Examining All the Light We Cannot See

Some books and movies have the power to transport us to a different time and place. They allow us to experience the beauty and tragedy inherent in the reality of the human condition. One such book is All the Light We Cannot See* by Anthony Doerr. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel takes readers on a journey through the lives of two young individuals with a unique connection. By the end of the story, their paths cross in the most unexpected way.

Netflix released a limited series (consisting of four episodes) adaptation of the novel on November 2, 2023. I finished watching all four episodes two days later with my family. I watched the first episode twice. The first time, I was by myself, but I fell so in love with the characters and the story, I wanted to share the entire experience with my family. And I wanted them to see the whole thing from the beginning. Here, I will discuss my thoughts on the series and explore some of the Christian themes I picked up on as I watched.

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Overview of the Plot and Characters

All the Light We Cannot See tells the parallel stories of Marie-Laure (played by Aria Mia Loberti, a graduate student of rhetoric in her first acting role) and Werner (played by Dark’s Louis Hoffman). Marie is a blind girl whose father (Mark Ruffalo – you probably know him from Avenger movies) is employed at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. When war breaks out and the Nazis take over Paris, Marie and her father flee to the coastal town of Saint-Malo, carrying a mysterious jewel with them. There, they move in with Daniel LeBlanc’s reclusive uncle (played by House star Hugh Laurie) and Uncle Etienne’s sister (The Crown’s Marion Bailey), who is heavily involved in the French Resistance.

Werner, a German orphan with a brilliant mind and a talent for building radios, is recruited by the Nazis. He is stationed in Saint-Malo to intercept radio transmissions and bring down the resistance. One night, he tunes the radio to frequency 1310. It is a station he listened to often when he was younger, with his sister Jutta (Luna Wedler, from Netflix’s German series Biohackers). On this station, he discovered a program hosted by someone who called himself simply “The Professor.”

The Professor’s words and stories offered the young Werner hope when he needed it most. That is why he never stopped listening to the frequency. But he was surprised to find another broadcast by a French girl come over the same air waves years later. This girl, he later finds out, is Marie. But even before he knows that, Werner is determined to protect Marie from the Nazis who want to find her and stop her broadcasts, because they are sure she is sending coded messages to the Americans.

Marie is also hounded by Nazi officer Reinhold von Rumpel (played by German actor Lars Eidinger). He is less concerned with her radio broadcasts and more interested in the jewel her father took from the museum. The jewel is said to be cursed, but it is also supposed to grant eternal life to anyone who possesses it. Since von Rumpel is very sick and knows death is coming for him, he wants to get his hands on the Sea of Flames to save his life.

As the stories of these characters unfold, their paths converge, and it all leads up to a poignant and unforgettable climax.

Analysis of the Themes in All the Light We Cannot See

One of the central themes in All the Light We Cannot See is the power of human connection and empathy. The unlikely bond that forms between Marie-Laure and Werner is masterfully portrayed. Separated by war, they are connected by the radio. Through the canned peach scene at the end of the series, the film makers remind us that amidst chaos and destruction, our shared humanity connects us all.

Another theme explored in the series is the reminder that good and evil may not be as mutually exclusive as we like to think they are. Human nature is complex, and this story showcases how individuals can be capable of both showing kindness and causing harm to others. We see this in Werner’s story line, certainly. But we also see this, to a lesser extent, in the story of how Marie and her father escaped Paris by stealing a car.

Finally, we see the theme of freedom and free will, and how sometimes the choices we make are forced upon us. In Werner’s case, he never was a Nazi at heart. He became one to save his own life at first, but then he stayed one to protect his sister. Faced with two unthinkable options, he chose the lesser of two evils.

We also see this played out in Uncle Etienne’s life, and especially in his words to Werner, as he lay dying:

“A dead tiger is happier than a caged one.”

He was finally freed from the prison of anxiety and PTSD he’d suffered since the end of the First World War. He regained just enough of his ability to make his own choices to truly live again for a few moments before he died.

Comparing the Book to the Netflix Adaptation

Although this book has been on my “Want to Read” Goodreads shelf for some time, I have not actually read it yet. So, I cannot speak to how true the Netflix adaptation is to the original novel. Apparently, the ending of the series was vastly different. Knowing this makes me feel a bit better, since the ending left too many questions unanswered. But I can appreciate director Shawn Levy’s desire to leave his viewers with a sense of hope.

It’s a challenge to translate any literary work onto either the big or small screen. However, Levy and his team met this challenge very well. From the very first moments of the first episode, I was drawn in by the expert CGI visuals. They evoked just the right atmosphere and captured my imagination in a way that sometimes words cannot. That being said, I’m still interested in reading the novel, maybe even more so now that I’ve seen this story played out across my television screen. That, in and of itself, speaks to both the power of Doerr’s storytelling and of Levy’s direction. Some may see this Netflix adaptation as a failure and a disappointment. I cannot count myself among them.

The Historical Context of World War II

To fully appreciate All the Light We Cannot See, it is important to understand the historical context in which it is set. World War II was a time of immense suffering and loss, and both the novel and the series paint skillful pictures of the realities of the war. Viewers get a glimpse of the Parisian occupation, the bombed-out streets of Saint-Malo, and the horrors of Nazi Germany.

