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
People in London excitedly gather at observation decks, hoping to be the first to see the Shield-Wall. Meanwhile, in the Museum, Katherine tells Pod about the impending MEDUSA attack. She disowns Valentine and says he won’t help them. Pod suggests that if they really want to destroy MEDUSA, they’ll need something big, like a bomb. Pod thinks maybe they could put something together with materials from the Museum. Meanwhile, the Historian bully Herbert Melliphant, who is still loyal to Crome, listens in on their conversation.
Katherine’s willingness to turn against her father—even using a bomb to stop MEDUSA—shows how far she’s come in such a short period of time. Katherine and Pod’s use of a bomb resembles Miss Fang’s tactics, suggesting perhaps that Miss Fang’s actions were justified or perhaps simply that desperate times sometimes call for morally gray actions. Melliphant (whose name sounds like “elephant”) lives up to his name by using his big ears to eavesdrop on a conversation.
Themes
Valentine can’t find Katherine, so he asks around and finds out that she’s been spending a lot of time at the Museum. He decides maybe it’s better to just leave her there where she’ll be safe for the moment. He regrets giving MEDUSA to Crome. Meanwhile, at his dinner, Crome greets Melliphant, who has just come into his office.
The more Valentine thinks about his past actions, the more he regrets them, but with MEDUSA already in Crome’s hands, there’s not much Valentine can do. Meanwhile, Melliphant lives up to his reputation as a bully, showing how people who are cruel in small ways might be capable of even bigger cruelties.
Themes
