Anthony Doerr's All The Light We Cannot See

Anthony Doerr used a unique stylistic form of writing when creating the novel, “All the Light We Cannot See” to help establish theme, mood and give the reader a more in depth idea of the thoughts that Doerr possessed. In order to achieve this, Doerr used a third person omniscient point of view, repetition throughout the text, and symbolism. The use of a third person omniscient point of view helps the reader create the idea of what the different characters went through. This form of author’s point of view is apparent because each chapter, the narrator switches between the different main characters of the work. Doerr uses this technique in order to allow new ideas, along with new perspectives from the reader to form, but also, to help bring

Along with the fluctuation of narrators, comes a fluctuation of diction. Both Werner, along with Marie-Laure have their own way of speaking, thinking and how they approach situations. Werner is discussed as intelligent, but youthful, however, Werner is forced to grow up fairly fast due to him joining Hitler’s Youth. On the other hand, Marie-Laure is spoken about very innocently, and is portrayed as someone who is blind to the world, both literally and figuratively. Werner is given the personality of someone who is intelligent because Doerr not only writes about how Werner gets around different obstacles in his life, but also the impressive things that Werner does at his young age. Doerr not only uses descriptive diction when talking about Werner but also uses personal scope items including letters between Jutta and Werner, to help the reader understand the intensity of the situation Werner is in. Marie-Laure on the other hand is given an innocent personality by the writer. Doerr uses the idea of Marie-Laure’s blindness quite frequently throughout the novel, in both the literal

Repetition is used throughout the novel, to help establish key points. An example of the author using repetition is through the continued idea of Marie-Laure’s blindness. The use of Marie-Laure’s blindness, along with its repetition, is important to the theme of ignorance because it shows the readers that the idea that Marie-Laure cannot see the terror going on around her, which in return shows her innocence and ignorance to life. Along with this being repetition, it is also a symbol of ignorance, for the same reasons. Doerr also uses the radio as a symbol to Werner, but also Marie-Laure because it symbolizes an escape from the world. Werner escapes through engineering the radios, and it also helps him get through his times with Hitler’s Youth. While this is a positive idea that Werner has an escape from his life, it also shows his ignorance because Werner does not understand that the reason that the government continues to allow him to work on radios is for the governments benefit. Marie-Laure also escapes through the radio, with her uncle Etienne, but she fails to realize the danger that continuing to work with the radio poses on her and her