Ariston, Ernie Clement N.

11 - Fermat
Calza, Felise Jane B.

Lina and Doon’s Determination and the Risks Attached to It

A ‘City of Ember’ Movie Review

“Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.” Herodotus once said. But how
far are you willing to risk to reach your goal?

Derived from Jeanne DuPrau’s first book on her City of Ember quartet, the ‘City
of Ember’ was released on 2008 with the direction of Gil Kenan. The science fiction
adventure film depicts a post-apocalyptic story that takes place in an underground city
built by its builders to give a future for mankind and to sustain the Emberites for
generations to come. Problem starts when the generator, their only source of power,
starts to wear out. The author reveals how Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow’s forward
thinking and determination lead them to find a way out of the city but risk disobeying
laws, endangering their loved ones, and forget about the other Emberites in doing so.

Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet are both curious about the unusually frequent
generator failures and do have a feeling that something wrong is happening. When they
found out about the box that contains builders' instructions, they both, without second
thought, are willing to go through obstacles just to save the people from the dying city of
ember. Curiosity is considered to be a dangerous quality, and the citizenry is expected
to be unquestioning and law-abiding “for the good of all.” Both are determined on saving
Emberites even if in line with this, they can be in risk for going against the government
of Ember.

Ember is a strictly ordered city. Life there pursues an anticipated pattern. The
Book of the City of Ember outlines the code of behaviour that the administration
anticipates Emberites should follow. It incorporates an exhortation to be contented with
“enough," which is “all that a person of wisdom needs.” The government of Ember
presents itself as the ultimate authority and emphasizes that the public “must have faith
and that all is being done for their own good”. Doon and Lina pursued what they think
will be the best for the Emberites even if it means being against the rules and risking
their safety from the hands of the government. They went against the commands of the
authority and broke the major laws in order to uncover the truth that they believe will
save the people of Ember.

Following what they think will be better for all also equates to endangering their
loved ones. Clary Laine, a friend of Lina and a worker at the greenhouse, was subjected
to danger when Lina hid there after finding out the truth about the mayor. Loris Harrow,
Doon's father, was harassed by the mayor's people while trying to hide his son from
them. Sul, Doon's mentor at the pipe works, risked his own life and chose to hold the
gear to keep the paddle wheel running and for Doon, Lina, and Poppy to finally get out
of Ember. They also tend to forget that other Emberites could be put into danger too.
While following the builders’ instructions, the city faced series of disastrous events
including major blackouts and the water overflow at the city plaza. In order for them to
succeed in finding light outside darkness, circumstances of pretending to be blind of the
risks is inevitable.

Lina and Doon really took the big leap of faith when they decided to continue the
unfulfilled plans of their parents. They head to a goal without any idea of what is the
entirety of it. They chose to take the risks and let their curiosity find its way to its own
enlightenment. The entire essence of life demands people to challenge themselves and
push themselves off the edge just to see if they can fly. When one dives into a situation
where the end point or the result is unknown and cannot even be anticipated based on
the current circumstances, it means they are taking a risk. These are not hard core
decisions but mere choices that individuals have to take because they pose a better
likelihood in the future. Sometimes, reaching a goal does not solely depend on your
determination in doing so. Achieving a dream might make you sacrifice other great
things; it just depends on you to which outweigh which. Nonetheless, the entire
questions falls on one question; “Are you willing to take the risk?”