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All the Light We Cannot See
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Zero (August 7, 1944): Leaflets Zero (August 7, 1944): Bombers Zero (August 7, 1944): The Girl Zero (August 7, 1944): The Boy Zero (August 7, 1944): Saint-Malo Zero (August 7, 1944): Number 4 rue Vauborel Zero (August 7, 1944): Cellar Zero (August 7, 1944): Bombs Away One (1934): Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle One (1934): Zollverein One (1934): Key Pound One (1934): Radio One (1934): Take Us Home One (1934): Something Rising One (1934): Light One (1934): Our Flag Flutters Before Us One (1934): Around the World in Eighty Days One (1934): The Professor One (1934): Sea of Flames One (1934): Open Your Eyes One (1934): Fade One (1934): The Principles of Mechanics One (1934): Rumors One (1934): Bigger Faster Brighter One (1934): Mark of the Beast One (1934): Letter #1: Jutta One (1934): Good Evening. Or Heil Hitler if You Prefer One (1934): Bye-bye, Blind Girl One (1934): Making Socks One (1934): Flight One (1934): Herr Siedler One (1934): Exodus Two (8 August 1944): Saint-Malo Two (8 August 1944): Number 4 rue Vauborel Two (8 August 1944): Hotel of Bees Two (8 August 1944): Down Six Flights Two (8 August 1944): Trapped Three (June 1940): Château Three (June 1940): Entrance Exam Three (June 1940): Brittany Three (June 1940): Madame Manec Three (June 1940): You Have Been Called Three (June 1940): Occupier Three (June 1940): Don’t Tell Lies Three (June 1940): Etienne Three (June 1940): Jungmänner Three (June 1940): Vienna Three (June 1940): The Boches Three (June 1940): Hauptmann Three (June 1940): Flying Couch Three (June 1940): The Sum of Angles Three (June 1940): The Professor Three (June 1940): Letters #2-4: Werner to Jutta Three (June 1940): Perfumer Three (June 1940): Time of the Ostriches Three (June 1940): Weakest Three (June 1940): Mandatory Surrender Three (June 1940): Museum Three (June 1940): The Wardrobe Three (June 1940): Blackbirds Three (June 1940): Letter #5: to Daniel LeBlanc Three (June 1940): Bath Three (June 1940): Weakest (#2) Three (June 1940): The Arrest of the Locksmith Four (8 August 1944): The Fort of La Cité Four (8 August 1944): Atelier de Réparation Four (8 August 1944): Two Cans Four (8 August 1944): Number 4 rue Vauborel Four (8 August 1944): What They Have Four (8 August 1944): Trip Wire Five (January 1941): January Recess Five (January 1941): He Is Not Coming Back Five (January 1941): Prisoner Five (January 1941): Plage du Môle Five (January 1941): Lapidary Five (January 1941): Letter #6: To Marie-Laure, from Daniel Five (January 1941): Entropy Five (January 1941): The Rounds Five (January 1941): Nadel im Heuhaufen Five (January 1941): Proposal Five (January 1941): You Have Other Friends Five (January 1941): Old Ladies’ Resistance Club Five (January 1941): Diagnosis Five (January 1941): Weakest (#3) Five (January 1941): Letter #7: Daniel LeBlanc to His Daughter Five (January 1941): Grotto Five (January 1941): Intoxicated Five (January 1941): The Blade and the Whelk Five (January 1941): Letter #8: Jutta to Werner Five (January 1941): Alive Before You Die Five (January 1941): No Out Five (January 1941): The Disappearance of Harold Bazin Five (January 1941): Everything Poisoned Five (January 1941): Visitors Five (January 1941): Letter #9: Werner to Jutta Five (January 1941): The Frog Cooks Five (January 1941): Orders Five (January 