All The Light We Cannot See Critical Lens

The legacy of a war that took place nearly a century ago continues to leave some in its darkness. Its damage and repercussions are felt by many to this day. In the pursuit of power, humans often turn a blind eye to what matters most to them, humanity and morality. These, along with many other themes are found in the novel ‘All The Light We Cannot See’ where author Anthony Doerr effectively uses different literary theories such as Feminism, Psychoanalytic and Postcolonialism to demonstrate how the lives of Marie Laure, Werner, Etienne and Madame Manec convey Oscar Wilde’s message of how nothing worth learning can be taught. Through the lens of Feminism, the story delves into the life of one of the protagonists, Marie Laure, who has been unable to see since the age of six. Marie’s journey reflects Oscar Wilde’s statement of how

Madame Manec goes against all sexist stereotypes and refuses to let anything get in the way of justice, leading to the Feminist theme of female empowerment and breaking the stereotype that age or gender can be restrictive. Overall, Marie-Laure and Madame Manec both serve as examples to prove Wilde’s quote that true learning cannot always be taught in school. The way they challenge societal norms, stand up for justice and don't let their gender, Marie’s blindness and Madame Manec’s old age define their importance but rather act as a symbol of empowerment and equality goes hand to hand with all the Feminist Theory is about, how women played such an important role in shaping history and always standing up for justice. Furthermore, the author's use of Psychoanalytic Theory to dive into Werner’s realization of right and wrong, as well as the guilt he faced further enhance the understanding of Oscar Wilde’s quote for the readers. Werner goes through a crisis of figuring out the morality of the actions the Nazi party is