All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See

by

Anthony Doerr

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on All the Light makes teaching easy.

All the Light We Cannot See: 3. The Arrest of the Locksmith Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Daniel LeBlanc is arrested just outside of Paris. Police officers look through his possessions, and find keys, as well as tiny saws. Daniel tries to explain that the saws are for making models for his blind daughter, but he’s thrown in jail anyway. The officers accuse him of plotting to blow up buildings in Saint-Malo. Daniel begs to use a telephone to talk to his daughter, but he’s denied one. One officer tells Daniel, “We are very close to Germany.”
Tragically, Daniel’s love for his child leads to his being arrested for espionage—the Germans don’t understand or believe that he’s trying to help his blind daughter learn to navigate her way. The close families in this novel are starting to drift apart: Jutta is disconnected from Werner, just as Daniel is now separated from Marie-Laure.
Themes
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