All the Light We Cannot See

These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the novel.

Post-Reading Analysis

The radio often feels like a character of its own in this novel. It causes death in Werner’s research on triangulation of radio signals, but it also provides an outlet for hope, as in Etienne’s (and later Marie-Laure’s) broadcasts. What role did technology—particularly communication technology—play in this novel? What might Doerr be suggesting about modern technology?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to think about this motif as they process the end of the novel. Marie-Laure brings it nicely to a close with her meditation on modern technology. You can also use the online exhibition from the Digital Public Library of America linked here to compare and contrast the history of the radio in the U.S. and Europe during the war.

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has put together a short history of the radio with a timeline of its evolution.
• The Digital Public Library of America discusses what radio was like in the U.S. at this time, offering a different perspective to Doerr’s.

Personal Response Prompt

This book forces its readers to contend with the effects of war on both sides. Marie-Laure loses her father and many of those she loves, and Werner Pfennig, an orphan, does what he can to survive, even though it means fighting for the Nazis. Then, even after the war, its consequences are felt in not only the main characters but also folks like Volkheimer and Max, the latter of which wasn’t even alive during the war. What did you learn about the effect of war that you had not thought about before?

Teaching Suggestion: This question can help students process the emotional tilt of the book. They may never have read a book before in which one of the two main characters pass away. It may also allow them to think through any past trauma some of their family members may have suffered during the war. You can ask students to share, but also mention that students can step out if the discussion hits too close to home.