preview

Symbols In Anthony Doerr's All The Light We Cannot See

Decent Essays
Open Document
The novel All The Light We Cannot See, was written by Anthony Doerr. The novel was set during World War Two era and features two parallel stories with characters from opposite points of view. Doers tells the story of how both characters grow up through adversity and how they overcome their personal struggles. Marie-Laure is one of the main characters. She goes blind and has to learn how to navigate life alone after he father leaves her in the care of her Uncle Etienne. Werner, the second main character, overcame being an orphan and makes a life decision based upon his worst fear. Both characters, though living separate but parallel lives, share similar life experiences that are connected with numerous symbolic objects. Throughout the novel Doerr uses symbolic objects to create a connection for the reader between Werner and Marie-Laure. Doerr’s use of this method to bridge the characters together is done so with the use of several items such as the radio, shells and mollusks, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Sea of Flames.
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
Get Access
Related
Get Access