1941): Pneumonia Five (January 1941): Letter #10: Daniel LeBlanc to His Daughter Five (January 1941): Treatments Five (January 1941): Heaven Five (January 1941): Frederick Five (January 1941): Relapse Six (8 August 1944): Someone in the House Six (8 August 1944): The Death of Walter Bernd Six (8 August 1944): Sixth-floor Bedroom Six (8 August 1944): Making the Radio Six (8 August 1944): In the Attic Seven (August 1942): Prisoners Seven (August 1942): The Wardrobe Seven (August 1942): East Seven (August 1942): One Ordinary Loaf Seven (August 1942): Volkheimer Seven (August 1942): Fall Seven (August 1942): Sunflowers Seven (August 1942): Stones Seven (August 1942): Grotto Seven (August 1942): Hunting Seven (August 1942): The Messages Seven (August 1942): Loudenvielle Seven (August 1942): Gray Seven (August 1942): Fever Seven (August 1942): The Third Stone Seven (August 1942): The Bridge Seven (August 1942): Rue des Patriarches Seven (August 1942): White City Seven (August 1942): Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Seven (August 1942): Telegram Eight (9 August 1944): Fort National Eight (9 August 1944): In the Attic Eight (9 August 1944): The Heads Eight (9 August 1944): Delirium Eight (9 August 1944): Water Eight (9 August 1944): The Beams Eight (9 August 1944): The Transmitter Eight (9 August 1944): Voice Nine (May 1944): Edge of the World Nine (May 1944): Numbers Nine (May 1944): May Nine (May 1944): Hunting (Again) Nine (May 1944): Letter #11: From Werner to Jutta Nine (May 1944): “Claire de Lune” Nine (May 1944): Antenna Nine (May 1944): Big Claude Nine (May 1944): Boulangerie Nine (May 1944): Grotto Nine (May 1944): Agoraphobia Nine (May 1944): Nothing Nine (May 1944): Forty Minutes Nine (May 1944): The Girl Nine (May 1944): Little House Nine (May 1944): Sea of Flames Nine (May 1944): The Arrest of Etienne LeBlanc Nine (May 1944): 7 August 1944 Nine (May 1944): Leaflets Ten (12 August 1944): Entombed Ten (12 August 1944): Fort National Ten (12 August 1944): Captain Nemo’s Last Words Ten (12 August 1944): Visitor Ten (12 August 1944): Final Sentence Ten (12 August 1944): Music #1 Ten (12 August 1944): Music #2 Ten (12 August 1944): Music #3 Ten (12 August 1944): Out Ten (12 August 1944): Wardrobe Ten (12 August 1944): Comrades Ten (12 August 1944): The Simultaneity of Instants Ten (12 August 1944): Are You There? Ten (12 August 1944): Second Can Ten (12 August 1944): Birds of America Ten (12 August 1944): Cease-fire Ten (12 August 1944): Chocolate Ten (12 August 1944): Light Eleven (1945): Berlin Eleven (1945): 177. Paris Twelve (1974): Volkheimer Twelve (1974): Jutta Twelve (1974): Duffel Twelve (1974): Saint-Malo Twelve (1974): Laboratory Twelve (1974): Visitor Twelve (1974): Paper Airplane Twelve (1974): The Key Twelve (1974): Sea of Flames Twelve (1974): Frederick Thirteen (2014)
Themes
All Themes World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Interconnectedness and Separation Fate, Duty, and Free Will Family Science and “Ways of Seeing”
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Marie-Laure LeBlanc Werner Pfennig Daniel LeBlanc Frank Volkheimer Jutta Pfennig Frau Elena Great-Uncle Etienne LeBlanc Madame Manec Sergeant Major Reinhold von Rumpel Dr. Hauptmann Frederick Henri LeBlanc
Symbols
All Symbols Vision Radio The Sea of Flames The Models of Paris and Saint-Malo Whelks, Mollusks, and Shells
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All the Light We Cannot See

