How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"And the Builders will come again and show us the way."
[…]
"How do you know?"
Captain Fleery straightened up and clapped a hand over her heart. "I know it here," she said. "And I have seen it in a dream. So have all of us, all the Believers." (7.32-36)
Spoiler alert: the Builders don't come back to save the people of Ember. So while Captain Fleery is optimistic and hopeful (which is generally a good thing), the thing she sees in her dreams is an illusion—not the truth. Which raises a good question: how are we supposed to know the difference between true dreams and false dreams? And when does it matter whether your dreams and hopes are one vs. the other?
Quote #8
Lina saw that Clary was no better at deciphering the puzzle than she was. She sighed and sat down on the end of her bed. "It's hopeless," she said. Clary straightened up quickly. "Don't say that. This torn-up piece of paper is the most hopeful thing I've ever seen." (13.27-28)
Lina has been pretty hopeful throughout the book, so if even she's giving up on something and declaring it hopeless, that's a bad sign. Luckily Clary is there to reinforce Lina's belief that the mysterious message is in fact important.
Quote #9
"Really," he said, "this is a perfect idea. We can get away from the guards and leave our message behind us. And we can be the first ones to arrive in the new city! We should be the first, because we discovered the way." (15.78)
Doon's plan to escape Ember and leave behind instructions for the rest of the citizens isn't necessarily a bad one… except that it, like the plan of the Builders, leaves a lot to chance. What if the kids get captured before they can deliver their message, or what if the message gets lost? Doon's a smart kid, but it seems like he'd benefit from an understanding of just how many variables there are in human behavior.