Daniel and Marie have to flee their home in Paris. Daniel is given one of four stones that might be the Sea Of Flames, and is told to go to a friends house. Though when they arrive at the house, it has been burned. Instead they travel to Saint-Malo and stay with Daniel's uncle Etienne. Etienne hasn’t been outside in years, and often has dark episodes due to World War One, but he gets along with Marie-Laure quite well. The readers learns of Von Rumpel, a German Sargent after the Sea Of Flames. Danielle immediately starts making a wooden model of Saint-Malo. This is when Marie-Laure knows they won’t be leaving soon. Werner is discovered by a German General in his town after he fixes his radio. Impressed the General writes to a Nazi school to get Werner the opportunity of attending. He passes all the entrance exams and is accepted into the school. The school is hyper controlling, allowing for almost no freedom. Werner quickly becomes homesick, but is happy to have found a way out of the mines. He makes a friend named Frederick, who is obsessed with birds, and is chosen to work on transmitters with one of his professors, Hauptmann. Daniel assures Marie-Laure the Germans won’t invade, but they both know this isn’t true. Etienne shows Marie-Laure his transmitter and says how he used to broadcast her grandfathers pre-recorded radio casts. These are the same broadcast Werner and Jutta used to listen to. Marie-Laure's grandfather died in World War One, and this is the main reason for Etienne's dark spells. In the end of this section Daniel is called back to Paris, but before he can get their he is arrested.
Chapter 37 Château
Chapter 42 Occuper
Chapter 57 The Wardrobe
Letter 5
- It has been 2 days since Marie-Laure and her father left Paris
- They arrive at a town called Evreux
- Houses are abandoned
- Hotels are overbooked
- People are burning down buildings
- Houses are abandoned
- Marie-Laure’s father tries to find the house that the museum instructed him to go to
- That house was burned down
- That house was burned down
- Marie-Laure’s father asks a civilian if they had seen Monsieur Giannot
- Monsieur Giannot has fled to London
- Monsieur Giannot has fled to London
- Marie-Laure and her father go to a hotel in the outskirts of the city
- Marie-Laure’s father feels the diamond in his pocket and tells himself that it is fake
- Marie-Laure’s father tells Marie-Laure that they are looking for Etienne, Marie-Laure’s great-uncle
- Werner and many other boys need to take an entrance exam to get into the National Public Institute of Education
- Werner first has to take a written test on his lineage
- He answers questions about his mother and father
- He answers questions about his mother and father
- Later, he must do physical activities
- On the second day, Werner is examined by doctors to make sure he is a pure German
- After that, he answers patriotic questions regarding Nazi’s
- On the seventh day, the boys need to jump off a ladder into a flag that is held up by other boys
- Most of the boys fail, but Werner succeeds
- Most of the boys fail, but Werner succeeds
- Marie-Laure and her father go to Saint-Malo where Etienne lives
- Marie-Laure is very tired and her father must carry her inside the house where Etienne lives
- Marie-Laure’s father introduces her to Madame Manec
- Madame Manec is an old lady who is very happy to see Marie-Laure
- Madame Manec is an old lady who is very happy to see Marie-Laure
- Madame Manec gives Marie-Laure delicious food
- Marie-Laure’s father discusses Etienne with Madame Manec
- Marie-Laure figures out that Madame Manec is Etienne’s maid
- Werner returns from the entrance exam
- Only a couple of boys end up getting into the National Institute, but Werner gets chosen
- Werner does not have to go work in the mines now
- Werner does not have to go work in the mines now
- Leading up to going to the National Institute, Werner talks with Frau-Elena
- She is sad that he is going
- She says that people will praise him
- Especially government officials
- Especially government officials
- She is sad that he is going
- Jutta does not congratulate Werner and just ignores him
- The other kids in Children’s House are happy for Werner
Chapter 42 Occuper
- Marie-Laure and her father have spent a night in Saint-Malo
- She asks Madame Manec if Etienne owns the large house that they are staying in
- Madame Manec says that he does and that he lives on the fifth floor, but rarely comes out of his room
- Madame Manec says that he does and that he lives on the fifth floor, but rarely comes out of his room
- Marie-Laure asks her father about the German invading Paris
- He says that the German soldiers are living in Paris and are trying to make the French people act German
- He tells her that it will be fine
