The Diamond Of Darkhold

To the people of Sparks and other settlements, ancient technologies are a mystery from pre-Disaster days. Those from Ember learn that they were privy to a special ancient technology—electricity—as long as the generator worked in their underground city. Throughout the book, the legacy of technologies like lighting, transportation, appliances, and medicine impacts characters’ ideas and choices.

The effects of lighting in the novel show that this technology is the most important to post-Disaster generations. In the novel’s opening chapter, Doon sees how dangerously insufficient candlelight is when his father is injured at night. He knows that brighter, more effective lighting from electricity will help those in Sparks. In the meantime, he intuitively draws on ancient technology to craft his hand-cranked lantern, and he admires the “lightcap” Trogg creates for hands-free maneuverability in Ember’s darkness. The value of the light-giving diamonds left by the Builders is symbolized by their appearance (they look like sparkling jewels) and their association with health and well-being, as they make the salvage mission safe and successful. Most importantly, the availability of light at night increases knowledge and productivity in Sparks, as people can read, work, and move about after sunset.

The ancient technologies of transportation and appliances remain largely mysterious to many.