Dr. Hauptmann Character Analysis

An intelligent and powerful professor at the National Institute school that Werner attends, Dr. Hauptmann is at first a powerful ally for Werner, giving his bright student science projects and special assignments that win him the good graces of the entire faculty. But when Werner begins to express his doubts about the morality of the Nazi regime, Hauptmann exposes his true pettiness and spitefulness: he lies about Werner’s age, forcing him to be sent to fight in the German army.

Dr. Hauptmann Quotes in All the Light We Cannot See

The All the Light We Cannot See quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Hauptmann or refer to Dr. Hauptmann. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
). Note: all page and citation info for the quotes below refers to the Fourth Estate edition of All the Light We Cannot See published in 2015.
Three (June 1940): Blackbirds Quotes

Why always triangles? What is the purpose of the transceiver they are building? What two points does Hauptmann know, and why does he need to know the third? “It’s only numbers, cadet,” Hauptmann says, a favorite maxim. “Pure math. You have to accustom yourself to thinking that way.”

Ie quote placeholder white box
Related Characters: Werner Pfennig (speaker), Dr. Hauptmann (speaker)
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
Page Number: 184
Explanation and Analysis:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

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Dr. Hauptmann Character Timeline in All the Light We Cannot See

The timeline below shows where the character Dr. Hauptmann appears in All the Light We Cannot See. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Three (June 1940): Hauptmann
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
One day, Werner and his peers are taught by an old doctor named Hauptmann. Hauptmann gives every student a small metal box and tells them to build a simple... (full context)
Three (June 1940): The Sum of Angles
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
After his spectacular performance as an engineer for Dr. Hauptmann, Werner is summoned to the technical sciences professors, and asked about his interest in the... (full context)
Three (June 1940): Letters #2-4: Werner to Jutta
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Interconnectedness and Separation Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
Werner writes a letter to Jutta, telling his sister that Dr. Hauptmann is planning to recommend him to high-ranking Nazi officials, who’ll set him up with a... (full context)
Three (June 1940): Blackbirds
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...for his weakness, and slowly other boys follow him. Werner savors his evenings with Dr. Hauptmann, who tells him about relativity, quantum mechanics, and other cutting-edge science. Werner thinks of the... (full context)
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...loves classical music, and savors the work of Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi. In the evenings, Hauptmann puts Werner to work on a transceiver. Werner asks repeatedly what this device is for,... (full context)
Five (January 1941): Entropy
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...then beaten for failing to do so. Werner tries to focus on his work in Hauptmann’s laboratory. Hauptmann continues to lavish Werner with praise. (full context)
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...for Frederick by helping him with work and polishing his boots. One day in class, Hauptmann discusses the principle of entropy with his students. Entropy laws dictate that every process “must... (full context)
Five (January 1941): Nadel im Heuhaufen
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Interconnectedness and Separation Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
Late at night, Werner, Volkheimer, and Dr. Hauptmann go outside to test their transceiver. The purpose of the device, Hauptmann finally reveals, is... (full context)
Five (January 1941): You Have Other Friends
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...looks out for his friend, helping him whenever he can. Late at night, Werner and Hauptmann test their transceiver with Volkheimer’s help. (full context)
Five (January 1941): Intoxicated
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...to the teachers—they wonder why Jutta is asking so many questions. Only Werner’s work for Hauptmann keeps him safe from bullying and from Bastian. One evening, Werner is working in the... (full context)
Five (January 1941): No Out
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Interconnectedness and Separation Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
It is January, 1942, and Werner has just asked Dr. Hauptmann to be sent back to his home in the orphanage. Hauptmann is furious with Werner’s... (full context)
Five (January 1941): Everything Poisoned
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
In 1942, Dr. Hauptmann calls Werner to his office. Hauptmann reports that he’s being called to Berlin to serve... (full context)
Five (January 1941): Orders
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
Science and “Ways of Seeing” Theme Icon
...16. Werner doesn’t understand, as this information is false. The commandant informs Werner that Dr. Hauptmann has pointed out the age discrepancy. Hauptmann has arranged for Werner to be transferred to... (full context)
Seven (August 1942): Sunflowers
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
...to radio broadcasts. He thinks about his time with Jutta, and his education with Dr. Hauptmann. All this has led him to being a soldier for the German army. (full context)
Seven (August 1942): White City
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance Theme Icon
Interconnectedness and Separation Theme Icon
Fate, Duty, and Free Will Theme Icon
...There, they enjoy the fun of the town—good food and beer, etc. Werner remembers Dr. Hauptmann, and imagines him as a young man in Vienna, enjoying the nightlife. He wonders if... (full context)
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