The City of Ember Presentation

The City of Ember
By Jeanne DuPrau
The Big Question: What happens when the systems that keep people alive begin to fail?
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Meet the Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Jeanne DuPrau is an American author who writes speculative fiction—stories that imagine "what if?" scenarios about the future or alternate worlds. She's especially known for creating adventure stories that ask big questions about survival, community, and hope.
Other Books by DuPrau:
The People of Sparks (Book 2 in the Ember series)
The Prophet of Yonwood (Book 3)
The Diamond of Darkhold (Book 4)
The Green Glass Sea
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Genre and Setting
Science Fiction
Stories that use science and technology to imagine different worlds or futures
Dystopian Fiction
Stories about societies where something has gone terribly wrong
Underground City
Ember exists completely below ground with no natural light—only artificial electricity
The setting is crucial to understanding the story. Ember's citizens have lived underground for so long that they don't remember any other way of life. They depend entirely on technology to survive, which makes them incredibly vulnerable when that technology starts to break down.
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How the City of Ember Works
Ember functions like a giant machine, and every part must work perfectly for people to survive. The entire city depends on one massive generator that produces all the electricity. Without it, there would be no light, no heat, and no way to pump water or preserve food.
The Generator
Provides all electrical power for the entire city
Artificial Lights
Replace the sun—without them, total darkness
Job Assignments
Every citizen gets one job for life at age twelve
Controlled Supplies
Food and materials are limited and carefully managed
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The Problem with Ember
Everything in Ember is breaking down, and the problems are getting worse every day. The lights that keep the city from plunging into darkness are failing more and more often. Pipes leak and burst. Food supplies are shrinking. Equipment wears out faster than it can be repaired.
But here's what makes it even worse: the city's leaders don't tell people the truth about how serious these problems are. Most citizens have learned not to ask too many questions. They just keep living their daily lives, hoping someone else will fix things.
The blackouts are becoming more frequent, and each time the lights go out, fear spreads through the city.
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Assignment Day 
In Ember, when you turn twelve years old, your entire future is decided in a single moment. Assignment Day is a ceremony where every twelve-year-old draws a slip of paper from a bag. Whatever job is written on that paper becomes your career for the rest of your life. There are no second chances, no appeals, and no choosing what you want to do.
You might become a Messenger, running messages through the city. You could be assigned to the Pipeworks, repairing leaking pipes in dark tunnels. Or you might work in the greenhouses, growing food for the city. The job you draw determines not just what you'll do, but how you'll see and understand Ember itself.
This is where our story truly begins.
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Lina Mayfleet
Job: Messenger
Lina draws the Messenger job, which means she runs through the city delivering notes and packages. At first, she's thrilled—it's much better than working in the dark Pipeworks!
What makes Lina special:
She's naturally curious and pays attention to details others miss
She notices when things don't make sense or seem wrong
She asks questions instead of just accepting what she's told
She wants to understand how Ember really works, not just how she's told it works
Running messages all over the city gives Lina a unique view—she sees connections and problems that people who stay in one place never notice.
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Doon Harrow
Job: Pipeworks
Doon is assigned to work in the Pipeworks—the system of tunnels beneath the city where workers maintain the water pipes. He's disappointed at first, but he quickly realizes this job puts him right at the heart of Ember's problems.
What makes Doon special:
He's practical and serious about solving problems
He sees the city's physical decay up close every single day
He believes the city's leaders need to be warned about how bad things really are
He's willing to take action instead of just hoping things get better
Working underground in the Pipeworks, Doon witnesses leaks, cracks, and failing equipment that most citizens never see. He understands that Ember is falling apart from the inside.
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Two Jobs, Two Views of the Same City
Lina's Perspective
Communication failures, surface problems, blocked routes and visible decay.
Doon's Perspective
Infrastructure collapse below, underground decay, rotten supports and tunnels.
The Complete Truth
Ember is dying, and time is running out.
This is one of the most important ideas in the book: Lina and Doon each see only part of the problem because of where their jobs take them. Lina, running messages above ground, notices communication failures, confusion among citizens, and strange behavior from leaders. Doon, working in the tunnels below, sees crumbling infrastructure, dangerous leaks, and the failing generator.
