Chapters 1 - 5 Summary

Chapter 1: Luke Garner's mother calls him into the house. For the first time in his life, he does not obey right away. Luke stands for another moment in the woods, listening to the sound of falling trees in the distance. He breathes in the fresh air, enjoying his last moments of freedom. Luke is afraid he may never be allowed outside again.

That night at dinner, Luke asks his parents why they had to sell the woods next to their house. His parents explain and not for the first time, that the Government has forced them to sell. Twelve-year-old Luke thinks bitterly of all the other orders the Government has given his family, like where to plant their corn and how much to charge for their crops. Mother explains that the woods are being torn down to put in houses for...