- They will live with Etienne for a while, but go back to Paris and get her copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- They will live with Etienne for a while, but go back to Paris and get her copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- He says that the German soldiers are living in Paris and are trying to make the French people act German
- Werner is about to go to the National Institute for two years
- All of the orphans admire him, except for Jutta
- Werner asks Jutta to walk with him and she agrees
- They walk past the mines and Jutta is worried that Werner will become mean like some of the boys in the orphanage who now work in the mines
- Werner tells Jutta that he only wants to become an engineer and take her to Paris
- Jutta tells Werner not to lie to her
- Jutta tells Werner not to lie to her
- Werner tells Jutta that he only wants to become an engineer and take her to Paris
- On the third day of being in Saint-Malo, Marie-Laure finds a whelk shell in her bathroom
- There is a trail of shells leading to the fifth floor
- At the end of the trail, she hears a voice telling her to come into a room and there she meets her uncle
- At the end of the trail, she hears a voice telling her to come into a room and there she meets her uncle
- There is a trail of shells leading to the fifth floor
- Etienne shows her his radio collection and different books
- While they are doing this, Marie-Laure’s father is walking in the streets and watching Nazi soldiers
- Werner arrives at the National Institute
- The masters are mean people
- Werner makes friends with Frederick who is studious, not very athletic, and loves birds
- They study biology where they learn how Germans are better that Jews
- They also study Goethe
- Everyone learns how to use a gun
- Sergeant Major Reinhold von Rumpel is a middle-aged jeweler and German official
- While he was a soldier, he tool jewels and sent them the to Third Reich in Berlin
- von Rumpel hears that the Führer is collecting jewels
- He needs to find rare jewels, test if they are real, and send them to the Führer
- He needs to find rare jewels, test if they are real, and send them to the Führer
- Marie-Laure is struggling to get used to Saint-Malo
- Madame Manec shares that the German soldiers are buying champagne and other French goods which is stimulating the economy
- Marie-Laure want to go back to Paris and asks her father when they will go back
- He does not know
- He does not know
- Marie-Laure’s father also warns her not to go to the room next to her’s
- It was her grandfather’s room
- It was her grandfather’s room
- Marie-Laure is able to eat and sleep well while people in Paris are starving
- Dr. Hauptmann instructs the students in Werner's class to make a “Morse-code practice circuit” out of parts provided for them
- The boys are given one hour
- Werner builds the circuit in under a minute
- Dr. Hauptmann, taken aback and impressed, tells the boys (though his instructions are directed at Werner) to make a simple motor.
- Werner makes the motor in about 15 seconds
- Dr. Hauptmann, now incredibly impressed, asks Werner what else he can make with the parts on the table
- Werner says he can make a “Doorbell, Morse beacon, and ohmmeter”
- Dr. Hauptmann tells him to make them all
- Werner says he can make a “Doorbell, Morse beacon, and ohmmeter”
- In Saint-Malo, the Germans demand that the French give them their weapons
- They give the Germans their weapons because they did not want to be shot
- They give the Germans their weapons because they did not want to be shot
- Etienne and Marie-Laure bond and make jokes
- Etienne tells her about the places where he has studied
- Etienne tells her about the places where he has studied
- After proving himself as a good engineer to Dr. Hauptmann, Werner is summoned by the technical science teachers and asked his interest in science
- Werner tells them that he taught himself physics and trigonometry
- Werner tells them that he taught himself physics and trigonometry
- Dr, Hauptmann tells Werner that he will work in the laboratory every night
- Werner remembers Jutta bragging about Werner being so good at science and engineering to government officials
- Werner is summoned to his technical sciences professor's office (Dr.Hauptmann’s office)
- The esteemed student Frank Volkheimer is also in the office
- Dr. Hauptmann asks if Werner can perform trigonometry
- Werner responds that he can do only what he has taught himself
- Werner responds that he can do only what he has taught himself
- Hauptmann gives Werner the trigonometric function that allows the mathematician to find the third point of a triangle, when given the other two
- He then gives Werner two points and asks him to find the third point
- He then gives Werner two points and asks him to find the third point
- Werner solves the equation correctly
- Dr. Hauptmann tells Werner that he will work with him every night in the laboratory
- Before Werner leaves his office Dr. Hauptmann gives Werner a tin of cookies
- When back in the room Werner gives Fredrick a cookie, as he talks to Werner about the eagle owl he heard that night
