All The Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr

In Anthony Doerr's novel "All the Light We Cannot See," two literary techniques that are particularly significant are symbolism and imagery. Symbolism and imagery are intertwined throughout the novel and provide a means of exploring the characters, setting, conflict, and outcome of the story.

Anthony Doerr's novel "All the Light We Cannot See" employs symbolism as a crucial literary technique to deepen readers' understanding of the characters, setting, conflict, and outcome of the story. One of the most prominent symbols in the novel is the radio. The symbol of the radio provides a lens through which to view the conflict of the novel. The radio is a tool of the Nazi regime, used to spread messages of hate and intolerance and to kill people

The vivid descriptions of the setting, particularly of Saint-Malo and its streets, beaches, and buildings, create a powerful sense of place and atmosphere. The imagery used to describe Saint-Malo is particularly evocative, as the author writes," the walled city on its granite headland, drawing ever closer, looks like an unholy tooth, something black and dangerous, a final abscess to be lanced away." (Doerr, 4). The use of imagery helps to convey the danger and uncertainty of the characters' lives. It also builds tension and suspense in the story. For example, the imagery used to describe the bombing of Saint-Malo is visceral and intense, with vivid descriptions of the destruction. The following quote exemplifies this: "Two smaller aircraft line the corridor with smoke, and the lead bomber salvos its payload, and eleven others follow suit. The bombs fall diagonally; the bombers rise and scramble. The underside of the sky goes black with flecks." (Doerr, 16). Through this imagery, the reader can feel the horror and devastation of the bombing, which is a turning point in the story and sets the stage for the climactic events that follow. Imagery is also used to develop the characters in the story. For example, when Werner is studying at the academy for Hitler Youth, the author uses vivid imagery to describe his experiences there, including the harsh discipline and the brutality of his training as the author writes,

Then more running." (Doerr, 139). The author also uses imagery to describe the prisoner that had escaped camp and stolen milk. He says, "The prisoner’s ankles are cuffed and his arms bound from wrists to forearms. His thin shirt has split at the seams and he gazes into some middle distance with hypothermic slackness." (Doerr, 227). Through this imagery, the reader can understand the trauma and moral conflict that Werner experiences as he is forced to participate in the torturing of the prisoner. Similarly, when Marie-Laure is trapped in the attic of her uncle's house, the author uses imagery to describe her isolation and fear. The author writes, "No water for a day and a half. No food for two. The attic smells of heat and dust and confinement and her own urine in the shaving bowl in the corner." (Doerr, 452). The darkness, the musty smell, and the silence all serve to create a sense of claustrophobia and anxiety that the reader can empathize with. Another example is when Daniel LeBlanc holds the stone he had been given to safeguard, "In his hand, the stone is about the size of a chestnut. Even at this late hour, in the quarter-light, it glows a majestic blue. Strangely cold." (Doerr, 90). The imagery in the quote creates a vivid image in the reader's