All the Light We Cannot See

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. We first learned about the Sea of Flames and the legend behind it at the beginning of the novel.

• How does this legend come true throughout the book? (topic sentence)
• What happens to the characters who seek or hold onto the Sea of Flames?
• In your concluding sentence, discuss how this connects to the theme of Lost and Redeemed Humanity.

2. Radios appear consistently throughout the novel.

• What does the radio symbolize? (topic sentence)
• How is it used for good or for evil by Etienne and Werner? Choose three examples from the text to support your claim.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence, connect this motif to the theme of Light Versus Darkness.

3. Consider Frederick’s friendship with Werner in school and his appearances throughout the book.

• What impact did Frederick have on Werner’s life? (topic sentence)
• What are three times Frederick influenced Werner’s decisions?
• Finally, in your concluding sentence, describe how their friendship connects to the theme of Lost and Redeemed Humanity.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Everyone around Marie-Laure tries to protect her and help her live a life without fear. However, in the flashbacks to 1944 in which Sergeant Major Reinhardt von Rumpel, Werner, Volkheimer, and Marie-Laure are trapped in the house, she is alone, working to survive despite the odds. How does Marie-Laure’s character grow throughout the novel to this moment and after it? How does the novel use her blindness to explore themes of Entrapment and Light Versus Darkness?  Choose one of these themes and incorporate at least three quotes from the novel to support your thesis.

2. While we follow Werner before and through the war, he does not survive. What might Doerr have been trying to say to his readers about war and death in having one of the main characters die? How is Werner remembered by those he impacted, including Marie-Laure, Volkheimer, Jutta, and perhaps even Frederick? Compose an essay discussing the impact of Werner’s life on those around him, connecting it to the theme of Lost and Redeemed Humanity. Use examples from the text to support your argument.

3. As the novel closes, Marie-Laure meditates on the technology around her, imagining messages and souls flowing with the wind. What role does technology play in the novel? Does it have an positive or negative effect on characters’ lives? Choose one side of this debate and make an argument to support it. You should also spend some time thinking through and refuting its counterargument. As you compose your essay, use examples from the text to support your arguments.