Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Mortal Engines, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Social Class
Sacrifice
Dangers of Technology
The Importance of History
Prejudice and First Impressions
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
Shrike walks through the marshes, admiring the wave of destruction Hester has left behind her. Meanwhile, Peavey’s raft lands on Black Island, and Peavey watches Anti-Tractionists raid his suburb. Hester tells Tom they should try to sneak away to Airhaven to see if Miss Fang can help them. Hester knew all along that Miss Fang was a spy, but she trusted her anyway.
This passage hints at an impending confrontation between Shrike and Tom and Hester, leaving open the question of whether Shrike’s past sympathy for Hester will cause him to show mercy on her now.
Themes
Peavey leads the group up a slope overlooking Airhaven. Tom senses that Peavey is frightened about trying to attack Airhaven with so few resources but doesn’t want to show it. Before they can attack, however, Airhaven begins filling its gasbags, meaning it’s preparing to fly away. Peavey rushes to catch the town in vain, getting stuck in the mud. Another pirate named Mungo shoots Peavey and kills him. Mungo says it’s Tom and Hester’s fault that they didn’t make it to Airhaven in time.
Peavey dies suddenly, illustrating the consequences of living a violent lifestyle like his. Without Peavey’s protection, Tom and Hester suddenly find themselves in a precarious position, surrounded by pirates who outnumber them, and with Shrike closing in, too.
Themes
