Lina and Poppy spend the day at Mrs. Murdoâs neat apartment. There are three lavender turnips on the table, and Lina thinks that Mrs. Murdo put them there in part because theyâre pretty. Lina spends all day on the couch under a warm blanket, feeling sad but comforted too. The next day, Lina gets up to go to work. Mrs. Murdo makes her breakfast and they discuss the upcoming Singing, which they both love. Mrs. Murdo tells Lina that sheâll care for Poppy today and when Lina gets home later, they can talk about where to go from hereâLina and Poppy canât live alone. Mrs. Murdo shows Lina her empty bedroom, which is cozily decorated in green and blue. Lina thanks Mrs. Murdo, but Mrs. Murdo briskly says that itâs just common sense.
Here, Mrs. Murdo embodies the generous, giving spirit that the Builders seem to have tried to purposefully cultivate in Ember. Sheâs entirely selfless as she offers to care for Lina and Poppy; she offers because she knows itâs the right thing to do. For Lina, this reminds her that she doesnât just have to get support from blood relatives. There are many people in Ember who are more than willing to care for her and help in times of needâMrs. Murdo is proof of that.
ACTIVE THEMES
Coming of Age Theme Icon Family and Community Theme Icon
Three days after Lina and Doonâs excursion into the Pipeworks, they still havenât heard word of an announcement. Lina doesnât understand why the man they saw is keeping his discovery of a way out of Ember to herself. As she works, she notices that people seem gloomy and scared. Lots of shops are closed or open reduced hours. Inside, she feels strange and repeats âalone in the worldâ to herself. Itâs not true, since she has Poppy, Mrs. Murdo, and friends, but she also feels like sheâs become her own mother since Granny died. Gradually, Lina begins to focus more on Mrs. Murdoâs beautiful extra room. She feels grateful for Mrs. Murdoâs kindness and thinks that sheâs not ready to be alone yet.
Notice that here, at least, it never seems to occur to Lina that the door they found might not be the door out of EmberâLooper may have good reasons to not want to share the door with others. This makes Lina look especially young and idealistic, as it shows that she believes everyone has the communityâs best interests at heart and will, without fail, do the right thing to help others. Though this attitude doesnât entirely help Lina, itâs still a good thing when Lina decides to feel grateful for Mrs. Murdo, as doing so allows her to be a child for a while longer.
ACTIVE THEMES
Coming of Age Theme Icon Selfishness, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon Family and Community Theme Icon
RELATED QUOTES WITH EXPLANATIONS
In the afternoon, Lina catches sight of Lizzie exiting the Supply Depot and yells. Lizzie doesnât answer, so Lina runs after her. Lizzie only stops when Lina grabs her coat, but she seems distracted. Lina shares that Granny died, but Lizzie expresses only halfhearted sympathy. Lina asks whatâs in Lizzieâs sack, and she replies that theyâre groceries from the market, which confuses Linaâshe saw Lizzie leave the storeroom office. Lizzie starts walking and talking even faster and says that she has a boyfriend. As Lina starts to ask about the boyfriend, Lizzie trips and spills her groceries. The cans roll away and Lizzie immediately tries to grab them. Lina picks up a can of peaches and one of creamed corn, delicacies she hasnât had in years. Children pick up a can of applesauce.
Lizzieâs behavior is a red flag for Lina that something is upâeven if Lizzie is somewhat self-centered, itâs wildly selfish and odd to not acknowledge Linaâs grief. Because itâs clear that Lizzie is lying about where the cans came from, this is an even more shocking experience for Lina. It means, among other things, that Lina now has proof that people she loves and cares about arenât doing good, moral thingsâand theyâre willing to tell lies to continue doing so.
ACTIVE THEMES
Selfishness, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Lizzie flashes a fake smile and tells the children and Lina that they can keep the cans before rushing away. Lina knows Lizzie is lying; the cans mustâve come from the storeroom. She wonders how much, or if, Lizzie paid for them. At home, Lina offers the cans to Mrs. Murdo, who gasps. Lina says she got the cans from a friend, but doesnât know where her friend got them. They have a feast for dinner and itâs the best meal Lina has had in a long time. She feels bad, however, about where the food came from.
Explanation: