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All the Light We Cannot See (Characters (Marie-Laure Le Blanc (Marine…
All the Light We Cannot See
Themes
War
Interconnectedness and isolation
Fate and Free Will
Family
Science and seeing
Context
WW2
The Nazi occupation of France
Saint-Malo is a walled city and port on the north-east side of France. It is an old city (established the 1st century B.C.E.) In the 16th century, the city declared independence for France and became a city state. This didn't last long, bu some of the attitude survived and the motto of the town became "Not French, Not Breton but Maloin". It also became a popular town for corsairs (think pirates that got paid by the French government for not targeting them and giving an extra hard time to their enemies). The Nazis occupied it during WW2, and the Allies thought it was being used as a major staging area.
The Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was an organisation designed to indoctrinate young people into following Nazi ideals. While membership was technically voluntary for a time, teachers were encouraged to bully students who weren't members and you couldn't finish high school without being a member. Eventually, membership was required of all young Aryans.
Action T4
This was the Nazi name for the forced sterilisation and mass murder of people who had illness or conditions the Nazis considered genetic (while it is obvious they were morally wrong, they were also scientifically wrong about many of these conditions being hereditary). While this program was never utilised in France to the degree it was used in Germany, people like Marie-Laure had to be careful as Nazis could have decided to murder them and declare the action as a legal one if they wanted to.
Techniques
Structure
Imagery
Metaphor/Similes
Symbolism
Allusion
Foreshadowing
Characters
Marie-Laure Le Blanc
Marine Biologist, Has a daughter, father sees her once a week, eventually becomes a grandmother
Daniel LeBlanc
Sent to camp, probably dies of influenza, his family never finds out
Etienne LeBlanc
Peaceful death in the bath while listening to the radio. He did take Marie-Laure travelling after the war. Had agoraphobia
Werner Pfernning
Steps on to a German landmine
Fredrick
Beaten as a child, gets permanent brain damage. Eventually receives a torn page from the book "Birds of America", as says 'mutti' for the first time in years.
Jutta
Survives the war, has a kid named Max, is a school teacher. Is visited by Volkheimer, visits Marie-Laure.
Volkheimer
Passes Werner's belongings to Jutta. Becomes an air-con repairman. Simple, isolated life.
Von Rumpel
Werner shoots him after he sets fire to the house.