All the Light We Cannot See Critique - Research Paper Example

All the Light We Cannot See Whereas a substantial percentage of scholars often study various collected works for fun,literature has overtime been designated as the ideal tool to use while conveying messages to specific groups of individuals. This denotes therefore that in as much as certain authors find the art of writing great and pleasurable, a considerable fraction of them share the ideology that they can use literature to show the world different perceptions to things and particular events. The duration during which the World War took place is largely regarded as a dark period, as several property was damaged and many lives lost. As a matter of fact, that as the essential reason why the then global leaders saw it suitable to establish the League of Nations, which has developed into the United Nations Organization. In his novel titled All the Light We Cannot See, distinguished American author and literature fanatic Anthony Doerr uses the book’s setting to open the eyes of the World to some of the unfortunate events that took place during the World War. Doerr employs various literary charms such as characterization and tone, to demonstrate the devastating consequences of war and the approaches an individual can employ to bring the best out of the situation amidst the myriad of challenges (Anthony Doerr Book Website). This research paper therefore aims to provide further insight on how Anthony Doerr has employed setting, plot and tone to take us through one of the darkest periods in World history; World War Two. Setting Literary scholars have overtime reaffirmed the fact that the setting of any work of art is important, particularly because it plays a significant role in determining whether the author is successful in driving his or her message home. All the light we cannot see is set in both France and Germany with several events taking place between 1930s and 1940s. Whereas the events in Germany revolve around the life of Warner Pfenning and his sister Jutta who are both orphaned, it is imperative to note that the Doerr is in essence trying to shed more light on the Nazi culture, and some of the principles they cohere to so profoundly. At the same time, the decision of the author to focus Marie-Laure’s undertakings in the city of Paris is essentially aimed at helping the vast audience make sense of the cultures and beliefs of the French in the period leading to and after World War Two. Going through the text, it is apparent that the setting within which all the lights we cannot see is documented is in line with the historical events of the past and the duration within which they took place. The Second World War for example, took place from 1939 to 1945; subsequently, Anthony Doerr has its timing right. It is similarly imperative to note that Germany and France were foes in the course of the war (Axelrod 93). Particularly because Germany was of the opinion that France had played a substantial role in coming up with the policies that obliged Germany to account and reimburse most of the damages it caused during the First World War, an event that significantly reduced the economy of the Germans. By providing a vivid description of Werner Pfenning’s life, Anthony Doerr opens both the eyes and ears of the audience to Adolf Hitler’s rule in Germany. In the text, the author documents that whereas Pfenning enhanced his technological skills under the Hitler Youth System, he was often taken aback by the ruthless manner by which the Nazi soldiers handled the perpetrators of the crimes. This fact is corroborated when Pfenning went into a room in the course of one mission to establish those behind the jamming of German signals and he finds a young child who had suffered a bullet wound, prospectively having been shot by one of the Nazi soldiers. History scholars have overtime reaffirmed that the Nazi community, notably their soldiers did not have any respect for human rights, and brutally eradicated any individual who did not share and live in their ideologies (Axelrod 97). It is similarly imperative that the event of German soldiers visiting France to find out those interfering with their signals, which led to Pfenning meeting Marie-Laure, as documented by Anthony Doerr is similar to the German invasion of France in May 1940. As a result, it is imperative to note that in bringing his point home, the author has clearly aligned the novel’s setting to historical events, and the specific duration within which they took place. Plot Whereas various scholars have documented different texts detailing the events that took place in the course of the Second World War, it is apparent that most of them have not been as fascinating as Anthony Doerr’s all the light we cannot see. This hypothesis is attributed to the fact that the author has intricately created prose scenes with the help of the thought-provoking, complex and vibrant characters he cultivates. In as much as the novel partly revolves around a boy meet girl situation, it is undeniable that Doerr has stunningly managed to bring the best out of both Marie-Laure and Werner Pfenning. The plot of the novel principally revolves around Marie-Laure, a French teen-aged girl who suffers from visual defects and turns blind at the tender age of six (Vail). His father who was a locksmith by profession constructs an intricate miniature model of the streets of Paris, with the aim of making sure that his daughter finds navigation across the city easier. Doerr employs his witty literary understanding to relate the life of Marie-Laure to that of Werner Pfenning, a German orphan who together with his sister Jutta, struggle to make ends meet within the harsh Nazi community where they reside in abject poverty. All the light we cannot see is dynamic and well developed particularly because the various stages of the development Doerr takes the characters (Vail). This element is corroborated by the fact that Marie-Laure learns to read again using braille amidst the all the instabilities she goes through in life. The capability of Werner Pfenning to resist dehumanization amidst the merciless rule of the Hitler regime is further proof of the author’s imagination. Going through the novel, one realizes that the Doerr does not rush the meeting between Marie-Laure and Werner Pfenning, as the events of their meeting are documented within roughly the last hundred pages of the text. The meeting between the characters is not forced, and does not take place until the town of Saint-Malo in Brittany, where Marie-Laure and her