Photographs

In the beginning of the novel, Ember and her friends look at photographs of people who have gone missing, including their former classmate Katelyn Meadows. People who disappear are rarely heard from again, leading to tremendous confusion and fear on the part of those who care about them. After she is taken to the reformatory, Ember wonders if her friends will someday be looking at photos of her and wonder what has become of her.

Federal Bureau of Reformation

The Federal Bureau of Reformation is the Big Brother-like arm of the new government that is responsible for creating the strict moral laws that now rule the country. It represents the ultra-conservative views that are now being forced on the United States.

Batons

At the reformatory, the headmistress and the guards use batons to beat the students, including Ember, for even minor infractions of the rules.

Moral Statutes