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Looper Windley
Lina’s next-door neighbor. She used to run a paper and pencil shop, but it closed a few years before the novel begins. Mrs. Murdo is thin, strict, and neat, but she’s kind in her own way. As Granny’s health declines, Lina asks Mrs. Murdo to stop in and check on things. Mrs. Murdo agrees and generously goes above and beyond Lina’s basic request—she makes sure that Poppy is clean and clothed, and that Lina, Poppy, and Granny are fed nourishing foods. After Granny dies, Mrs. Murdo insists that it’s just common sense for Lina and Poppy to come and live with her. Mrs. Murdo—and by extension, her beautiful, tidy home—make Lina feel safe, comforted, and cared for, and Mrs. Murdo becomes a mother figure in Lina’s mind. Mrs. Murdo is also the one to discover Lina and Doon’s dropped note from aboveground, setting her up to spread the word in future installments of the series.
Mrs. Murdo Quotes in The City of Ember
The The City of Ember quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Murdo or refer to Mrs. Murdo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 7
Quotes
Lina rather liked having Mrs. Murdo around—it was a bit like having a mother there. [...] When Mrs. Murdo was there, shoes got picked up and put away, spills were wiped off the furniture, and Poppy always had on clean clothes. Lina could relax when Mrs. Murdo was around. She knew things were taken care of.
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Chapter 11
Quotes
The blue-green room, the orderly apartment, the meals cooked, and the blankets tucked in cozily at night—all this gave her a feeling of comfort, almost luxury. She was grateful for Mrs. Murdo’s kindness. I am not ready yet to be alone in the world, she thought.
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Chapter 18
Quotes
“Because that’s what I suddenly realized on the roof of the Gathering Hall, Doon. I’d been thinking before that I had to leave Poppy because she’d be safe with Mrs. Murdo. But when the lights went out, I suddenly knew: There is no safety in Ember. Not for long. Not for anyone. I couldn’t leave her behind. Whatever happens to us now, it’s better than what’s going to happen there.”
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Get the entire The City of Ember LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mrs. Murdo Quotes in The City of Ember
The The City of Ember quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Murdo or refer to Mrs. Murdo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 7
Quotes
Lina rather liked having Mrs. Murdo around—it was a bit like having a mother there. [...] When Mrs. Murdo was there, shoes got picked up and put away, spills were wiped off the furniture, and Poppy always had on clean clothes. Lina could relax when Mrs. Murdo was around. She knew things were taken care of.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11
Quotes
The blue-green room, the orderly apartment, the meals cooked, and the blankets tucked in cozily at night—all this gave her a feeling of comfort, almost luxury. She was grateful for Mrs. Murdo’s kindness. I am not ready yet to be alone in the world, she thought.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18
Quotes
“Because that’s what I suddenly realized on the roof of the Gathering Hall, Doon. I’d been thinking before that I had to leave Poppy because she’d be safe with Mrs. Murdo. But when the lights went out, I suddenly knew: There is no safety in Ember. Not for long. Not for anyone. I couldn’t leave her behind. Whatever happens to us now, it’s better than what’s going to happen there.”
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