Neither of them would understand the full situation alone. But together, their different knowledge combines to reveal the complete truth: Ember is dying, and time is running out.
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The Blackouts 
The blackouts are terrifying. Without warning, all the lights in Ember suddenly go out. The city plunges into complete, total darkness—the kind of darkness you can't even imagine unless you've been deep underground with no light source at all.
During blackouts, people freeze where they are. They can't see their hands in front of their faces. Children cry. Adults whisper nervously. Everyone waits, hoping desperately that the lights will come back on.
Usually, the lights do return after a few minutes. But each time it happens, the fear lasts a little longer. People start to wonder: What if one day the lights don't come back on at all?
The blackouts show just how fragile Ember has become. The entire city depends on technology that's failing more and more often.
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Discovery of the Metal Box
One day, while cleaning out her grandmother's closet, Lina discovers an old metal box hidden behind some clothes. The box is scratched and dented, clearly very old. It has a lock, but the lock is broken—someone forced it open years ago.
Lina's grandmother doesn't remember what the box is or where it came from. Her memory is fading, and she can't explain why this box was so carefully hidden away. But even though the box is damaged and old, it's obvious that it once held something very important.
This discovery will change everything.
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The Torn Instructions 
Inside the metal box, Lina finds pages and pages of text—but many of them are torn, chewed by Lina's baby sister, or simply missing. The words that remain are mysterious and confusing. There are references to "pipeworks," "door," "small steel pan," and "downstream."
The document appears to be a set of instructions, written in a formal, official style. It's clearly meant to be followed carefully, step by step. But with so many pieces missing, it's almost impossible to understand what these instructions are actually describing.
One thing is certain: these instructions were written by someone who knew Ember's secrets. They were meant to be opened at a specific time and shared with the city's people. But somehow, that never happened.
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What the Instructions Suggest
Ember Was Not Meant to Last Forever
The existence of these instructions proves that whoever built Ember knew the city would eventually need to be abandoned. It was always temporary.
There Was a Planned Way Out
Someone designed a specific route or method for the citizens to leave Ember when the time came. It wasn't left to chance.
Knowledge Has Been Lost Over Time
These instructions should have been passed from one leader to the next, but somewhere along the way, that chain was broken. Critical information disappeared.
For Lina and Doon, this realization is both exciting and frightening. If there's a way out of Ember, they need to find it fast—before the city's systems fail completely.
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Keeping the Secret
Lina shows the instructions to Doon, and together they face a difficult choice: Should they tell the city's leaders about what they've found?
The problem is trust. The Mayor has been hoarding supplies while citizens go without. Other officials seem more interested in keeping people calm than solving real problems. If Lina and Doon bring the instructions to the leaders, what if those leaders hide the information or claim it for themselves?
After careful debate, they make a decision: They will investigate on their own first, piecing together the instructions and figuring out where they lead. Only when they're certain will they share what they've learned.
This decision puts enormous responsibility on two twelve-year-old kids.
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Mayor Cole: Failed Leadership 
Mayor Cole is supposed to lead Ember and protect its citizens, but he does the opposite. While people in the city worry about food shortages, Mayor Cole has been secretly stealing supplies from the city's storerooms. He takes more than his share of canned goods, light bulbs, and other precious resources.
He's not leading—he's just taking care of himself. He ignores the blackouts, the failing generator, and the growing fear among citizens. Instead of facing problems honestly, he makes speeches telling people everything is fine.
Mayor Cole represents what happens when leaders put their own comfort above the safety of the people they're supposed to serve.
Signs of Corruption
Hoarding food and supplies
Ignoring infrastructure problems
Refusing to admit the truth
Making excuses instead of plans
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The Storerooms 
Lina accidentally discovers the truth about the city's storerooms when she delivers a message to a city official. She gets a glimpse of massive rooms filled with supplies—food, equipment, and materials that citizens desperately need but are told don't exist.
The shock is overwhelming. While families in Ember struggle to find enough food, while children go without proper clothing, the city's leaders have been hiding huge amounts of supplies. It's not that Ember has run out of resources—it's that those resources have been kept secret and hoarded by the people in power.
This discovery confirms what Lina and Doon already suspected: they can't trust the city's leadership. If they're going to save Ember's people, they'll have to do it themselves.
