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  • Essay / Similarities between “All the Light We Cannot See” and “Life is Beautiful”

    “Historical fiction tells the stories of ordinary people living in extraordinary times,” as Ellen Klages says, and it is through these stories of ordinary people that we can deepen our understanding of the human experience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Stories that uncover our clouded view of history allow us to restore righteousness and empower marginalized voices who need to be heard. History itself is a complex story written by the powerful in an attempt to influence and shape our sense of identity and belonging. It is through historical fiction that speakers are invited to re-evaluate what the victors told them and, by recognizing that this is not the only story, they are encouraged to engage in dialogue with marginalized individuals. Throughout Anthony Doerr's postmodern novel, All The Light We Cannot See, we witness an exploration of the true complexity of human nature as he points out that dichotomies such as "powerful" and "powerless" do not show not a true representation of minority groups. Similarly, in the film Life is Beautiful, directed by Roberto Benigni, we see the use of the fable form to transform the story into a fairy tale, thus reconstructing the story into one of hope rather than despair . The depictions of minority groups presented in these texts allow us, as audiences, to deepen our understanding of individual and universal experiences and, in doing so, break down the unique story of our history. It is through dichotomies that macro-narratives are able to harness the power to blind audiences to the true complexity of human nature. Doerr hopes to convey this complexity by showing that there is always more to a story than what the dominant powers tell us, as foreshadowed in the title of the novel All the Light We Cannot See. Throughout the novel, there is a constant recognition of light and darkness, particularly through the characterization of Marie-Laure who is physically blind. Although aside from the literal depiction of light and dark, Doerr explores the connection of light and dark to good and evil and how much these themes overlap in the characters. Although Marie-Laure is physically blind and in the dark, unable to see intricate details such as facial expressions, she very strongly represents the pure, moralistic side of the story, looking for the good in everyone she meets, even if he is told differently or told something different. doubts herself. This expression of resistance to a character's classification can also be seen through the characterization of Jutta who questions whether the morals of the Nazi regime are not as pure or good as she is told, even if they are not. not aware of the evil actions and has no reason to object to them. By implementing situations in which a character is offered a path that leads them strongly toward the light or toward the darkness but chooses to hesitate, Doerr positions the audience to recognize that not everything is that simple that dichotomies such as “heroes” and “villains” and that the story is much more complex than the dominant stories we have been told. By creating a direct link between imagination and reality, stories have the potential to empower the powerless and create a new reality for those involved. Benigni constructs Guido as someone who is.