Cinder

by

Marissa Meyer

Glamour/The “Gift” Term Analysis

Glamour (also known as the “gift”) is the Lunar ability to manipulate other people’s bioelectricity. This allows Lunars to telepathically control others’ thoughts and actions. However, glamour does not work over screens or through mirrors, which is why Lunars like Queen Levana hate mirrors. Lunars without this gift are called shells.

Glamour/The “Gift” Quotes in Cinder

The Cinder quotes below are all either spoken by Glamour/The “Gift” or refer to Glamour/The “Gift”. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Bravery and Sacrifice Theme Icon
).
Chapter 19 Quotes

“It is why Queen Levana is so striking to look at. Some talented Lunars, such as the queen, keep their glamour up all the time. But just as she cannot trick the netscreens, neither can she trick a mirror.”

“So they don’t like mirrors because they don’t want to see themselves?”

“Vanity is a factor but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”

Related Characters: Cinder/Princess Selene (speaker), Dr. Erland (speaker), Prince Kai, Queen Levana, Sybil Mira
Related Symbols: Mirrors
Page Number: 172
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

She was indeed beautiful, as if someone had taken the scientific measurements of perfection and used them to mold a single ideal specimen. Her face was slightly heart-shaped, with high cheekbones barely flushed. Auburn hair fell in silken ringlets to her waist and her unblemished ivory skin shimmered like mother-of-pearl in the sunshine. Her lips were red red red, looking like she’d just drunk a pint of blood.

A chill shook Kai from the inside out. She was unnatural.

Related Characters: Cinder/Princess Selene, Prince Kai, Queen Levana
Page Number: 183
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

Squinting, she jutted a finger at the doctor. “You did use your mind control on me. When we met. You…you brainwashed me, just like the queen. You made me trust you.”

“Be fair. You were attacking me with a wrench.”

Her anger wavered.

Dr. Erland opened his palms to her, “I assure you, Miss Linh, in the twelve years that I have been on Earth, I have not abused the gift once, and I am paying the price for that decision every day. My mental stability, my psychological health, my very senses are failing me because l refuse to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of those around me. Not all Lunars can be trusted—I know that as well as anyone—but you can trust me.”

Related Characters: Cinder/Princess Selene (speaker), Dr. Erland (speaker), Prince Kai, Queen Levana
Page Number: 241-242
Explanation and Analysis:

“Because she was a shell.” He picked his hat off the desk and analyzed it while he spoke, his fingers tracing the herringbone pattern. “I’d agreed with the laws in the past, thought the shells were dangerous. That our society would fall apart if they were allowed to live. But not my little girl.” An ironic smile twisted up his lips. “After she was born, I wanted to run away, to bring her to Earth, but my wife was even more devoted to Her Majesty than I had been. She wanted nothing to do with the child. And so my little Crescent Moon was taken away, like all the others. He stuffed the hat back onto his head and squinted up at Cinder. “She would be about your age now.”

Related Characters: Dr. Erland (speaker), Cinder/Princess Selene, Queen Levana
Page Number: 245
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 36 Quotes

“Was it all an illusion?” he asked.

Pain lanced through her chest, squeezing the air out of her. “Kai?”

“Was it all in my head? A Lunar trick?”

Her stomach twisted. “No.” She shook her head, fervently. How to explain that she hadn’t had the gift before? That she couldn’t have used it against him? “I would never lie—”

The words faded. She had lied. Everything he knew about her had been a lie.

Related Characters: Cinder/Princess Selene (speaker), Prince Kai (speaker)
Related Symbols: Cinder’s Mechanical Foot
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 38 Quotes

If she didn’t try to stop Levana, what would happen to Kai? Though she tried to block out the question, it continued to plague her, echoing in her thoughts.
Maybe Dr. Erland was right. Maybe she had to run. Maybe she had to try.

She felt for the prosthetic limbs in her lap and wrapped her hands around them. Lifting her head, she looked up at the grate in the prison door. The guard had never closed it.

A tingle passed down her spine. A strange new electricity was thrumming beneath her skin, telling her she wasn’t just a cyborg anymore. She was Lunar now. She could make people see things that weren’t there. Feel things they shouldn’t feel. Do things they didn’t mean to do.

Related Characters: Cinder/Princess Selene, Prince Kai, Queen Levana, Dr. Erland
Page Number: 386
Explanation and Analysis:
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Glamour/The “Gift” Term Timeline in Cinder

The timeline below shows where the term Glamour/The “Gift” appears in Cinder. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 16
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
The screen shows only Queen Levana’s outline, as her “glamour”—the ability to manipulate people’s brainwaves and see her as divinely beautiful—doesn’t translate over the netscreens.... (full context)
Chapter 19
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
Cinder also asks Dr. Erland about the Lunars’ glamour. He explains that it’s the ability to manipulate bioelectric energy, and glamour is an illusion... (full context)
Chapter 20
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
...palms, he is able to shake off this feeling. Torin commends Kai on resisting Levana’s glamour, but he notes that it will only get harder. (full context)
Chapter 22
Stereotypes and Discrimination Theme Icon
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
...crowd departs in a daze. Cinder thinks that she is not entirely immune to the glamour, the way that shells are supposed to be—and worse, the Queen saw her. (full context)
Chapter 24
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
Cinder crouches against the palace wall, confused as to why Levana’s glamour affected her the same as everyone else. She wonders if Dr. Erland lied to her... (full context)
Chapter 25
Stereotypes and Discrimination Theme Icon
...Queen already saw her. Hearing this, Dr. Erland grows concerned. Cinder then asks why Levana’s glamour worked on her in the courtyard, accusing him of lying. He assures her that she... (full context)
Secrecy and Manipulation Theme Icon
...causes her to pass out. Dr. Erland explains that putting a biological lock on her gift protected her identity, because otherwise she would have drawn too much attention to herself—it’s hard... (full context)
Bravery and Sacrifice Theme Icon
Power, Greed, and Evil Theme Icon
Stereotypes and Discrimination Theme Icon
...Levana killed his daughter because she was a shell. Dr. Erland then says that Cinder’s gift is starting to return to her, overwhelming her cyborg system, which is why she’s been... (full context)
Chapter 36
Power, Greed, and Evil Theme Icon
Stereotypes and Discrimination Theme Icon
Suddenly, Cinder gasps as she starts to see pasts Queen Levana’s glamour—she isn’t beautiful at all. Levana steps forward, telepathically forcing Cinder to snatch the gun from... (full context)
Chapter 37
Bravery and Sacrifice Theme Icon
...subject and he needs her blood sample. When the guard refuses, Dr. Erland uses his gift on the guard, who opens Cinders cell and leaves. Cinder explains what happened at the... (full context)