Characters / The Books of Ember

A list of characters from Jeanne DuPrau's The Books Of Ember series.

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Ember

Ember in general

Lina Mayfleet

Portrayed by: Saoirse Ronan

• Adaptational Hairstyle Change: In the books, her hair is long and goes down to her waist. The 2012 graphic novel adaptation of the first book depicts her hair as only going down to her shoulders.
• All Girls Like Ponies: The moment in The Diamond of Darkhold when Lina first sees a horse, she immediately falls in love with it. By the end of the book, she gains a horse in order to be a town messenger.
• Courier: Is given the task of being a messenger in Ember, to send messages to citizens throughout Ember, which she greatly enjoys. When she gets to Sparks, however, this job isn't required. Despite that, by Diamond of Darkhold, she becomes this once again, this time sending messages across towns.
• Innocently Insensitive: She is occasionally this at times. This is what briefly ruined her friendship with Doon.
• Little Stowaway: She becomes one with the roamer Caspar in order to see what he finds in the outside world.
• Meaningful Name: The name "Lina" means "a ray of sunlight". This reflects her bright personality.
• Poor Communication Kills: This is her Fatal Flaw. She would often go off on adventures while only leaving vague hints and notes to Mrs. Murdo. Every time she does this, this leaves Mrs. Murdo sick with fear, and always lambasts her every time they are reunited.
• Royal Blood: Her very great-grandfather was Podd Morethwart, the seventh mayor of Ember who tried to open the timed box that contained the message to the people of Ember to be given after 200 years. After he died, Lina finds it many years later after it had opened, which makes her decide to carry out the mission that her great relative was supposed to have done.

Doon Harrow

Portrayed by: Harry Treadaway

• Ambiguous Disorder: Given how often he's deadly serious, even as a child, and his high intelligence, he seems to be in the autism spectrum.
• Berserk Button: He hates it when people laugh at him. Lina made the mistake of doing this when they were young children and were playing on the playground. After he falls off the equipment trying to climb it, she laughed at the way he landed, which made him furious and start yelling at her and call off their friendship.
• Brainy Brunette: He has dark brown hair, and he is quite the reader, mechanic, and builder.
• The Comically Serious: Other characters would find it odd how he looked and acted so stoic almost all the time.
• Easily Condemned: After partly leading many citizens out of Ember and into the world, he is praised as a hero and seen as a curious figure by the citizens of Sparks. But after settling in and being accused by a little boy of throwing away precious tomatoes, almost the entire town of Sparks wholeheartedly believe him and turn hostile to Doon, treating him with contempt and directing most of their anger onto him.
• Friend to All Living Things: He is quite cordial to any living creature he comes across.
• Gadgeteer Genius: He remembers how he took apart and rebuilt plenty of appliances in his apartment room, and did the same with some gadgets in his father's mechanics shop.
• Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: Crashes into this trope. In Sparks, Torren wastes an entire supply's worth of tomatoes, and pins it all Doon. Because almost every single citizen in Sparks believe that Torren is a happy little boy and Doon seems like an angry little boy, they all believe it. Thus, they quickly ostracize Doon.

Poppy Mayfleet

Portrayed by: Amy Quinn and Catherine Quinn

• The Baby of the Bunch:
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom:

Evaleen Murdo

Portrayed by: Mary Kay Place

Lizzie Bisco

Portrayed by: Lucinda Dryzek

• All Girls Want Bad Boys: She certainly has this viewpoint. She first got quite enamored with Looper, a shady shopkeeper who hides precious supplies and lends a few of them to her. After that, she becomes infatuated with Tick, the hotheaded leader of the resistance in Sparks which are composed of other rebellious citizens of Ember. She even takes an interest in Doon, as she likes how brave and stern he is. This is finally averted when she decides to try to get to know Scawgo Trogg, or Tim Noam as he goes by now, as he settles into Sparks and is meek yet kind.
• Apathetic Clerk: Upon volunteering for her pick at a job during graduation, Lizzie picks the job of Supply Depot clerk, much to her displeasure. The clerks there were in charge of keeping track of the supplies that are supposed to be stored and used in Ember, and given how much of a Dying Town it is, their is current high demand and disappointment over materials. Lizzie was already energetic to begin with and wanted a more happy job, but this crisis only adds to her tolls. Indeed, when discussing her job with Lina about this, she complains in detail how miserable it is dealing with her boss and rude customers.
• Fiery Redhead: Downplayed. She has coppery hair, and while she has quite a vibrant personality, she can keep her cool when needed to be.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She can be stingy and rather aloof, but she can be quite amiable and engaging when needed to help others.
• Secret-Keeper: She gets coerced with her boyfriend Looper, who takes her under his wig in smuggling city supplies.
• With Friends Like These...: She is stated to be Lina's closest friend, but even then, she doesn't really care for her much.

