Plot Summary of All The Light We Cannot See

Anthony Doerr’s compelling novel All the Light We Cannot See embarks on the different ways of “seeing” and how it takes multiple eyesights to understand the separated interconnectedness individuals share. Using two main plotlines, Doerr acutely unravels the stories of two young adults experiencing life in the midst of World War II.

Marie-Laure LeBlanc is a blind girl growing up in Paris, France, and has emerged as very intellectually adventurous. She has a strong relationship with her loving father, who created intricate, miniature models of Paris so she can navigate her way around the city. The Museum of Natural History in Paris, where her father works as a locksmith, bears one of the most coveted diamonds in the world; the Sea of Flames. Marie-Laure learns as a young child that the gemstone supposedly is “cursed” with the malediction of immortalizing the owner but bringing a quick fate to all of the owner’s loved ones.

Werner Pfennig is raised as a young German orphan and innately has a fervor for mechanical sciences, particularly radios. He and his younger sister Jutta, whom share a tight bond as siblings, create a fascination for exploring a battered radio they found. They find a particular broadcast about the sciences of the world and enjoy listening to the voice speak. However, the time comes for Werner to step into his career as a young man and he is recruited to a pretisigious Nazi school, the National Institution. Sent off to the boarding academy because of his noticed radio handling skills, Werner must forget his youthful past, yet cannot help but feel the regrets of betrayal to himself and his close ones.

As World War II progresses, the Germans invade France and Marie-Laure’s father is forced to hastily flee Paris. Apprehending the long journey he and Marie-Laure have to make by foot, he brings a knapsack of essentials and the most dangerous item; the Sea of Flames. Appointed by the head of the museum, Marie-Laure’s father must guard the diamond from invaders, the legitimacy of which he does not know as there has been three other replicas made. Their destination; Saint-Malo where the two will be met by Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle, Ettiene Le-Blanc and his amiable housekeeper Madame Manec. Settling in at their house, Marie-Laure develops a fondness for Madame Manec’s friendliness and gradually befriends Etienne’s scientific and fun-loving personality. She also learns that Etienne and his brother Henri used to broadcast a children’s educational radio station about the scientific phenomenons in the world.

In Germany, Werner catches the eyes of his professor Dr. Hauptmann for his mechanical fine-tuning skills and soon is working on creating a intricate radar system that will be used to hunt down enemy soldiers. Werner meets an assortment, including the gentle giant Frank Volkheimer and his new friend Frederick, who is a benignly innocent and shy naturalist. As Werner spends more time at Schulpforta, the emotions of betraying his core values and the exploited image of a loyal Nazi that the boys are taught to uphold creates inner turmoil. The teachers continuously introduce sadistic activities and whilst Frederick represents the good Werner yearns to embody and refuses to torture others, Werner painingly follows along. However, after losing Dr. Hauptmann’s favoritism by asking to leave the school, he is sent off to a military training camp where he is forced to locate hidden enemies and then watch his co-cadets murder them.