- Werner thoughts are elsewhere though, as he thinks about what his future in science may come to be
- Werner thoughts are elsewhere though, as he thinks about what his future in science may come to be
- Werner writes a letter to Jutta explaining how Dr. Hauptmann will recommend him to powerful Nazi officials that will give him a good education
- Parts of the letter are censored, including descriptions of the projects that Dr. Hauptmann gives Werner
- Werner explains that Dr. Hauptmann is stimulating his creativity and letting him work hard to help the Führer
- Werner writes a letter to Jutta explaining how the story of Reiner Schicker was shared to all of the boys
- Reiner Schicker was a German soldier who volunteered to go behind Polish lines
- He was caught and killed
- He was caught and killed
- Schicker was extremely loyal to the Nazi’s
- Werner writes Frederick’s opinion on the story, but it was censored (implying that Reiner Schicker may not be real)
- Reiner Schicker was a German soldier who volunteered to go behind Polish lines
- Werner ends the letter with “Sieg Heil” (Doerr 163).
- Werner writes a letter to Jutta explaining the field exercises that he has done
- He says that the boys are excited to cross the English Channel
- They also want to conquer a country, but it is censored (Britain)
- They also want to conquer a country, but it is censored (Britain)
- Werner enjoys spending time with Frederick who points out different types of birds
- The reader is introduced to the character Claude Levitte
- Claude is sitting in his butcher shop during a hot October day in Saint-Malo
- German soldiers pass him, and he notes his admiration for their manners and confidence
- German soldiers pass him, and he notes his admiration for their manners and confidence
- Claude sees Marie-Laure father, who is a Parisian, making notes of the buildings around him in a small notebook
- He decides the authorities should know about this suspicious behavior
- He decides the authorities should know about this suspicious behavior
- Time has gone by, Marie-Laure and her father have not gone back to Paris yet
- Marie-Laure figures out she has spend around 1/3 of a year in Saint-Malo
- She has gotten very close to Etienne
- Her father is making models so she can navigate the streets on her own
- He also is not letting her go outside
- She is eager for him to finish the model, so she can go outside
- She them remembers what the boys told he a while ago, “They’ll probably take the blind girls before they take the gimps. Make them do things” (Doerr 167).
- She them remembers what the boys told he a while ago, “They’ll probably take the blind girls before they take the gimps. Make them do things” (Doerr 167).
- He also is not letting her go outside
- Time passes and the mayor of Saint-Malo tax the citizens
- He says this is on behalf of the Nazi’s
- He says this is on behalf of the Nazi’s
- People are ignoring the cruel actions that the Nazi’s are doing and this time becomes known as the “[t]ime of the ostriches” (Doerr 167).
- Marie-Laure’s father continues to make models of the city
- Werner describes his warrant officer ‘Bastian’ speaks of his tendency to recite state-sown dicta.
- Bastian calls on cadet to elect the weakest boy present
- Boy called forward (Ernst) is given a ten second head start to start the race.
- Werner thinks of Jutta when preparing for the race to begin
- Werner thinks to himself of what will happen if Ernst were to be caught, as he sees the fastest boys inching in on Ernst
- Ernst crosses the line split seconds before the rest of the pack
- Marie-Laure and her family receive a paper, form the Germans, stating that everyone must relinquish all radios in their possession
- Etienne is locking himself in his brothers room and does not get word of the message
- Madame Manec and Daniel pack all of Ettienes raidos up and deliver them to the Germans
- Marie-Laure does not tell them about the radio transmitting set up in her Grandfather's old room, and they do not discover it
- Von Rumpel wakes up and gets ready for his first assignment of the day
- In Paris, he talks with Professor Hublin in the National Museum
- Hublin shows von Rumpel a catalog of priceless gems in the museum
- Hublin shows von Rumpel a catalog of priceless gems in the museum
- Von Rumpel asks to see the gems that are not in the catalog
- Hublin says that would not be possible and tries to redirect his attention to other items in the museum
- Von Rumpel will not take “no” for an answer
- Von Rumpel will not take “no” for an answer
- Hublin says that would not be possible and tries to redirect his attention to other items in the museum
- Von Rumpel later asks Hublin in a casual manner how his children are
- Hublin is tired of this and takes von Rumpel to a safe
- Von Rumpel is impressed how they were able to keep such a hidden safe
- In the safe, there is “[a] blue stone as big as a pigeon’s egg” (Doerr 180).
