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
Aboard the Jenny Haniver, Tom and Hester look around and find that Miss Fang was rich with old treasure. They continue on their course toward London.
Miss Fang didn’t necessarily act like a rich person, suggesting that even after her death, she has the ability to surprise people.
Themes
Meanwhile, at Crome’s party, Crome greets Valentine. He informs Valentine of the fighting at the museum. Valentine worries about Katherine, but Crome warns him not to leave, since security teams are currently barricading the lower Tiers. Reluctantly, Valentine agrees to stay.
As the novel builds toward the climax, the perspective jumps quickly between different characters to provide a panoramic view of the events and show how all of the characters intersect.
Themes
Pomeroy show Katherine the secret wall in the Museum that leads to Cat’s Creep. Katherine suggests that Pomeroy should come with her, but Pomeroy says he has to stay behind and defend his Museum with the others.
Pomeroy is willing to fight to the death for his values, suggesting that his stern treatment of Tom at the beginning of the novel may have just been because Pomeroy cares so much about their work.
Themes
In the air, Tom sees London from the outside for the first time and realizes that it’s uglier than he expected it to be, looking just like any other town rather than the grand city he expected. He and Hester notice activity on Top Tier. Just then, a radio call from London demands their identification number. Hester remembers hearing the number for Shrike’s ship, so she gives it. Tom says he’ll drop Hester off, then circle London and pick her up in 20 minutes. Hester tells him to leave because she plans to be dead by then, but Tom insists he’s coming back.
Although Tom has already turned against London by this point, his first view of London from the outside is still significant, because it shows how much Tom has changed since the last time he was in London. Tom literally sees London from the outside soon after learning how to metaphorically “see” London from the outside (by talking to people and going to places outside the city).
Themes
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At his party, Crome gets word from an Engineer that an Anti-Tractionist ship may have landed in Top Tier. Crome says it’s a good excuse to try out the next line of Stalkers. He wants the Stalkers to bring him the intruders alive.
The party atmosphere around Crome contrasts with the extremely violent act he’s planning to commit with MEDUSA.
Themes