father had moved to put up with her uncle Etienne who is undeniably still devastated by the events of the war. Werner Pfenning who visited the region as part of the allied invasion meets Marie-Laure, and from there, Doerr does not opt for an easy route in completing the story (Vail). Instead, he makes their short duration rich and full of remarkable turns, and slots in postwar events, which lead the audience to the modern world in 2014. It is imperative to note that Doerr does not make war the running theme of the novel, but rather makes the plot about how war can change the face of any community within which it takes place. War is disastrous to both the modern and historical worlds; as both Marie-Laure and her father vacate Paris and settle in Saint-Malo in Brittany, just like people who are affected by war in the modern world normally seek alternative settlement. The fact that Marie-Laure’s uncle Etienne is still devastated by the war demonstrates how disastrous war can be to the psychological well-being of the inhabitants of any specific community. Over and above, it would be of great significance if the audience were able to make sense of how Doerr interlaces both the modern and historical worlds. This is essentially because the author employs the wars, its consequences such as the allied invasions and the then ruthless leaders to demonstrate the disastrous part of the world’s history (Vollmann). On the other hand, by documenting the brilliance of some of the characters, notably Marie-Laure, her dad and Werner, Anthony Doerr slots in the modern world, where technology is the basis upon which most of the daily undertakings are founded. Modernization within the text is similarly demonstrated by the manner in which the characters managed to maximize on their potential, and make something for themselves in the course of the difficult situations within which they lived. Whereas a few nations have not managed to pull themselves up after conflicting periods and developed into failed sates Doerr drives the message that war is catastrophic. It is imperative to acknowledge nations that have managed to stand up and build something tangible for their citizens even after such catastrophes, for the author symbolizes them with the witty characters who defied all odds to bring the best out of their communities. Tone Literary experts have in the past reiterated that the tone within any piece of art is not only revealed by what the author says, but similarly by how the characters say the words. After expansively going through Anthony Doerr’s all the light we cannot see, with particular emphasis on diction, I have arrived at the verdict that several tones run through the novel (Anthony Doerr Book Website). It is indeed undeniable that the tone established by the lives of Marie-Laure and her father as well as that of Werner and Jutta, at the beginning is rather sad and threatening, given the unfortunate events they have to go through. This is predominantly because Marie-Laure turns blind at a very early age, while Werner and Jutta are orphaned quite early in their lives when their parents die working in the mines. The tone of worry and depression runs deeply within the text, especially because of the way of life exhibited by members of both the communities. In Germany for example, the Nazi live at the mercy of Hitler’s soldiers, who will not hesitate at ensuring that each inhabitant shares and lives in their ideology. In like manner, the French live with fear and hopelessness due to the war and its consequences. Anthony Doerr uses the tone of the novel, to enlighten the audience on the unfulfilled life those who lived during the Wars lived, principally because they lived in fear and always counted themselves lucky to be alive each evening. That notwithstanding, the author demonstrates that there is a way out for the persistent and those who are not willing to lose hope in life. This is verified by the optimism shared by Marie Laure and Werner, notably when Marie-Laure declares, “Papa says curses are only stories cooked up to deter thieves. He says there are sixty-five million specimens in this place, and if you have the right teacher, each can be as interesting as the last.” Consequently, it is important to note that a section of the generation that lived during the war did not lose hope, and took advantage of any opportunity that came there way, hence living a better life. In like manner, the author encourages those going through hell that not all hope is lost, and that light will always be at the end of the tunnel, even if the journey through it may seem obscure. Conclusion In as much as Anthony Doerr has used his own imagination to captivate his audience, it is outward that his setting, tone and development of plot have similarly had a remarkable influence. It would be inconclusive to fail to acknowledge the role played by the seaside town of Saint-Malo in Brittany, where Werner and Marie-Laure met (Powell). This is because whereas some may hold the opinion that the town is an ordinary coincidence, I believe it is not, as it has significantly contributed to the development of characters, plot and technical aspects of the novel. In fact, it may be right conclude that the town is a character on its own. Over and above, All the Light We Cannot See is book worth reading, whose short chapters do not bring about disruption, but harmony to the reader and one that leaves the readers yearning for more after closing the last chapter. Works-Cited Anthony Doerr on All the Light We Cannot See. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYBK3Lsx7aI Anthony Doerr Books Website (ADBW). All the Light We Cannot See. Retrieved from: http://www.anthonydoerr.com/books/all-the-light-we-cannot-see/ Axelrod, Alan. Encyclopedia of World War II: 2-volume Set. New York: Infobase Pub, 2007. Internet resource. Doerr, Anthony. All the Light We Cannot See. (2014). ASL Publications Powell’s City of Books. All the Light We Cannot See Book Review. Retrieved from http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781476746586 Vaill, Amanda. All the Light We Cannot See,’ by Anthony Doerr. Washington Post Boom Review, Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/all-the-light-we-cannot-see-by-anthony-doerr/2014/05/05/c2deec58-cf14-11e3-a6b1-45c4dffb85a6_story.html Vollmann, William. Darkness Visible: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. New York Times Sunday Book Review, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/books/review/all-the-light-we-cannot-see-by-anthony-doerr.html?_r=0 Read More