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Mrs. Murdo
The people who built Ember over two centuries before the novel begins. Though the Builders are human, the people of Ember regard them almost as godlike figures. Nothing is known about who the Builders actually were or why they built Ember until Lina and Doon begin to piece together the contents of the Instructions, which detail how to get out of Ember. As Lina and Doon piece the Instructions together, leave Ember, and discover the journal of the woman, one of Ember’s original residents, they discover that the Builders constructed Ember to preserve humanity in the face of some sort of disaster aboveground. The Builders also purposefully withheld information about the existence of the world above and about portable light sources, among other things, so that Ember’s residents would stay put until it was safe to leave the city and return to the Earth’s surface. From what the woman writes in her journal, the Builders were likely a group of scientists and engineers.
The Builders Quotes in The City of Ember
The The City of Ember quotes below are all either spoken by The Builders or refer to The Builders. 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 2
Quotes
Lina could see this city so clearly in her mind she almost believed it was real. She knew it couldn’t be, though. The Book of the City of Ember, which all children studied in school, taught otherwise. “The city of Ember was made for us long ago by the Builders,” the book said. “It is the only light in the dark world. Beyond Ember, the darkness goes on forever in all directions.”
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She bent over The Book of the City of Ember and read a few sentences: “The citizens of Ember may not have luxuries, but the foresight of the Builders, who filled the storerooms at the beginning of time, has ensured that they will always have enough, and enough is all that a person of wisdom needs.”
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Chapter 3
Quotes
“Can you explain to me about the generator?” he asked. “Can you tell me how it works?”
The old man just sighed. “All I know is, the river makes it go.”
“But how?”
The man shrugged. “Who knows? Our job is just to keep it from breaking down.”
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Chapter 20
Quotes
Disaster seems very close. Everything will be all right, they tell us, but only a few people believe them. Why, if it’s going to be all right, do we see it getting worse every day?
And of course this plan is proof that they think the world is doomed.
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The Builders Quotes in The City of Ember
The The City of Ember quotes below are all either spoken by The Builders or refer to The Builders. 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 2
Quotes
Lina could see this city so clearly in her mind she almost believed it was real. She knew it couldn’t be, though. The Book of the City of Ember, which all children studied in school, taught otherwise. “The city of Ember was made for us long ago by the Builders,” the book said. “It is the only light in the dark world. Beyond Ember, the darkness goes on forever in all directions.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
She bent over The Book of the City of Ember and read a few sentences: “The citizens of Ember may not have luxuries, but the foresight of the Builders, who filled the storerooms at the beginning of time, has ensured that they will always have enough, and enough is all that a person of wisdom needs.”
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3
Quotes
“Can you explain to me about the generator?” he asked. “Can you tell me how it works?”
The old man just sighed. “All I know is, the river makes it go.”
“But how?”
The man shrugged. “Who knows? Our job is just to keep it from breaking down.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20
Quotes
Disaster seems very close. Everything will be all right, they tell us, but only a few people believe them. Why, if it’s going to be all right, do we see it getting worse every day?
And of course this plan is proof that they think the world is doomed.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
