Ignorance In 'All The Light We Cannot See'

Once Werner and his crew had arrived in Saint Malo, he intercepted one of Etienne’s broadcasts of coordinates and announcements. Immediately, he recognized “the tenor of the voice matching in every respect the broadcasts of the Frenchmen” which brought memories of his childhood with Jutta. At the end of the broadcast, Werner heard Clair de Lune, a song by Debussy, and was entranced like he was again a little boy discovering the mechanisms of radios for the first time. He made the decision to not turn these broadcasters in, thus sparing the Frenchman named Etienne and Marie-Laure who was the niece of the Frenchman. After killing many innocent people, Werner spared many lives by this action, and in a sense, this worked to rectify his wrongdoings. While trapped under the Hotel of Bees, Werner had only a broken radio and the remaining members of his crew, took time to reflect upon his actions since his departure from home. He was haunted by many of his actions and felt he did not deserve redemption. Even in recognizing the wrongs he had committed, Werner was able to redeem himself; he acknowledged what the war had done to him and his deplorable actions. Werner fixed the broken radio and was able to intercept the transmissions of Marie-Laure reading from Twenty Thousands Leagues Under the Sea while Rupert von Rumpel, a dangerous German private, was rummaging throughout her house. While listening one night, he heard her say that “[von Rumpel] is here. He is right below [her] (393)”; after hearing Marie-Laure, Werner makes the decision to save her. After Werner rescued Marie-Laure, the two go their separated ways and Werner is captured. Even though Werner did not experience a physical reward, his actions of saving both Etienne and Marie-Laure worked to rectify the wrongs he has

Novels and texts about war, or more specifically the World Wars, are often written in a glamorized manner, and are told in the perspective of the victors. Consequently, seldom are readers allowed a glance at the losing side’s perspective. In the case of the World Wars, Germans are rarely cast sympathetically in literature, however, in All The Light We Cannot See and All Quiet On The Western Front, they are humanized rather than vilified. Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See is about a blind French girl, Marie-Laure LeBlanc, and a German boy, Werner Pfennig, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Erich Maria Remarque’s, All Quiet On The Western Front deals with a group of German

“Inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It's a constant struggle as to which one will win. And one cannot exist without the other.” - Eric Burdon. The theme of good versus evil can be applied to almost every novel but in different aspects. In the novel, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, plays a good and evil side at the same time. This book is in the time period of WWII in Paris, France following a blind girl and an intellectual boy. The girl, Marie-Laure, is our good side of the story, for instance, always wanting to help her father with what she can, listening and knowing what the right thing to do is, and taking action when needed, adding to her blindness to not let that stop her. The German boy we follow, Werner, he is wanting to help others as well, but not for the right reasons, he lets the evil, in this case, the Nazis, take control of him and use him for his brain.

He displays a failure to go to bat for what he knows is ideal against wrong and because of this, it adds to the way that he is in fear and can do nothing for his companion. He knows precisely what is going on however by overlooking such practices he basically acknowledges what is happening around him. Gratefully Werner changes and starts to take in the lessons of his past and goes separate ways with his feelings of trepidation. Despite the fact that Werner is appeared to have the attitude of a narrow-minded individual, he develops as a character and notices ideal from wrong and tries to change what should be revised inside society. Werner conflicts with his beliefs and develops as a character when he chooses to go and spare Marie in her home amid a confrontation with Von Rumple as he searches for the Sea of Flames. “and the sergeant major’s attention swings toward the noise, and the barrel of the pistol dips. Werner lunges for Volkheimer’s rifle. All your life you wait and then it finally comes, and are you ready?”

The radio was a major symbol throughout the novel. It played a large role in Werner and Marie-Laure’s lives. It was because of the radio that brought the two together. The radio symbolizes the connection that it give to the people of the world. In All the Lights We Cannot See, radios were illegal. They were illegal because it gave people the ability to communicate with allies in hopes of rebelling against the Nazis. The people saw this as a chance to

In All the Light We Cannot See, the picture of the world is clouded by the brutality and effects of World War 2. Both characters possess a certain weakness that makes them vulnerable to the effects of others. While Werner was under the strict teachings of a Nazi training camp, Marie lost her eyesight when she was six years old. These weaknesses create a pathway for others around them to influence their thinking and

In the exceptional novel All the Light We Cannot See, author Anthony Doerr, tells the story of two young adults whom had to experience life during World War II.