Granny Mayfleet

Portrayed by: Liz Smith

Loris Harrow

Portrayed by: Tim Robbins

• Mellow Fellow: Doon thinks that he's "as mild as a glass of water."

Mayor Cole

Portrayed by: Bill Murray

• Adaptational Nice Guy: The film doesn't portray him as cold-mannered and hot-headed as he is in the book, even though he is still slimy.
• Adaptational Villainy: As awful as Cole is in the books, he at least takes his cronies with him while trying to escape the city, while in the film, despite his nicer demeanor, he knocks down Looper and locks him out of the vault with their stashed food despite Looper begging for shelter and reminding Cole that the mayor promised him a spot.
• Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the books, it's revealed that he drowned in the Pipeworks river. In the movie, he locks himself in the secret stash vault that he was hoarding all of his supplies in, but is killed by the giant mole from earlier.
• Fat Bastard: Mayor Cole is an enormously obese Mayor Pain who cares more about his own comfort and survival than doing anything to help his subjects prepare to survive the worsening blackouts.
• Karmic Death:
  • In the book he tries to make a quick escape out of the city through the pipeworks. But when he tries to jump on a boat, his bloated body instantly sinks the boat, and he is left to sink below the water.
  • In the movie he locks himself in the secret stash vault that he was hoarding all of his supplies in, but is killed by the giant mole from earlier.
• Mayor Pain: Is the mayor of a city that is in serious need of financial help, and he spends most of his time filching supplies.

Looper Windly

Portrayed by: Mackenzie Crook

• Evil Counterpart: Sadge and his fellow supply clerk Looper both know that the city is running out of supplies but race in different ways, although they aren't Foils due to never appearing together. Looper is stealing and hoarding to survive the blackouts, doesn't care about what happens to the rest of the city, and is helping the mayor lie to them about how bad things are. Sadge searches the dangerous Unknown Regions for resources or an escape route to save the city and then tires to warn people about how bad things are after giving up hope.
• Fat and Skinny: Scrawny Corrupt Quartermaster Looper is accompanied by a plump crony in a few scenes of the film.

Redge Stabmark

Portrayed by: B. J. Hogg

• Beard of Evil: He has a thick beard, and is the most corrupt of the guards.
• Dirty Cop: He is heavily implied to be part of a group (including the mayor) whom all scrounge up food and other necessities from the citizens.
• Karmic Death: He is believed to have gone down with the rest of the group whom were trying to sneak away from the city in the Pipeworks.
• Mook Lieutenant: He is the chief guard, and the head of a group of conspirators whom are stowing away necessities for themselves.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The surname of "Stabmark" is a clear indication that he is not to be taken lightly.
• Would Hit a Girl: He roughly handles Lina when he and another guard catch her while she's wanted.

Barton Snode

Portrayed by: Toby Jones

• Ambiguously Evil: He seems dim but dutiful, and appears to be willing to arrest the mayor after discovering his stealing, doesn't accost Lina, and and seems excited at the responsibility. The mayor is not arrested though, and given that other guards are corrupt its unclear if Snode simply failed in his duties and fell victim to You Know Too Much (either fatally or by being locked up), or if he was Evil All Along or had a Face–Heel Turn and his excitement came from the chance to do the mayor such a service or blackmail him. Since it becomes unknown what happened to him, we never find out either way (although the film portrays him as more of a crony to the mayor who does attack Lina).
• Surveillance Station Slacker: He often neglects his job of looking after the Mayor's office, such as when he is supposed to be keeping an eye on Lina while she's arrived to deliver a message for the Mayor. He even lambasts Barton for being so careless in his duty.
• Tiny-Headed Behemoth: He is noted to be a big man, with wide shoulders, brawny arms, and a thick neck. But he has a head that is small and round. The narration notes that it looked as if it didn't belong to his body.

Tick Hassler

• Bad People Abuse Animals: In a rallying speech that he directs toward the rebellious Emberites, Tick kicks a tree, which causes a baby bird to fall out of the branches. Tick is about to stomp on it to demonstrate how feeble it is, but Doon quickly prevents him from doing it.
• Chekhov's Gunman: In the previous book, there were occasional references of a strong boy pulling supply carts around Ember. In The People of Sparks, he is finally identified by name, and becomes quite the obstacle.
• Meaningful Name: His name truly notes how evil he is.
• Rebel Leader: Quickly rounds up a multitude of former citizens from Ember to challenge Sparks's treatment of them.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Tick leaves Sparks when his attempts to achieve power in a False Flag Operation are about to be exposed.

