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8. Water
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in All the Light We Cannot See, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
World War II, the Nazis, and the French Resistance
Interconnectedness and Separation
Fate, Duty, and Free Will
Family
Science and “Ways of Seeing”
Summary
Analysis
Under the hotel, Werner tries to fix his radio. As he works, Volkheimer mentions that his great-grandfather was a sawyer (person who saws timber) for the navy. Above them, Werner and Volkheimer hear the sounds of more bombs. Volkheimer admits that as a younger man, he was desperate to leave the army—Werner admits that he was, too.
The more Volkheimer and Werner talk, the more they realize they have in common. Outside the environment of rigid discipline, danger, and violence, they finally have the chance to become actual friends. Clearly Werner wasn’t alone in feeling trapped by his duty to the army.
Themes
