104 pages • 3 hours read
Marissa MeyerCinder
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 13-16Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 13 Summary
Dr. Erland’s excitement about Cinder and the technology present throughout her body persists. Looking at her holograph, which shows the intricate details of her body structure, Erland points out the impeccable and innovative technology that makes Cinder special. He adds to the conversation that she lacks tear ducts. Cinder responds, “What? Really? And I thought I was just emotionally withdrawn” (117).
Cinder’s focus turns to the knowledge that more synthetic components exist in her body than she previously realized. Dr. Erland continues with his explanation of the astonishing nature of her synthetic structures and wiring, until Cinder asks questions about her immunity, the length of time she remains contagious, and the possibility of exposing Peony to plague.
Question after question, Cinder attempts to understand how being cyborg might affect her immunity. Dr. Erland responds with “I do have a theory or two” (119), assuring that he will share the information with her and others once he solidifies his findings. Erland’s search for answers leads to a small test: pressing an area on her neck, along the spine, and “right over a central cluster of nerves” (118). Cinder feels a surge of fiery pain.
Chapter 14 Summary
Cinder awakens from the painful test to Dr. Erland and a concerned Prince Kai. Self-conscious that Kai may see she is a cyborg, Cinder tugs her pant legs down and closes her eyes to avoid possible exposure of her retina display. Also on her mind is the confusion of feeling warm; as a cyborg, her embedded technology restricts high body temperature.
While Cinder contemplates her confusion, Prince Kai assists her upright, questioning the cause of her fall. Hiding the truth, Dr. Erland says that a chiropractic adjustment and her exaggerated response caused the fall. He continues to lie, this time in response to Prince Kai’s question about the reason for Cinder’s visit to the palace. Dr. Erland says Cinder was summoned to fix a med-droid.
Kai next asks about the status of his android, Nainsi, and Cinder’s response that the android remains broken. Cinder finds herself enjoying his smile and fearful that he may see the holograph of her behind him, realize she is a cyborg, and reject her. Prince Kai eventually spies the holograph, though he is unaware that it’s Cinder, due to Dr. Erland concealing the connection. When Cinder sees Kai’s reaction to what and who she, she “squeezed her fists together, nerves twisting in the base of her stomach, as Kai recoiled from the image” (126).
Chapter 15 Summary
Walking out of the palace, Cinder gazes at the city, which in this moment is beautiful and quiet. Thoughts of returning home and her multiple domestic responsibilities bombard her. Cinder now dreads home even more knowing Adri volunteered her for the cyborg draft: “Adri had mad it quite clear that she saw Cinder as worthless, a burden” (130).
The surprising return of Cinder puzzles both Adri and Pearl. Adri questions the legitimacy of Cinder’s claim that she “wasn’t what they wanted” (131-32), saying that Cinder “cannot be that useless!” (134). The two argue; Adri insists that if Cinder lives at her residence, then she must follow Adri’s rules.
Cinder no longer wishes to follow Adri’s rules and begins a plan for escape. A relieved and excited Iko follows Cinder to her workshop in the basement, hearing about the details of Cinder’s time as part of the research for a letumosis cure. Learning that Cinder was paid for being a research subject, Iko says that Cinder can buy a dress for the ball. Cinder, however, plans to use the money to fix up the gasoline-powered car for her and Iko’s escape.
Chapter 16 Summary
Prince Kai rushes to the visiting room that overlooks the room where his father is quarantined. Torin, his father’s advisor, tells Kai that his father has died. Torin states the need for a press conference, in order to communicate the news of the emperor’s passing.
Prince Kai mourns not only his father’s death but what he loses by taking the position of emperor at a young age: “His youth. His freedom” (139). He also doubts his ability to take on the role of emperor, despite Torin’s assurance: “He was too young, too stupid, too optimistic, too naive. He couldn’t do this” (139).
Immediately following the emperor’s death, Prince Kai receives a communication from Queen Levana, the ruler of Luna. The timing makes Kai wonder about the possibility of Lunar spies, a concern Torin rejects. She offers condolences of the emperor’s passing and a hope to discuss an alliance between Luna and the Eastern Commonwealth. Queen Levana says she will travel to New Beijing the following day to discuss the alliance in person. Although an unwelcome visit, rejecting Queen Levana’s plan is risky due to her ongoing threat of war, a threat that makes her disliked by Kai and the citizens of the Eastern Commonwealth.
Chapters 13-16 Analysis
Deception continues as a theme in these chapters, represented here by Dr. Erland’s treatment of Cinder, albeit with greater free will and rights for Cinder. Dr. Erland continues to veil his knowledge and theories, asking questions of Cinder but providing no helpful information about why she is immune to the plague. In his search for answers, and without full disclosure to Cinder, Dr. Erland performs an experiment that leads to great physical pain for Cinder.
Secrets and lies permeate the story—some more benign in intent and nature, some more destructive. In response to Cinder’s collapse from pain, Dr. Erland shrugs it off, while Prince Kai offers support. Cinder’s lie about what she is—a cyborg—remains a secret from Prince Kai, maintained by a false story from Dr. Erland. Cinder wonders, “What reason did he have to keep secrets from the Crown Prince, especially when he could be nearing a breakthrough on plague research? Didn’t Kai deserve to know about it? Didn’t everyone?” (125).
The questions about Dr. Erland’s deceptive behavior toward the prince can also apply to Cinder’s deception toward Prince Kai. Cinder, like other characters in the novel, lies out of fear: she’s worried about Prince Kai’s response to knowing she’s cyborg. In doing so, Cinder applies society’s general dislike of cyborgs to how she assumes Prince Kai will react towards her.
Cinder now lives in two worlds. In her world as a research participant, she is both valued and wanted. In her world with Adri and Pearl, she is treated like a second-class citizen. Upon her return home, Adri says, “They can’t send you back!” (132). Now, with a feeling of empowerment and the financial means to do so, Cinder plans to escape her life for a better one. As Cinder’s sense of empowerment surges, Prince Kai’s erodes. This culminates with the passing of his father. His circumstances and role thrust him from a world of youth into adulthood, and the pressures associated with being the emperor of New Beijing.
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