LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Cinder, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Bravery and Sacrifice
Power, Greed, and Evil
Stereotypes and Discrimination
Secrecy and Manipulation
Resourcefulness, Kindness, and Perseverance
Summary
Analysis
Dr. Erland tells Cinder that she’s got some of the most complex technology he’s ever seen in a cyborg. She asks if that has anything to do with her immunity, and Dr. Erland says he isn’t sure. When Cinder asks if they’ll be saving lives anytime soon, Dr. Erland says he has to analyze her blood sample and map her DNA sequencing. He also puts a hand on her neck, pinching the vertebrae where her chip is. He asks her if she feels anything unusual, and suddenly she cries out and falls off the table in agony.
Cinder continues to put her concern for others over herself, even if it means enduring horrific pain like what she experiences here. Meanwhile, this passage hints at the fact that Dr. Erland may know more than he is letting on, as he’s being vague about what he knows and probing into Cinder’s wiring without explaining why he’s doing so.