I did not, at first, realize how far away the seaside town was from Paris. Marie and her father had to travel over 250 miles. It’s no wonder they chose to steal a car. I would be tempted to do the same myself, especially if I was traveling with a blind child.

The significance of Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo’s roots can be traced back to the 1st century BC when it was a small Gallic village known as Alet. Over the centuries, Saint-Malo transformed into a bustling port city and became a strategic stronghold for maritime trade. Its location on the English Channel made it a vital hub for merchants and explorers alike. Because of this, its peaceful existence was shattered during World War II. German troops occupied the city in 1940, turning it into a key base for their Atlantic Wall defense system. The once-thriving port became a military stronghold, and the local residents suffered under the oppressive Nazi regime.

The occupation brought immense hardship and fear to the people of Saint-Malo, who were forced to endure rationing and constant surveillance. They didn’t give up without a fight, however. The local resistance movement, though small, played a crucial role in sabotaging Nazi operations and providing intelligence to the Allies. The brave efforts of these individuals kept the flame of hope alive during the darkest days of occupation.

The liberation of Saint-Malo came on August 17, 1944, when Allied troops, supported by a fierce naval bombardment, stormed the city. The battle that ensued was intense. Much of the historic center was reduced to rubble. However, the resilient spirit of the people of Saint-Malo prevailed, and the city began the arduous task of rebuilding. The reconstruction efforts aimed to restore the city’s former glory. Today, Saint-Malo stands as a testament to the indomitable human spirit. This fascinating historical context adds depth and weight to the story, allowing viewers to grasp the magnitude of the events and understand the resilience of the human spirit.

Christian Themes in All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See contains broader Christian themes and symbolism. Through the inclusion of religious themes, Doerr explores the power of faith in the face of adversity and the ways in which it can help individuals find meaning amidst chaos. The filmmakers faithfully extended these themes in their production. Here are a few that I especially appreciated.

Sacrificial love

At the very beginning, we see von Rumpel eating oysters in a French restaurant. He has threatened the restaurant owner (Douglas Russell, from Peaky Blinders and The Batman) with death if he does not reveal the name and location of the blind daughter of the museum worker who took the Sea of Flames. Rather than endanger Marie, the man courageously accepts death by telling von Rumpel to go to hell. Von Rumpel responds that they are already in hell, and then he proceeds to shoot the man.

This scene reminded me almost immediately of Jesus’ words in John 15:13 (KJV):

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

The restaurant owner showed not only great bravery, but also great love, when he decided to protect Marie.

Light

Of course, the concept of light, both literal and metaphorical, is a recurring motif in the novel and the series. Light represents hope, knowledge, and the search for truth. This story explores the idea that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light that can guide us forward.

As Marie and Werner learn from The Professor, light lasts forever, while darkness lasts for only a second until the light makes it flee. Darkness, on the other hand, cannot overcome light. We learn this from John 1:5 (NLT):

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

The light here in this passage refers to Jesus Himself. He is our light, who can never be overcome by any sort of darkness.

Sight

It’s no surprise that sight would be a major theme in this story, with one of the main characters being blind. In one particularly poignant scene, Marie is talking to Madame Manec. She asks if, when she dies and goes to heaven, she will be able to see God face to face. Madame Manec responds that everyone sees what God wants them to see.

I couldn’t help but think of Paul’s words to the Corinthian church:

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV)

God wants us to see Him and know Him. And He will make it possible for that to happen. All we have to do is believe.

Humility

When Werner meets Uncle Etienne, they have an intense conversation. Uncle Etienne at first wants to kill Werner, but the Nazi quickly convinces him that he is truly on Marie’s side. After all, he killed his commanding officer when the man was trying to hurt Marie.

As Uncle Etienne tries to decide whether he will stand with Werner as he faces the other members of the resistance council, Werner admits that he has done some very bad things. Uncle Etienne responds that he has also done bad things.

And that is the definition of humility, realizing that no one of us is better or worse than any other. We are all sinners in need of a savior. God calls us to be humble. Through humility, we can connect openly and honestly with other people. We can love them the way we are called to love them. Love, in its various forms, is the underlying thematic current that runs throughout this series.

The Strength of Love

Toward the end of the series, von Rumpel confronts Marie and tells her how he killed her father after capturing him during his first mission for the resistance. He mentioned how, while he was torturing LeBlanc, he asked him if love was stronger than pain. In all von Rumpel’s previous experiences with victims, it had not been. LeBlanc gave him a different answer, however.

This, of course, reminded me of the pain Christ endured for us before and during His crucifixion. He could have gotten down from the cross at any time, but He didn’t. He stayed up there and suffered separation from His father and death. For us. His love for us was stronger than His pain.

“Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19, NCV)

The Enduring Beauty of Anthony Doerr’s Masterpiece

All the Light We Cannot See is a masterpiece that captivates readers with its compelling characters, evocative imagery, and profound themes. Through the lens of World War II, Doerr explores the power of human connection, the complexities of good and evil, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Whether through the pages of the book or the screen adaptation, this story continues to touch the hearts of audiences worldwide. As we immerse ourselves in the beauty of this story, we are reminded of the indelible impact literature can have on our lives. This story stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and its ability to help us better understand our world and our purpose in it.

CTA: Experience the beauty of All the Light We Cannot See for yourself and discover the power of literature to transport you to different worlds. Grab a copy of the book or stream the Netflix adaptation today!