Allie Bright

Miss Thorn

Portrayed by: Lorraine Hilton

Orly Gordon

• Gender Flip: In the graphic novel, a male student receives Orly's building repair job.
• Neat Freak: When Doon comes across her apartment later (after it's been taken over by the Trogg family), he recalls how he has been here before and it's appeared looking orderly.
• The Reliable One: Lina describes Orly as a strong girl who likes hard work.

Chet Noam

Portrayed by: Matt Ayligh (as Joss)

• Adaptation Name Change: Chet is named Joss in the film.
• Gender Flip: In the graphic novel, a female student receives Chet's electrician's helper job.

Vindie Chance

• Gender Flip: In the graphic novel, a male student receives Vindie's greenhouse job.

Clary Laine

Portrayed by: Marianne Jean-Baptiste

• Ambiguously Brown: She is described as having highly tanned skin, which could be a mistaken case for dark skin. This is a clearer case in the film, which distinctly shows her as of black descent.
• Secret-Keeper: She is let in by Lina in her secret that she's discovered that the Mayor is hoarding supplies. Clary says that she can is able to keep secrets.
• The Stoic: She is mostly firm in personality, and of few words.

Captain Fleery

Portrayed by: Simon Kunz

• Benevolent Boss: Both versions of Fleery are nice, supportive, and accommodating toward their subordinates, although the book version isn't smart enough to be a Reasonable Authority Figure.
• Gender Flip: Fleery is a woman in the book and a man in the film.
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: She is part of the Believers, whom all are happy and highly convinced that soon the citizens of Ember will be saved.

Natty Prine

• Lazy Bum: When Natty tells a friend not to come over for dinner because his stove is broken, his friend calls him "old fleaface" and suggests that Natty is lying because he's too lazy to cook.

Ravenet Parsons

Dr. Felinia Tower

Portrayed by: Ann Queensbury

Lister Munk

• Innocently Insensitive:

Arbin Swinn

Portrayed by: Frankie McCafferty

• Chekhov's Gunman: Although Lina, Doon, and Poppy don't quite remember who they are, Arbin and his family are the first citizens of Ember besides the three to arrive out of the city and into the outside world.

Sadge Merrall

Portrayed by: Heathcote Williams

• Demoted to Extra: Sadge has a small but notable and dialogue-filled role in the first book, but only has brief cameos in the sequel.
• Good Counterpart: Sadge and his fellow supply clerk Looper both know that the city is running out of supplies but race in different ways, although they aren't Foils due to never appearing together. Looper is stealing and hoarding to survive the blackouts, doesn't care about what happens to the rest of the city, and is helping the mayor lie to them about how bad things are. Sadge searches the dangerous Unknown Regions for resources or an escape route to save the city and then tries to warn people about how bad things are after giving up hope.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: In the film (unlike in the book), Sadge is never seen again after his failed attempt to brave the unknown regions, and the guards drag him away to quarantine due to fear that he may have been exposed to radiation.

Nammy Prongs

Farlo Batten

Edward Pocket

• Loony Librarian: He is quite dedicated in his mission to uphold all the books in the town's library. And when he arrives in Sparks, he makes it his primary mission to uphold the crumbling literature that he comes across. And when he returns to the library in his comeback to Ember, he is highly dismayed to find out that almost his entire collection was looted.

Sul

Portrayed by: Martin Landau

• Composite Character: Sul is a composite of pipe works boss Lister Munk, Arlin Froll (who shows Doon around on his first day at work), and the unnamed old man who maintains the generator but doesn’t completely understand it.
• Senior Sleep-Cycle: Sul is an 80-year-old man who falls asleep almost every time he sits down in his work chair.

Mrs. Polster

• Stern Teacher: She was ensured in teaching her students the difference between right and wrong. She had charts on the school walls for everyone's name, with green dots towards them for each good deed and red dots for bad deeds.

The Hoover Sisters

• No Name Given: Lottie's sister is never named.
• Patriotic Fervor: Lottie Hoover is dedicated enough to the city of Ember to take its flag with her during the Citywide Evacuation.

Arlin Froll

• The Comically Serious: For a person Doon's age, she is unusually stern and direct in teaching him how the Pipeworks operates.
• Gender Flip: The person who guides Doon across the Pipeworks in the film is a man instead of a girl. Also, he has dark hair instead of white-blonde hair.

Mrs. Sample

Portrayed by: Maureen Dow

• Adaptational Job Change: Mrs. Sample is a mender in the book but appears to be a timekeeper in the film, as she keeps track of how long the blackouts last and tasks Lina with spreading the news across town.

Annisette Lafrond

• The Ghost: Anisette is mentioned when Mrs. Polster gives Lina a message for her, but she's never seen receiving the message and is never mentioned again.
• Noodle Incident: Stern Teacher Mrs. Polster sends a message to Lafrond saying that "My confidence in you has been seriously diminished since I heard about the disreputable activities in which you engaged on Thursday last." Lina has no clue what this means, though, and neither she or the reader ever find out.

