This week, we come to the end of The City of Ember. We read from Chapter 15: A Desperate Run to the end of the book!
1. The City of Ember is filled with symbols! Consider one symbol that seems incredibly important to the story. Maybe you'll choose to look at the Moth? The bean sprouts? The letter? The pineapple? Choose one and try to write long about it. What does it mean? Does it mean the same thing each time it appears? Why do you think Jeanne DuPrau chose to include this symbol in the book?
2. The three songs the citizens of Ember sing in Chapter 16: The Singing are all quite different from each other. Think about The Song of the City, The Song of the River and the Song of Darkness. Why do you think the citizens sing the three different song? What might each song symbolize? Do you think the order of the songs is important?
3. The ending of The City of Ember just filled me with wonder. What are you wondering about at the end of the book? Why? Do you think the ending is hopeful? Why do you think Jeanne DuPrau would have chosen to end her book at this point!
4. Think deeply about the theory you've been following over the book. How has your theory changed? How has your theory helped you understand the book more deeply?
If you enjoyed The City of Ember, be sure to check out the other books in the Ember series. You can find information about all the books here.
If you have a question for Jeanne DuPrau after reading the book, you can EMAIL HER! This page has her contact information. She said she will try to get back to everyone, but it might take her a while. If you email her and get a response, post it here so that we can all read it!
DID YOU KNOW The City of Ember was made into a MOVIE? Watch the trailer! Perhaps we can watch the movie together in the fall?
REMEMBER to check back often! Read other responses. Ask other readers questions! Answer questions that are asked. The more you visit and comment, the more interesting our conversation will be!
Next week, we begin The Sisters' Grimm! Be prepared for more fairy tale allusions than you've ever encountered before!
I don't know what time it is in the USA because of the time change, and I'll post more later, but I think that the ending of the city of ember is really suprising, and it's kind of odd to think they didn't know what a candle is, or even a paddle. It really makes me think how much we take for granted, since they were running out of so much.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to the first question, I think that letter symbolizes hope, a new beginning because the letter can help the people of Ember get out of Ember to start a new life of people.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to the second question, the song Of Darkess symbolizes faith for the people of Ember, and it tells the city it can survive.
In answer to the third question, the reason why the author made that ending is putting a question and hope mark on the end of the book, because not all the people could have made it out of Ember. So who will make it? And it shows the people have a chance to restart their city in the new place called "The People of Sparks."
I also agree with Leela that it's odd for us to read a book where they don't know what a sun is!
From, Eric
I find the ending of this book to be very nice. However,the author leaves many questions unanswered. What catastrophe (would have) made the world end? Where does the river come from? Does the mayor get arrested? Who, what, when, how, where?
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I've thought about my questions a little, and found reasonable answers. The river must come from a different city, like ember, that was built for the catastrophe. What the catastrophe was, stumps me, or why it was so bad that people had to flee above grounds. I think the mayor won't get arrested, ergo, Lina and Doon's welcome to the new world won't be accepted as well as they could have hoped.
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I think that in the city of ember the singing is a big symbol, because its an hour of so when all the people of ember can come together and put aside any worry, or fights they had. They are also reminded that- everyone has the same worries you do, and in a time of darkness they will be there to help you out, and you'll be there for them.
ReplyDeleteAs for the songs they sing in the singing, I think the song of the city is a song of hope, but to a further extent, a song of longing, because it could give the people hope, but if you know that things are never going to be the same, then it just reminds you of Embers old glory.
I think the song of the river is a song of realization, because the way Lina describes it, it was a song of the dark times, that sticks with you until you realize that you might as well face it- you live in a dying city- and have to decide what to do with the new knowledge.
To me, the song of darkness is a song of truth. To say- rejoice whats probable the last moments of light.
I think that the ending of the city of ember is hopeful, because someone finds the note, and its someone you know you can trust.
I was wondering- If Lina and Doon tell everyone the mayors been staeling from them after everyone comes, the people of ember might think they want to overthrow the mayor so they, or, one of them, can become mayor, no matter how young they are.
I've started the second book, but the has left a huge part out: The walk of the people of ember from ember to the new world. I bet the author could've written books about that journey, added more characters to the story, and made the second book more complex with different perspectives of the story. Still, the book definitely gets a five star rating.
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