Analysis Of The Novel 'All The Light We Cannot See'

In the novel, All the Light We Cannot See, there are flashback scenes that display the times prior to the character’s involvement into the war. These always seem to hold emotional value to the characters, as well as readers. For example, “The girl climbs into the swing and pendulums back and forth, pumping her legs, and watching her opens some valves in Werner’s soul. This is life, he thinks, this is why we live, to play like this on a day when winter is finally releasing its grip” (Doerr 366). This passage, although not a flashback, acts like one in a way. To put this in other words, the girl shows similar traits and/or actions of Jutta, Werner’s younger sister, which, for Werner, takes him back to his own childhood where a carefree lifestyle
of play was all that there was too life. Overall, Doerr was trying to show readers, through these flashbacks, how much their lives have changed in terms of: state of mind, ambitions, and needs. Along with the development in the characters, these memories also evoke the emotions of sadness and suspense, mainly because the readers feel for the characters and also wonder if this recollection could change anything in the character’s actions.