All the Light We Cannot See

One of the key similarities between the two plots in All the Light We Cannot See is the existence of an exceptionally strong, loving family relationship. Werner Pfennig is extremely close with his sister, Jutta Pfennig, just as Marie-Laure LeBlanc is extremely close with her father, Daniel LeBlanc. In the novel, these family ties are different from other kinds of relationships, and they play unique roles in the characters’ lives.

In the case of the novel’s characters, an especially close bond between family members often reflects a deeper tragedy in the past. Daniel LeBlanc becomes unusually close with Marie-Laure after his wife dies giving birth to her, and by the same token, Werner and Jutta Pfennig’s love for one another seems closely tied to their sadness at having lost their father, a miner, at such an early age. In short, families are subject to pain and tragedy, just like everything else in All the Light We Cannot See, and yet families are also uniquely positive forces in the novel—a family can “weather the storm,” responding to tragedy with more powerful bonds of love and compassion.

In the novel, family generally represents a source of strength with which to endure the tragedies of the rapidly changing world. In an era when countries go to war and people are forced to move around the continent, family is an important constant in the lives of Werner and Marie-Laure. Even as he becomes more and more invested in the evils of the Nazi state, Werner thinks back to his carefree childhood with Jutta. This is crucial for Werner, because it reminds him of a time when he was happy, inquisitive, and—most importantly—wasn’t a part of the Nazi army. Werner’s love for Jutta is one of the key reasons why he decides to disobey his commanders and save Marie-Laure’s life—as Frank Volkheimer says, it’s all “for Jutta.” Much the same is true of Marie-Laure’s love for her father: even after she’s separated from Daniel, Marie-Laure continues to love her father intensely, and this love is crucial in inspiring her to join the French Resistance and oppose German soldiers in Saint-Malo.

Even the most loving family relationships are subject to change, of course—as time goes on, family members die, move away, or develop other, closer relationships. And yet family ties, unlike almost everything else in the novel, don’t fade away into oblivion. In an inspiring epilogue, Doerr describes Marie-Laure as an old woman: she has a beloved daughter, Hélène, and an equally beloved grandson, Michel. In the final pages, Marie-Laure wonders if her father’s spirit walks on through the streets of Paris. And Doerr makes it clear that Daniel does live on: in the feelings and behaviors of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Michel mentions reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the book that Daniel gave to Marie-Laure years before, and in general it’s clear that Daniel’s commitment to science, education, and quick thinking have passed down through the generations. In all, family may be the closest thing to a “silver lining” in All the Light We Cannot See: a powerful force that can often outlast the burdens of war and suffering.