How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
After discovering the room full of boats, Lina had come home to Mrs. Murdo's with the sound of the river still in her ears. It was like a huge, powerful voice, roaring at the top of its lungs. Deep inside herself, Lina felt an answering call, as if she, too, contained a drop of the same power. (15.34)
Most citizens of Ember don't see the river since it's below the city; it's just Pipeworks folks and electricians who encounter it, since it powers the generator that lights all of Ember. So Lina is understandably blown away by the presence of the river. It speaks to something inside of her, some part of her that understands that humans are a part of nature, and are not meant to live apart from it.
Quote #5
"There is no place but Ember. Ember is the only light in the dark world." She knew now that this wasn't true. There was someplace else—the place where the boats would take them. (15.69)
Because of what she and Doon have discovered, Lina now knows that Ember is not the only point on the map. There's more to the world than just their little city. And the river is the key to getting there, so they'd better get comfortable with whitewater rafting right quick.
Quote #6
Then suddenly the current slowed even more, and the tunnel opened out […] Far overhead arched a vaulted ceiling. Columns of rock hung down from it, and columns of rock rose from the water, too, making long shadows that turned and mingled as the boat floated among them. They glimmered in the candlelight, pink and pale green and silver. (18.14)
All this time, Ember has been surrounded by natural beauty, such as caverns full of stalagmites and stalactites. But who knew? They didn't have candles or flashlights or tiki torches, so how were they supposed to find out until it was time to follow the instructions from the Builders on how to leave Ember?