The imbalance is clear—leaders live comfortably while citizens suffer.
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Systems Breaking Down Faster 
60%
Power Failures
Blackouts now happen multiple times per day
75%
Equipment Breakdowns
Most repair parts are no longer available
85%
System Neglect
Critical repairs are delayed or completely ignored
As Lina and Doon work to decode the instructions, Ember's condition worsens dramatically. The time between blackouts gets shorter. Pipes burst more frequently. Food runs lower. The sense of urgency becomes impossible to ignore.
It's like watching a countdown clock tick toward zero. Every day that passes without answers brings Ember closer to total collapse. The pressure on Lina and Doon becomes almost unbearable—they're racing against time itself.
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Searching Restricted Areas 
Following clues from the instructions, Lina and Doon must explore parts of Ember that citizens aren't supposed to enter. They sneak into the Pipeworks after hours. They search abandoned buildings. They investigate locked doors and forgotten tunnels.
These aren't just adventures—they're serious risks. If they're caught, they could be arrested or punished. But more importantly, they're taking on a responsibility that should belong to adults. The fact that two twelve-year-olds are the ones trying to save the city shows just how completely Ember's leadership has failed.
Sometimes, when adults won't act, children must step forward—even when it's dangerous.
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Instructions Become Clearer
Partial Clues
Connect Patterns
Interpret Gaps
Complete Picture
Piece by piece, Lina and Doon reconstruct the meaning of the torn instructions. They figure out that certain words refer to specific locations in the Pipeworks. They realize that timing is crucial—certain steps must happen in a particular order. They interpret references that seemed mysterious at first.
It's like solving a complex puzzle where you have to guess what the missing pieces look like based on the shape of the spaces they left behind. Sometimes they guess wrong and have to start over. But gradually, pattern by pattern, the full plan becomes visible.
The instructions describe a route—a path that leads away from Ember to somewhere else. Somewhere beyond the darkness.
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The Exit Mechanism
The instructions lead Lina and Doon to a mechanical system built into the deepest part of the Pipeworks. It's a door—a massive, heavy door with complex locks and gears. The mechanism was designed to be opened following very specific steps, probably to prevent anyone from leaving Ember before the right time.
The problem is that this mechanism hasn't been used or maintained in generations. It's covered in rust and grime. Some parts have seized up from lack of use. But it's still there, still functional enough to work if someone knows what to do.
This discovery confirms everything: Ember was built with an exit. The city was always meant to be temporary. The way out has been here all along—just forgotten.
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The Underground River
Beyond the door, Lina and Doon discover something they've never seen before: an underground river, flowing through natural caves. In a city where everything is artificial—where every drop of water comes from pipes and every bit of light from electric bulbs—this natural river is shocking.
The river represents something Ember's citizens have never experienced: nature. Real, uncontrolled, natural elements that exist without human engineering. The water flows on its own, following its own path.
According to the instructions, this river is the way out. It flows downstream, away from Ember, toward... somewhere else. Somewhere the instructions call "the exit."
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Final Message to the People
Now that Lina and Doon have discovered the truth, they face their most important decision: How do they share this knowledge with everyone in Ember?
They write out a detailed explanation of what they've found—how to operate the door mechanism, how to follow the river, how to use the boats they've discovered for the journey. They make the instructions as clear as possible so that anyone can understand them.
But they also know a difficult truth: not everyone will believe them. Some people will be too scared to leave the only home they've ever known. Others will think it's a trick or a lie.
Still, they have to try. Knowledge must be shared, even when you can't force people to accept it. They plan to post the instructions in a public place where everyone can see them.
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Darkness in Ember
Just as Lina and Doon are preparing to share their discovery, the worst happens: the generator fails completely. Not a temporary blackout this time—a total, permanent failure. All the lights in Ember go out at once, and they don't come back on.
The city plunges into absolute darkness. People stumble through the streets, calling out for family members. Fear spreads like wildfire. Without light, Ember cannot function. Without the generator, there's no way to pump water, preserve food, or maintain any of the systems that keep people alive.
The moment everyone feared has finally arrived. Staying in Ember is no longer an option—it's impossible.
