Literary Devices In All The Light We Cannot See

Anthony Doerr uses his media to show what we can see and describe what we cannot see in his novel, All The Light We Cannot See using plot devices such as disabilities to help illlustrate his metaphor of light being humanity and knowledge and moral good. This entire subject is written while the characters are experiencing the original perspective of 1940's Europe, during the brutal time of World War II. This situation has the potential to portray several gritty and unique, yet realistic circumstances based on true events. Several characters navigate the threatening environment instead of standing back and "Do as they're told, they get scared, they move about only themselves in mind" (Doerr All The Light We Cannot See pg.368). An example of some

Firstly, he stays by his daughter's side when she was blind, educating her and teaching her necessary skills, which helps her do honorable things after his passing, "Marie Laure smiles, and he laughs a pure, contagious laugh, one she will try to remember all her life." (pg. 41) He created intricate puzzles and gave Marie Laure books to educate her as well as bringing her to his workplace, the Museum, and letting her be with people who taught her and piqued her curiosity as well; it’s a very good play on words because although his daughter is blind, he "lights up" her world with knowledge and kindness; making her figuratively see more than several characters in the book. Secondly, when he took on the Sea of Flames, although he was hoping it wasn’t the real thing, he was ready to accept the gravity of the situation that it was, and journeyed to Paris while it was under German rule to help preserve the light of knowledge for France, knowing the probability of being endangered, still trying to protect his sweet daughter Marie Laure, "'You're leaving. Arent you?' He is glad, just now, that she cannot see him." (pg. 189) "'Have we ever spent a night apart?' 'No.'- The stone in his pocket seems almost to pulse. If he managed to sleep tonight, what will he dream?" (pg. 190) Lastly, when he was caught, instead of cowering in fear and n letting the darkness consume him he chose to stay positive and exhibit the characteristics of light, trying to show the positive side for his daughter so they she may not be scared and blinded by fear and paranoia, even until his end, he showed genuine love and heroism as a parent in this trying time, "Daniel’s absence in Marie-Laure’s life is one of the defining and most tragic themes of the novel—a sign of their sincere love for one another."