is picking three boys for what the sergeant refers to as a "higher purpose" and a better way to serve their country. The man with the medals picks the tallest boy, the most muscular boy, and Luke.

Chapter 1 Analysis

Population Police Headquarters suggests that Luke and the other boys live in a world where adult couples are only allowed to have a specific number of children. If the number of children exceeds the allotted amount, it seems as if the government puts these...