Characters. |
The characters in this novel have a great impact on the plot of the novel. Doerr's choice of having two-protagonists allowed for the events in this novel to be shown from two different perspectives. The physical and personal traits which he gives his characters allows for the plot of the novel to be enhanced. These traits give each character their original flairs which is greatly reflected throughout the novel. No matter how small of a role that a character has, Doerr added them for a reason. Below is a list of all the characters that are in in All the Light We Can Not See.
Marie-Laure LeBlanc
A 16-year-old co-protagonist in All the Lights We Cannot See. She went blind at 6 years old, enjoys reading, loves her father whom she is heavily dependent on. She lives in France.
Werner Pfennig
He is an 18-year-old co-protagonist. He is an orphan who lives in Southern Germany. He has a great mechanical mind which sprouted from his first encounter with a radio. He loves reading, education, and his sister Jutta. He hates mines because his father died in them.
Daniel LeBlanc
Father of co-protagonist Marie-Laure, who is his only child. He does not have a wife. He works for a museum in Paris. For all of Marie-Laure’s birthdays, he makes a puzzle for her and buys her a book (in braille).
Jutta Pfennig
Werner’s sister who is two years younger than him. She loves art and acts slightly more careless than older brother which could be symptom of age.
Frau Elena
A French woman who runs the orphanage where Werner and Jutta live in. She is kind, loves interacting with children, and believes in her children she tends to.
Dr. Geffard
Coworker of Daniel LeBlanc at the museum. He specializes in mollusks and is friends with Marie-Laure.
Borneo
A prince who was attacked by a robber. He had the Sea of Flames which caused him to recover from his wounds but caused his family to die.
Frank Volkheimer
A staff sergeant for the National Institute and later commands Werner in the war.
Bernd
An engineer in the German army.
Etienne LeBlanc
Marie-Laure’s great-uncle who had a radio show with his brother, who died during World War I. This caused his to get PTSD. He and Marie-Laure are very close and enjoy reading together.
Hans Schilzer
A bully at Children’s House.
Rudolph Siedler
A powerful Nazi who advised Werner to go to the National Institute after fixing he fixed his radio.
Monsieur Giannot
An associate at the National Museum of Natural History.
Madame Manec
The housekeeper for Etienne, Marie-Laure’s great-uncle. She suffers from PTSD. She has a large collection of radios and books, she also enjoys Marie's company and vice versa.
Frederick
A friend to Werner at the National Institute. He is quiet, reserved, weak, and small. He is very interested in birds. He comes from the rich family and is forced to attend school to further standing of family in the regime. He had to run in ‘The Weakest’ test many times. He was bullied and beaten many times and eventually got so much physical and mental damage that he had to leave the National Institute. Werner visits him and he is in a permanent vegetative state. Werner feels very bad for letting this happen.
Sergeant Major Reinhold von Rumpel
He studied rocks and geology long before the war and now acts on orders of Fuhrer. He finds/inspects rocks and artifacts that could be of great value. He is searching for the Sea of Flames.
Dr. Hauptmann
A professor at the National Institute. He is a good ally for Werner because he gives him science projects and special assignments that win him the good graces of the entire faculty. But later as Werner begins to voice his doubts about the Nazi regime Dr. Hauptmann lies about Werner's age, forcing him to be sent to go fight in the German army.
Henri LeBlanc
Etienne’s brother who was killed in World War I. He made a radio show with Etienne and his death impacted him greatly.
Reiner Schicker
A German soldier who gave his life for his country. The story of his bravery is told to the students of the National Institute.
Claude Levitte
A perfumer who is an informer for the Germans and von Rumpel.
Bastian
An instructor at the National Institute who bullies many of the students, including Werner.
Ernst
A weak student at the National Institute who is eventually dismissed.
Professor Hublin
An administrator at the National Museum of Natural History. Von Rumpel forces him to give him the location of the Sea of Flames.
Helmut Rödel
A student at the National Institute who bullies Frederick.
Frau Schwartzenberger
Jewish neighbors of Frederick and his family, gives Werner notion of them being sent to a camp when the Nazi party came to power.
Dupont
Gem and stone worker hired to create the three replicas of the Sea of Flames.
Harold Bazin
Homeless man living on streets of Saint-Malo, helps Marie Laure find a hiding place for the Sea of Flames.
Madame Blanchard
Elderly friend to Madame Manec, joins common folk when resisting German invaders.
Fanni
Frederick’s Jewish housemaid.
Neumann One
German soldier who travels and fights alongside Werner.
Neumann Two
German soldier who travels and fights alongside Werner. He has committed several awful acts, including killing a small child.
Jean Brignon
Frenchman that tells von Rumpel where Daniel is.
Madame Ruelle
An old woman in Saint-Malo who is friends with Madame Manec. She is part of the French resistance by putting messages into bread.
Veronika
von Rumpel’s daughter.
Albert Wette
Jutta’s husband. He is a few years younger than Jutta, so he did not have an serious moral struggles during the war.
Hélène
Marie-Laure’s daughter.
John
Marie-Laure’s old lover and Hélène’s father.
Max
Jutta's son.