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Lina and Doon's Choice 
They Leave First
They use the exit to escape Ember, following the river downstream
Not Abandoning Others
They leave a detailed message showing others exactly how to follow
Acting as Guides
Their job is to discover the truth and share it—not to force people to follow
When Lina and Doon leave Ember, they're not running away—they're showing the way. They're proving that the exit is real, that the journey can be survived, and that there's hope beyond the darkness.
This is an act of courage, not selfishness. They're taking the first risk so that others don't have to wonder if the route is safe. They're testing the unknown so that families with small children will know what to expect.
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The World Outside 
When Lina and Doon emerge from the underground river, they see something that takes their breath away: natural light. Not the artificial yellow glow of electric bulbs, but real sunlight streaming down from a real sky.
They see open space—rolling hills, trees, grass, and a horizon that seems to stretch forever. They feel wind on their faces. They hear birds singing. They breathe fresh air that doesn't taste like stone and metal.
For their entire lives, Lina and Doon believed that Ember was the whole world. They thought the darkness beyond the city was all that existed. But now they understand: there's a whole world up here, full of light and life and possibilities they never imagined.
Ember wasn't the world. It was just a shelter—temporary protection while the world outside recovered from whatever disaster sent people underground in the first place.
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Beginning vs. Ending: A Study in Contrasts
The Beginning
Darkness: Artificial light surrounded by darkness
Control: Every aspect of life is regulated
Ignorance: Citizens don't know Ember's true purpose
Acceptance: People rarely question their leaders
Hopelessness: The future looks increasingly bleak
The Ending
Light: Natural sunlight fills the sky
Openness: Unlimited space and freedom
Knowledge: Understanding Ember's temporary nature
Action: Taking responsibility for survival
Hope: A new world offers new possibilities
Notice how the physical setting mirrors the characters' understanding. As Lina and Doon move from darkness to light, they also move from confusion to clarity, from fear to hope, from passivity to action.
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Character Choices Lead to Consequences 
One of the most important lessons in The City of Ember is that choices have real consequences. The adults in Ember—especially the leaders—chose to ignore warning signs, hide problems, and avoid difficult truths. Those choices led directly to the city's collapse.
But Lina and Doon made different choices. They chose to investigate instead of ignore. They chose to act instead of wait. They chose to take risks instead of stay safe. And their choices created the possibility of survival for everyone.
The book shows us that even when you're young, your choices matter. Sometimes they matter more than the choices of people who are supposed to be in charge.
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Major Themes in The City of Ember
Knowledge Must Be Preserved
Critical information was lost when the instructions were hidden and forgotten. When knowledge isn't passed down carefully, entire communities can suffer.
Systems Fail When People Stop Questioning
For generations, Ember's citizens accepted what they were told without asking hard questions. This acceptance allowed corruption and decay to spread unchecked.
Responsibility Can Fall on Unexpected People
Sometimes the people who are supposed to lead fail completely. When that happens, leadership can emerge from unexpected places—even from twelve-year-old kids.
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Point of View: How We Learn the Story
The City of Ember is told from a third-person limited point of view, which means we see events through Lina's eyes and experience her thoughts and feelings. We learn information when she learns it, and we're confused when she's confused.
This narrative choice is powerful because it makes us feel Lina's growing understanding. At the beginning of the book, we know only what she knows about Ember—which isn't much. As she discovers clues and pieces together the truth, we discover it alongside her.
Why this matters: By limiting our perspective to Lina's, the author creates genuine mystery and suspense. We can't skip ahead to know the answers—we have to earn understanding through Lina's investigation, just as she does.
Reader Experience
We experience:
Confusion during blackouts
Excitement at discoveries
Fear when leaders fail
Hope when truth emerges
All through Lina's perspective
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Final Reflection: Questions to Consider
As we finish our study of The City of Ember, let's think deeply about some questions the book raises—questions that don't have simple answers.
Why was Ember built underground in the first place?
The book hints at a disaster that made the surface world unsafe. What kind of disaster could drive people underground for generations?
What caused Ember's failure?
Was it just aging technology, or did human choices—corruption, secrecy, and complacency—accelerate the collapse?
What does the story suggest about preparing for the future?
How do we balance planning ahead with trusting future generations to make their own decisions?
Think about it: Could something like Ember happen in our world? What systems do we depend on that we take for granted? What knowledge do we need to preserve for future generations?
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