Sparks

Sparks in general

Torren Crane

• Big Brother Worship: He is highly supportive of his brother Caspar, and is always eager to please him and asking to go with him whenever he visits.
• Bratty Half-Pint: Torren is a hotheaded selfish child who shows no sympathy or concern for the refugees from Ember. He even goes so far as to blame an innocent Emberite (Doon) when Torren himself destroys two crates of tomatoes. Why does he hate the Emberites so much? Because a few are staying in his room and in his house, and one of them (Lina) stowed away with his roamer brother, with whom Torren himself wanted to travel. He mellows out quite a bit by The Diamond of Darkhold, though, especially since Doon saved his life. He even joins Kenny and Lizzie in trying to stage a rescue for Lina and Doon when they go missing.
• Easily Forgiven: Even though he is partly responsible for straining the relations between the citizens of Ember and Sparks and makes Doon go through absolute hell, he still gets off with merely a slap on the wrist.
• Green-Eyed Monster: He is highly envious of the way that Lina gets along with Caspar better than he does. And when he finds out that she went off with Caspar instead of him, he goes ballistic, to which he goes to a tomato farm and ruins a whole supply of tomatoes.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Grows into this by The Diamond of Darkhold. Despite still being rather obnoxious, he cares about his family and, to a lesser extent, Lina and her family, as well as Doon, even though he hardly wants to admit it.
• Smug Snake: He is quite condescending towards Lina when teaching her about what happened to the world.
• Took a Level in Kindness: Significantly mellows out by the time of The Diamond of Darkhold, especially after Doon saves his life and the people of Ember become permanent citizens of Sparks, as he goes from a Bratty Half-Pint to a Jerk with a Heart of Gold who does care about his family and friends.

Kensington "Kenny" Parton

• Excellent Judge of Character: He is correctly able to guess that Doon is not actually the misfit who caused all the trouble with the tomatoes, and is also able to tell that Tick is a bad influence and a terrifying leader.
• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Has light blond hair, and is quite a sweetheart.

Ben Barlow

• Nice Mean And In Between: He is the Mean. While Mary and Wilmer are somewhat sympathetic, Ben is quite negative towards the Emberites, and is the one who leads the attack against them. He gets better after he almost dies in the attempt.
• Took a Level in Kindness: After getting badly injured and finding out that Doon saved his nephew, Ben admits how awful he was and wishes to make amends, and even visits Torren at his home.

Mary Waters

• Nice Mean And In Between: She is the Nice. Although she can usually be somber, she still is the one of the three who truly views the Emberites as human the whole time, and strives to make them feel wholesome.
• When She Smiles: Whenever she is happy about something, it clearly shows, as she gives a rare smile whenever this happens.

Wilmer Dent

• Nice Mean And In Between: He is the In-Between. While Mary is understanding and Ben is severe, Wilmer is usually unable to make a decision at first yet somewhat apathetic.

Dr. Hester Crane

Chugger

• Mean Boss: He is shown treating his crew harshly. This becomes more frequent towards Doon once he believes Torren's accusation that he was the one who threw those tomatoes. He keeps on his case, making accusations of his own, and insulting his intelligence.
• Pet the Dog: Right after Ben is wounded from his failed tank invasion, Chugger is among those whom look after his health.

Uri Parton

Eenette Buloware

Guy Trevanne

Aloysius Garcia

Yonwood

Yonwood in general

Nicole "Nickie" Randolph

• Chekhov's Gunman: She was the one who wrote a journal account for the evacuees of Ember to find at the foot of the exit stairway. In The Prophet of Yonwood, she is the protagonist.

Althea Tower

Grover

Brenda Beeson

Hoyt McCoy

Amanda

Crystal Randolph

Len

Otis

The Trogg Family

In general

Washton Trogg

• Abusive Parents: Only to Yorick. While he treats most of his family with respect, he constantly belittles Yorick, screaming at him whenever he talks out of turn.
• Know-Nothing Know-It-All: He acts as if he knows the concepts that he's come across, but Doon is aware that he has plenty of details off. But when he tries pointing them out to him, Washton just brushes them off, highly convinced that he knows better.

Yorick Trogg

Kanza Trogg

Minny Trogg

Maggs Trogg

Scawgo Trogg

• Handicapped Badass: He walks with a permanent limp, yet he is quite sneaky. He managed to give Doon the diamond that he hid from the family.
• Token Good Teammate: Of the whole Trogg family, he is the only whom has a steady moral compass. That is, until the Troggs themselves become accustomed to being citizens of Sparks.

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