Chapter 57 The Wardrobe
- Marie-Laure keeps herself up at night until she hears her uncle leave her Grandfather's old room
- When she hears him leave the room she quietly goes to meet him
- She tells him about the German notice that required them to get rid of the radios
- Etienne is shocked and whispers rhymes to calm himself
- Etienne is shocked and whispers rhymes to calm himself
- Marie-Laure tells Ettiene she did not tell Madame Manec and her father about the radio in the attic
- Out of fear that the house will be searched they move a massive dresser in front of the door to the attic
- Out of fear that the house will be searched they move a massive dresser in front of the door to the attic
- Werner recalls Ernst being sent home five days after being elected weakest among the group of boys
- Hauptmann challenges Werner to fix increasingly complicated radio designs
- Werner wonders if Jutta has forgiven him while being supervised by Hauptmann
- Werner notices Fredericks physical and mental state deteriorating
- Werner looks on as he and Frederick watch older boys shooting volleys of rounds of ammunition into trees around the school hoping to provoke and kill birds.
Letter 5
- Daniel Leblanc receives a telegram telling him to “Return to Paris [at the] end of [the] month” and to “Travel Securely”(Doerr 186)
- Marie-Laure’s father has finished the model of Saint-Malo
- Marie-Laure will be able to study this and become familiar with the city
- Marie-Laure will be able to study this and become familiar with the city
- Marie-Laure’s father has an internal struggle where he does not know if he has the real Sea of Flames
- If he does, it could be cursed meaning Marie-Laure is in danger
- If he does, it could be cursed meaning Marie-Laure is in danger
- Marie-Laure’s father tells her that he received a telegram telling him to go to Paris
- One night, Marie-Laure’s father helps her bathe
- He feels guilty that he will leave without her
- Marie-Laure asks her father if he really is leaving
- He says that he will only be gone for around 10 days
- Marie-Laure is sad and makes him promise he will only be gone for 10 days
- Marie-Laure is sad and makes him promise he will only be gone for 10 days
- He says that he will only be gone for around 10 days
- He feels guilty that he will leave without her
- Werner watches as the weather slowly shifts from clear skies to the clearest snow he has ever seen fall on the lawns
- Bastian the warrant officer reminds the cadets that coming home to the Führer’s home is the only home that is important
- Bastian speaks at the cadets as they perform drills, reminding them of the two types of death and that the weak die easy, then asks them dramatically how they will die
- Bastian requests that a cadet elect another who they believe is the weakest, Frederick is chosen and seems more distracted than worried
- Frederick is caught by the eager boys to see what will happen if one is outrun
- Frederick is asked by Bastian whether he is the weakest cadet, the answer given prompts Bastian to hand the cadet which elected Frederick a hose
- The cadet swings the hose at Frederick and is commanded to hit Frederick countless more times by Bastian
- Werner helps a bloodied and beaten Frederick to his feet and along the path as the group runs onward through the snow
- Daniel LeBlanc gets arrested outside of Vitre
- Two policeman seize him and take him to be questioned
- First he is interrogated by Frenchman than by Germans
- First he is interrogated by Frenchman than by Germans
- Two policeman seize him and take him to be questioned
- Daniel is brought to a cell, but is certain that the director of the museum will come and clear everything up
- The next morning Daniel is questioned again
- Two days after his arrest he is brought to a “holding pen” (Doerr 196)
- The other prisoners convince themselves they will only be held for a few months
- All the prisoners are brought to Germany
- Daniel is constantly praying for and thinking of Marie-Laure