All the Light We Cannot See
Time of the Ostriches
by Anthony, Doerr,Marie-Laure remains confined in her great-uncle Etienne’s house in Saint-Malo, counting the days—now over 120—since she last went outside. She reminisces about the attic transmitter that once carried her grandfather’s voice across the world, a stark contrast to her current isolation. Her father, absorbed in building a model, avoids answering her pleas to venture outside. Meanwhile, Madame Manec’s kitchen buzzes with grim tales of Parisians resorting to desperate measures, like selling wine or smuggling meat, as resources grow scarce under wartime restrictions. The chapter paints a picture of claustrophobia and unease, with Marie-Laure’s world shrinking to the confines of the house.
Life in Saint-Malo is fraught with unspoken rules and shortages. Residents face fines for trivial offenses, while luxuries like truffles and sparkling wine vanish. The atmosphere is tense, with icy winds mirroring the chilling absence of normalcy. Marie-Laure copes by meticulously organizing Etienne’s seashells, a ritual that underscores her need for control in a chaotic world. Her father’s refusal to let her outside echoes a haunting memory about the vulnerability of blind girls, hinting at darker threats lurking beyond the walls. The city’s isolation and paranoia are palpable, as even simple human interactions become fraught with danger.
The chapter’s title, “Time of the Ostriches,” reflects the townspeople’s divided responses to the occupation. Some accuse the mayor of betrayal, while others question what alternatives exist. Madame Manec’s quiet remark—“Maybe everybody does”—suggests a collective denial or helplessness. Meanwhile, Madame Manec herself grows weary, dozing at the table and struggling to climb the stairs to Etienne’s room. Her small acts of kindness, like delivering food to the sick, contrast with the broader sense of despair. The narrative captures the exhaustion and resilience of ordinary people trying to maintain dignity amid collapse.
Marie-Laure’s father works feverishly on his model, as if racing against an invisible clock, while the world outside deteriorates. Military boats patrol the coast, and the sound of gulls dropping shellfish on the roof startles Marie-Laure at night. The chapter closes with a sense of impending doom, as the characters grapple with their powerlessness. The “time of the ostriches” becomes a metaphor for the ways people cope—whether through denial, quiet resistance, or sheer survival—as war reshapes their lives. The summary underscores the tension between confinement and the unknown dangers beyond, leaving Marie-Laure and the reader yearning for freedom.
FAQs
1. What does Marie-Laure’s daily counting of her confinement days reveal about her psychological state?
Answer:
Marie-Laure’s meticulous counting of each day (reaching 120-121) demonstrates her acute awareness of prolonged isolation and the psychological toll of being confined. This ritual suggests both her desperate need for structure in an uncertain world and her quiet resilience. The counting becomes a coping mechanism, anchoring her to reality while highlighting her longing for freedom. Her focus on numbers mirrors her father’s precision with models, showing how both characters create order amidst chaos.2. How does the chapter use contrasting imagery to portray life in occupied Saint-Malo?
Answer:
The chapter contrasts idyllic memories of pre-war life (lovers strolling ramparts, sunbathing, singing) with the grim reality of occupation (no eye contact, whispered conversations, arbitrary fines). This juxtaposition emphasizes how war transforms social norms. The “icy winds” symbolize both literal and metaphorical coldness permeating the city, while the disappearing luxuries (truffles, sparkling wine) represent the erosion of normalcy. The contrast heightens the sense of loss and oppression.3. Analyze the significance of the “time of the ostriches” metaphor in the chapter.
Answer:
The “ostriches” metaphor captures the collective denial and moral ambiguity of occupation. Madame Manec’s rhetorical question—”Do we have our heads in the sand or do they?“—reflects the confusion about who bears responsibility for the worsening conditions. The metaphor extends to the mayor’s controversial compromises (“new tax”) and the townspeople’s divided opinions, illustrating how war blurs moral clarity. Marie-Laure’s observation that “maybe everybody does” suggests universal human vulnerability to self-deception during crises.4. How do the different characters’ coping mechanisms reveal their responses to trauma?
Answer:
Each character develops distinct survival strategies: Marie-Laure organizes seashells with obsessive precision, creating tactile order. Her father works frenetically on models, channeling anxiety into craftsmanship. Madame Manec copes through caretaking (baking, delivering food), while Etienne withdraws completely. These responses—from compulsive organization to altruism to isolation—paint a spectrum of human resilience. Notably, Marie-Laure’s blindness necessitates non-visual coping mechanisms, making her shell-sorting particularly poignant.5. What thematic purpose does the anecdote about the perfumer smuggling lamb serve?
Answer:
The perfumer’s grotesque adaptation (slaughtering lambs, transporting meat in suitcases) illustrates war’s distortion of normal commerce and morality. This detail, alongside the dentist selling wine by mail, shows how professionals abandon ethics for survival. It reinforces the chapter’s exploration of resource scarcity and the black market economy under occupation. The absurd image of suitcases full of lamb meat particularly underscores the desperation and ingenuity born of deprivation, serving as a microcosm of societal breakdown.
Quotes
1. “Still they do not return to Paris. Still she does not go outside. Marie-Laure counts every day she has been shut up in Etienne’s house. One hundred and twenty. One hundred and twenty-one.”
This opening passage establishes the claustrophobic tension and passage of time under occupation, emphasizing Marie-Laure’s isolation and the psychological toll of confinement.
2. “In Saint-Malo, people are fined for locking their doors, for keeping doves, for hoarding meat… No eye contact. No chatter in doorways. No sunbathing, no singing, no lovers strolling the ramparts in the evenings—such rules are not written down, but they may as well be.”
A powerful depiction of the silent oppression under occupation, showing how everyday freedoms disappear through both official decrees and unspoken social enforcement.
3. “It becomes known as the time of the ostriches. ‘Do we have our heads in the sand, Madame? Or do they?’ ‘Maybe everybody does,’ she murmurs.”
This exchange captures the chapter’s central metaphor of willful ignorance during crisis, questioning who bears responsibility for confronting difficult truths in wartime.
4. “Marie-Laure endures the slow rain of hours by running her fingers over his seashells down in his study, ordering them by size, by species, by morphology, checking and rechecking their order, trying to make sure she has not missorted a single one.”
A poignant illustration of how Marie-Laure copes with uncertainty and lack of control through meticulous organization, reflecting the human need for order in chaotic times.