The City of Ember Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"They heard him talking about it when he died… My grandfather. The seventh mayor." "And what did he say?" "Ah," said her grandmother with a faraway look. "That's the mystery. He said he couldn't get at it. 'Now it is lost,' he said." (4.20-24)

We're not saying we believe in karma, but it makes sense for Granny to be the one to help right the wrongs of her grandfather, the dishonest seventh mayor who brought home the box that was supposed to be the salvation of Ember (except no one knew it yet). Lina gets in on the action, too, since she's the main one deciphering the message that Poppy halfway eats.

Quote #5

Since her parents had died, Lina had come many times to talk to Clary, or just to work silently beside her. Clary was always kind to her, and working with the plants took Lina's mind off her grief. (4.38)

Losing your family is rough, and so we're glad Lina has Clary to help her cope. In the process, it seems like Clary might've become something of a surrogate family member to Lina—someone she can talk to and spend time with. We all probably have people like that in our lives. You know, people we're not biologically related to, but who are very dear to us and have helped us through tough spots?

Quote #6

Lina rather liked having Mrs. Murdo around—it was a bit like having a mother there. She wasn't anything like Lina's own mother, who had been a dreamy, absent-minded sort of person. Mrs. Murdo was mother-like in quite a different way. (5.5)

Mrs. Murdo gets stuff done, yo. She's the practical sort of mother figure who makes sure everyone's fed and washed. Lina's mother, on the other hand, was maybe not so practical (though Lina doesn't love her any less for it). It doesn't sound like Lina's being judgmental here, but rather being a typical kid who compares the different people she has in her life in terms of how their actions affect her.