George, unlike the reader however, is unaware of Editha’s dishonest reasons for her support of the war and ignorantly goes off to war with the innocent belief that his girlfriend actually cares about the outcome of the war itself and not that it might potentially shape him into the man she secretly wishes he was. Howell’s use of Editha and her deceitful motives for supporting the war add a layer of realism to the story, as peoples’ motives in real life are not always pure.

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, should be made a required reading book for multiple reasons. Often times required reads focus on the old classics such as Twain, Shakespeare, and Dickens, while these books are chosen for good reason- they are timeless works of art- students often overlook great books written today. When every book you are required to read, either good or bad, is at least one hundred years old, students often forget that new great books are being written every year. In All the Light We Cannot See, while the setting takes place over 70 years ago during World War II Doerr finished the novel in 2014. The novel intertwines two very different point of views before, during, and after the second world war: one a blind

And even though she is rescued, Werner does Even though Werner “lunges for Volkheimer’s riffle. (465)” and physically takes care of von Rumpel, Marie-Laure was just as ready and able to do so, despite her disability. When Werner entered Etienne’s home, von Rumpel was investigating the music coming from what seemed like the closet and probably would have figured out its source if Werner didn’t kill him first. This was proven when Marie-Laure thinks “If he touches me, she thinks, I will tear out his eyes.

The rise of Nationalism resulted in many facing the choice of complicity or resistance, either to the Nazi Party or the French Resistance. As Werner explores his interests in science and technology, opportunities begin to appear in front of him. During Werner’s time at the academy for Hitler Youth he is surrounded by the emphasis on cruelty and torture. Frederick is constantly picked on and bullied by the other boys. Werner shows signs of humanity towards Frederick in private, “Every night he polishes Frederick’s boots for him until they shine a foot deep⎯⎯one less reason for a bunk master, or Bastian, or an upperclassman to jump on him.

Hello Jen, Sorry I haven't written in a while. I am on page 134. I am really enjoying the short chapters and I love how Doerr jumps from Marie-Laure to Werner's story. It is interesting to see how (their quite different) lives are unfolding alongside one another. I obviously have been very nervous for both characters since the beginning though, but I am now worried for Werner in different ways. I fear that he will be brainwashed by the Nazi's ( his sister already recognizes this of course) and that something is going to happen to his sister while he is away. Although I also like reading it from their point of view.

Samuel Johnson once wrote, "Ignorance, when voluntary, is criminal." In my eyes, he was very much correct. I say this because I see ignorance as being nothing more than a choice. A lack of knowledge or information is the denotation of the word ignorance, but that's not ignorance to me. To me ignorance is willingly doing something that is genuinely wrong and being aware of it. Being closed minded is a choice, and if you decide to be prejudice, to judge before learning, to be racist, to be sexist, homophobic, or bigoted against or for religion or a religion, you need to review your morals and opinions. I see it as a criminal act because everyone has the ability to change the way he or she thinks/acts. I once displayed a form of ignorance because

No matter what is going on in our lives, how it affects us solely depends on how each of us choose to react to the situation and push through any of the obstacles present. If challenges are swept under the mat of ignorance, nothing is gained, nothing is taught, and nothing is understood about the good and the bad that life is constantly throwing at you. Yet, once perserverance takes the lead and those challenges are no longer looked at as road-blocks of life-struggles but pit-stops of life-lessons, we will find ourselves in the midst of personal growth: physically, mentally, spiritually, religiously...whatever way it may be, we are exposed to a mature perspective that can not be found in movies, tv shows, or novels, but found in the perks

In his excerpt “Idiot Nation,” from his 2001 book Stupid White Men and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation, Michael Moore argues that the American education system has failed to properly educate its students and has instead produced a standardized citizenry incapable of developing its own opinions and beliefs. As a political activist, the author is angered by how ignorant the country has become and continues to be, and tries to prove to his audience the need for an improved, better structured education system. He intends to change his young audience’s perspective on education by using a witty, sarcastic tone, by using personal anecdotes, and by providing evidential data that further support his case. Moore challenges and belittles authority, in order to motivate his audience and show them that they can become activists for their own education, that they have a voice to be heard.