Essay on All the Light We Cannot See 

My global issue is how war affects people’s choice and free will. Anthony Doerr
intentionally wrote a novel that questions human will and choice. He did this by putting
his characters in specific situations and events in which they must make drastic
decisions.

The two main characters are: Werner, an orphan teenager was a member of the Hitler
Youth, and Marie-Laure, a blind Austrian teenager whose father was captured during
the war. Doerr begins the story in media res, which means in the middle of things. It
takes place in the middle of the Second World War. This allows the readers to see
different sides of the characters and allows the reader to be able to grow their
knowledge about the characters along the way, creating a more interesting plotline that
is able to thoroughly develop over time.

The author alternates between the two main characters’ stories in each chapter, thus
representing how each character has their own separate lives on the opposing sides of
the war. It describes the differences in the lives of the characters along with introducing
a double narrative into the novel, helping to separate the stories of the two characters.

This book has a particular structure. At the beginning of the novel, the narrator uses the
techniques of analepsis and prolepsis, thus "flashing back" to the characters’ childhoods
and "flashing forward" to when World War II was occurring. When the narrator uses
these techniques it helps the readers get a better idea of the purpose behind the
metafictional novel. It provides details of the characters’ past and present lives and their
efforts to survive, allowing the reader to understand the nature of the characters’
decisions. Werner, the anti-hero, must choose whether to follow the ideology of
nationalism around him in order to survive or to disobey and face devastating
consequences.

Using an anxious tone, Anthony Doerr reveals the uncertainty the characters face
during the war.

Blindness, ironically, leads the character, Werner, to spiritual enlightenment, which

occurs when he is stuck underground in the “Hotel of Bees”. Werner is in total darkness,
essentially blind. During his darkest hours, with nothing to distract him from his
conscience, Werner decides that his next action will be based on what he knows is
right. Before this event, Werner has always acted against his better judgment. He is a
manifestation of the Faust legend, “We act in our own self-interest. Of course, we do.
Name me a person or a nation who does not. The trick is figuring out where your
interests are” (p 84). At the Nazi school facility at which Werner trains, Werner feels like
he “is succeeding...”, “being loyal…” “being what everybody agrees is good”. However,
“every time he wakes and buttons his tunic, he feels like he is betraying something” (p
250).

Unlike Werner, his sister Jutta refuses this ideology of nationalism. Although she is so
young and has little experience, she seems to have a much greater understanding of
how society and the world functions.

War makes certain kinds of personal choices impossible. As Frederick tells Werner,
“Your problem is that you still believe you own your life.” On the other hand, Doerr’s
novel emphasizes the power of individuals to choose their own path despite the world
around them. Werner realizes that his friend Frederick embodies the theme of
humanism: making decisions for the good of humans out of kindness, and not out of a
cruel goal of purity and nationalism. Werner realizes that he too can choose to act this
way himself.

Doerr takes a step back into the times where the descriptive narrative makes the reader
wonder, bringing the reader into the world of the young Marie-Laure. Scenes are laid
out in minute detail that has the reader sensing everything around the characters.
Descriptive phrases are used to draw the reader in. Scenes are not hurried through.
Except when there is danger everything is laid out in an intricate pattern for the reader
to explore much like Marie-Laure does by heightening her senses and seeing more than
the average person does. This allows the reader to understand her way of thinking.
Marie-Laure had to choose whether to participate in the resistance activities in a way
that may endanger others, at one point asking, “But we are the good guys. Aren’t we,
Uncle?” (Ch 116.)

I think that the novel’s title “All the Light We Cannot See” refers to the spectrum of
electromagnetic wavelengths that human eyes are unable to detect. These include radio
waves, a key symbol in the book; with its potential for good as well as for evil. On one
hand, it is undoubtedly used for evil purposes (tracking down enemies), but it also acts
as a source of hope, purpose and connection in the worst of times. This is what
ultimately drives Werner to sacrifice himself in order to save Marie-Laure.

In addition, the Sea of Flames is an allegory

In conclusion, both Werner and Marie Laure have spent much of their time trying to
justify the terrible things going on around them. Throughout the story, both characters
have developed drastically. They have both listened more and more to their better
judgement. Werner realizes all the horrors he has caused and seen. Wanting to make
up for this, he committed an act of treason and sacrificed himself for the greater good.