Marie-Laure In All The Light We Cannot See

Criticism - Marie-Laure is treated differently and is harassed due to her blindness.
In this section of the novel All the Light We Cannot See, Marie-Laure is sitting on a bench at the park, reading her book, when a group of three to four teenage boys walk over to her. The group of boys laugh at Marie-Laure and invade her personal space by speaking right in her ear (Doerr 65). One of the boys says “they’re mad for blind girls you know” (Doerr 65). The boys' laughter and taunting behaviour reveal how they view Marie-Laure; her blindness is a defect and her dignity is disregarded. By invading her personal space and speaking directly into her ear, the boys show a lack of respect for her boundaries; they are exploiting her disability and using

By saying this, the boy is trying to frighten Marie-Laure and in a way, threaten her. He objectifies and reduces her to nothing more than her disability when he refers to her solely as a “blind girl”. Moreover, the use of the derogatory term “gimps” -- people who have a physical disability (trouble walking) -- further emphasizes the dehumanization of people with disabilities. The way she is treated by these boys reflects the way that society views those with disabilities; they are inferior to those that are able bodied. They are viewed as disposable, especially in times of war; connects to Nazi Germany (historical context of the novel) and how disabled people were targeted first, following eugenic ideologies that sought to eradicate those deemed as ‘inferior’ or ‘unfit’. The fact that disability is used as a way to determine who will be at the will of the Nazi’s, shows that people with disabilities are seen as a burden or liability rather than individuals with inherent value. The quote shows the injustices that people with disabilities face, and emphasizes the need for society to become more accepting of

Marie-Laure raises her book as if to shield herself. The second boy says “make them do things” “nasty things”” (Doerr 65). The grotesque moaning shows a lack of empathy and understanding towards her disability. He is mocking and making fun of her. This reveals the cruelty and callousness of the group as they seem to take pleasure in tormenting a vulnerable person. By taking advantage of her disability, they are making her feel smaller and more vulnerable than she already is. This suggests that there is a power dynamic at play, with the boys asserting their dominance over Marie-Laure; the boys all standing around her as she is sitting is representative of male superiority over women literally -- they are on a higher pedestal. Her getting up and raising her book to “shield herself” shows her attempt to stand up to these boys and protect herself as much as she can (Doerr 65). The second boy saying “make them do things”, “nasty things” suggests malicious intent; the use of the words “make” and “nasty” reinforces this belief as it implies coercion and loss of agency (Doerr 65). This quote highlights how often people with disabilities are put in situations where they are undervalued and are seen as less than. It also shows the effect war has on people; tension, dehumanization, and corruption. The way in which language can be used to sanitize the reality of war is also emphasized. The fact that