The river that runs through the Pipeworks symbolizes Ember’s dangerous disconnect from the natural world and from the knowledge of how things work. Many people who have seen the river fear it, as its size and power are awe-inspiring and deadly—and yet, though people know that it powers the generator that runs Ember, no one truly understands how exactly this happens. The novel makes it clear that this disconnect and the fear that fuels it have dire consequences, given that the generator is in disrepair since no one knows how it transforms the river into electricity. In this sense, when Lina and Doon discover that the river is actually the way out of Ember—and in this sense, is truly life-giving—they begin to connect with the natural world and, in doing so, discover necessary information about how their world works.
The River Quotes in The City of Ember
“Can you explain to me about the generator?” he asked. “Can you tell me how it works?”
The old man just sighed. “All I know is, the river makes it go.”
“But how?”
The man shrugged. “Who knows? Our job is just to keep it from breaking down.”
The River Symbol Timeline in The City of Ember
