Examples Of Courage In All The Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr

In All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, courage is defined as going against the majority, doing something even though there could be a risk, and acting for the sake of protecting others. Characters such as Werner, Marie-Laure, Daniel Leblanc, Frederick and Madame Manec all exhibit courage. Werner and Marie-Laure have different versions of what courage looks like because of their surrounding environment. Naturally, as they are both affected by the war, there is risk involved with everything, even something as simple as leaving the house. Therefore, when the characters act in a way that goes against the normal behavior during war, it is seen as courageous. For instance, Madame Manec taking Marie-Laure to the ocean even if going there

Frederick’s refusal to throw the water on the prisoner and the resistance club’s efforts to protect France are both examples of acting in courage in order to protect others. One of the most notable characters that especially shows this is Marie-Laure’s father, Daniel Leblanc. Leblanc’s relationship with Marie-Laure is special because of his consistent care for her. He reassures her that everything will be okay even when he knows it won’t be. Even while in prison, he tries to comfort Marie-Laure and reassure her of his well-being. While in prison he only thinks of his daughter: “Every hour is a prayer for Marie-Laure. Every breath” (Doerr 197). Leblanc also protects the Sea of Flames from the crutches of the Germans which ultimately led to his capture. His sacrifice was an act of bravery that he committed for the overall safety of the stone. Werner’s courage begins to show once he meets Marie-Laure. After meeting someone he feels the need to protect, he gains his bravery. His failure to protect Frederick gave him even more resolve. To protect Marie-Laure from Von Rumpel, Werner shoots and kills him. At that moment, Werner felt like he had broken through from the years of not being able to act on his own. Marie-Laure and Werner have a conversation about bravery: “‘But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don’t you do the same?’ ‘He says, ‘not in years. But today. Today maybe I did’” (Doerr 469). Werner’s action was one of bravery. Making a choice to take action despite one’s fears is