All The Light We Cannot See Summary
In the book All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Werner starts to develop a better realization of what the intentions of the institute are when it comes to teaching the students, and becomes less loyal to what the institute has taught him because of this. Werner starts to realize the methods that are being used by the institute in order to promote brutality. Werner also realizes that the institute is manipulating him into using his intelligence in order to do vicious things in favor of the Nazis. As werner becomes more aware of what is happening, he starts to disobey the violent morals he has been taught despite the danger that could result from this. Towards the beginning of his time at the institute, Werner starts to become susceptible
to the fascist myths of violence at the institute. For example in the book a stronger student in Werner's group is asked to chose the weakest boy in the group. The boy chooses another boy named Ernst who is asked to outrun the other boys or else he will be beaten. Werner knows the harshness of the situation yet “wonders if some part of him wants it to happen” (170). Werner later recognizes that his field exercise commandant purposefully used the activity in order to bring out the violent instincts of the boys. Werner sees the same manipulation when it comes down to his friend Frederick being chosen as the weakest. Frederick is chosen as the weakest but does not manage to outrun his classmates and Werner observes as Bastian tells a boy named Rodel to punish Frederick for being weak. Werner describes this as “encouraging a reluctant boy to step into cold water” (193). Therefore Werner is realizing what the institute is promoting but, is too scared of the consequences that would come with not following orders. Later in the book Werner is asked to do work with Dr. Hauptman due to his above average intelligence when it comes to radios. Werner is then asked to put his knowledge to use by helping locate people by picking up signals that are being transmitted from a radio. Werner later learns that his intelligence is being used to locate enemy Russian troops and Werner witnesses as Volkheimer kills the Russian troops Werner finds. Werner realizes that his work with Dr. Hauptman was all in order to train him to do work for the war. Werner then begins to see the horror that he is helping create when he leads his fellow troops to a family and the troops kill an innocent family including a little girl. Werner then begins to realize what he is using his intelligence for and begins to disobey what he has been taught to do. Werner starts to become less loyal to the institute and begins to disobey orders after he figures out what the institute is manipulating him into doing. Werner picks up a radio signal but does not tell Volkheimer because of what he has seen what they do to people broadcasting signals. Werner realizes that the institute is teaching violence and teaching him to locate people to kill but Werner eventually realizes what the institute is teaching and finally starts to disobey the morals that he has been taught by the institute. Overall, Werner comes to the realization of what he is being taught over the course of his time at the institute and working for the Nazis in the war. Werner figures out the violent morals he is being taught and for that reason begins to question and disobey these things. Werner
to the fascist myths of violence at the institute. For example in the book a stronger student in Werner's group is asked to chose the weakest boy in the group. The boy chooses another boy named Ernst who is asked to outrun the other boys or else he will be beaten. Werner knows the harshness of the situation yet “wonders if some part of him wants it to happen” (170). Werner later recognizes that his field exercise commandant purposefully used the activity in order to bring out the violent instincts of the boys. Werner sees the same manipulation when it comes down to his friend Frederick being chosen as the weakest. Frederick is chosen as the weakest but does not manage to outrun his classmates and Werner observes as Bastian tells a boy named Rodel to punish Frederick for being weak. Werner describes this as “encouraging a reluctant boy to step into cold water” (193). Therefore Werner is realizing what the institute is promoting but, is too scared of the consequences that would come with not following orders. Later in the book Werner is asked to do work with Dr. Hauptman due to his above average intelligence when it comes to radios. Werner is then asked to put his knowledge to use by helping locate people by picking up signals that are being transmitted from a radio. Werner later learns that his intelligence is being used to locate enemy Russian troops and Werner witnesses as Volkheimer kills the Russian troops Werner finds. Werner realizes that his work with Dr. Hauptman was all in order to train him to do work for the war. Werner then begins to see the horror that he is helping create when he leads his fellow troops to a family and the troops kill an innocent family including a little girl. Werner then begins to realize what he is using his intelligence for and begins to disobey what he has been taught to do. Werner starts to become less loyal to the institute and begins to disobey orders after he figures out what the institute is manipulating him into doing. Werner picks up a radio signal but does not tell Volkheimer because of what he has seen what they do to people broadcasting signals. Werner realizes that the institute is teaching violence and teaching him to locate people to kill but Werner eventually realizes what the institute is teaching and finally starts to disobey the morals that he has been taught by the institute. Overall, Werner comes to the realization of what he is being taught over the course of his time at the institute and working for the Nazis in the war. Werner figures out the violent morals he is being taught and for that reason begins to question and disobey these things. Werner