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I agree that this is probably one of the most important moments for Werner in opening his eyes.

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Advanced: You do a fantastic job of finding and connecting examples!  

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Advanced: You do a fantastic job of finding and connecting examples!  

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I like how you incorporated both the light and dark imagery with the idea of propaganda and losing control.

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This last part of the quote really goes with your title, "waking up". The last line, "Name me someone who does not." the unspoken response is "Jutta and Frrederick".  which you connected with Werner's realization.

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I really like the fact that you picked up on the return of Werner's childhood curiosity in his last moments!

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In the beginning of the book we are introduced to this curious child named Werner Pfennig. We learn about his ambition and goals, and his unfortunate situation. The book shows that we will never have true control of our situations, only how we perceive and react to them. Propaganda is then introduced into Pfennig's life, he is fed illusions of living a rich life. Werner buys into this idea of using the Nazi party to achieve his goals while not realizing that its effect is just the opposite. He is warned by Jutta, and then shown by Frederick. Two characters in the book who kept their eyes open. However Werner still has his eyes closed because it is easier than looking at the reality of the situation. We see that he stops questioning things for what they truly are and begins to take them for what he is told and hopes. Eventually he realizes what everyone has been explaining to him. He opens his eyes again and realizes that he is in too deep, that he has no true control of his situation (as represented by being trapped underground). However like the book says he is given an opportunity to finally take control by saving Marie Laure. The book asks if you will be ready for this time and Werner shows he is. We finally see the true strength and bravery Werner has, that he probably got from Jutta and Frederick. At the end of the book we see that Werner's curiosity has returned through his final quote. THe book ends with Werner taking his life, a final and true act of him taking control. Not allowing to be controlled by the propaganda any longer. This book truly shows the power of propaganda and how effective it can be, especially when you think you realize but truy do not. It also shows the importance of doing what you can and being yourself no matter what because that is true bravery, strength, and free will. You can only ever truly control yourself

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"Why doesn't the wind move the light"
Pg - 482
Werner asks this final question before stepping on a land mine and dying. I think that this quote has two meanings. For a more literal sense I think it refers to Werner having gotten back his questioning of the world that he had before he was corrupted by the propaganda. However I also think that this quote has a deeper meaning. I think he is really asking why he is able to still find the light after having his eyes closed for so long. This would for one reference back to another quote in the book talking about how if you look for darkness you will find it because it is easy to close our eyes, but if you look for light more often than not you will find it. But it is also Werner acknowledging what he has done wrong and probably being thankful that he can finally take control.

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"Werner lunges for Volkheimer's rifle. All your life you wait, and then it finally comes, and are you ready?"
Pg - 465
This takes place when Werner shoots Von Rumpel. I think that the quote is referring to the one big moment in your life where it is do or die. He has his eyes open now and knows it has two outcomes. He wins and takes control, or he loses and he loses all control. However because of everything that has happened in Werner's life I think he is finally ready to take control because he truly understands the consequences of having your eyes closed.

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"A boy at Schulpforta once described for Werner a rally at Nuremberg: an ocean of banners and flags, he said, masses of boys teeming in the lights, and the fürer himself on an altar a half mile away, spot-lights illuminating pillars behind him, the atmosphere oversaturated with meaning and anger and righteousness, Hans Schilzer crazy for it, Herribert Pomsel crazy for it, every boy at Schulpforta crazy for it, and the only person in Werner's life who could see through all that stage-craft was his younger sister. How? How did Jutta understand so much more about how the world worked? While he knew so little?"
Pg - 393
I think that this ties in with the last quote about Werner opening his eyes. He now has them open and sees how the Nazi propaganda had affected everyone, and how Jutta had been able to keep her eyes open.

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"Werner waits for the child to blink. Blink, he thinks, blink blink blink. Already Volkheimer is closing the closet door, though it won't close all the way because the girl's foot is sticking out of it, and Bernd is covering the woman on the bed with a blanket, and how could Neumann Two not have known, but of course he didn't, because that is how things are with Neumann two, with everybody in this unit, in this army, in this world, they do as they're told, they get scared, they move about with only themselves in mind. Name me someone who does not."
Pg - 368
This is the change in the book where Werner finally is seeing clearly. He understands what Jutta and Frederick were trying to explain to him. Again he is still not taking the control he could or fighting for what he truly believes, but this is a big turning point for Werner.

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"You will be given your orders when the school is ready to give you your orders. No sooner. We serve the Reich, Pfennig. It does not serve us."
"In the hall with the door shut behind him, Werner presses his forehead against the wall, and a vision of his father's last moments comes to him, the crushing press of the tunnels, the ceiling lowering. Jaw pinned against the floor. Skull splintering. I cannot go home, he thinks. And I cannot stay."
Pg - 272
This is when Werner finally realizes he has lost all control of his life, or maybe he has given up all control.  He still does not try to take the control back however but he is at least aware of the reality of the situation. He realizes some of the consequence of his actions.

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"Of course it matters. I want to be an engineer. And you want to study birds. Be like that American painter in the swamps. Why else do any of this if not to become who we want to be?
A stillness in the room. Out there in the trees beyond Frederick's window hangs an alien light.
Your problem, Werner, is that you still believe you own your life."
Pg - 223
This is the first time since Jutta that someone has introduced this idea to Werner but he still does not see it. In fact, Werner thinks that Frederick is weak and the one who is not doing anything (not taking control of his life for good). When in reality Frederick is doing everything he can, he is the one taking control while Werner is taking the easy route through darkness.

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"A scientist's work cadet, is determined by two things. His interests and the interests of his time. Do you understand?"
"You will work in the laboratory after dinner. Every night. Even Sundays.
Yes, sir.
Start tomorrow.
Yes, sir."
Pg - 154
These two quotes show how Werner begins to lose his freedom while still thinking that he has control of the situation and is doing the right thing. When in fact he has his eyes clamped shut living in the darkness.

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"The only place your brother is going, little girl, is into the mines. As soon as he turns fifteen. Same as every other boy in this house.
Pg - 58
This is where the theme of Werner's control of his fate and actions begins or is revealed. Throughout the book he struggles with recognizing what control he has, as well as simply taking control. He also has a tendency to  take the easy route whether it is the right thing to do or not. I will refer to this as I believe the author did throughout the book as looking for darkness and easily finding it instead of opening his eyes and looking for the light.

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"It’s not forever, Jutta. Two years, maybe. Half the boys who get admitted don’t manage to graduate. But maybe I’ll learn something; maybe they’ll teach me to be a proper engineer. Maybe I can learn to fly an airplane, like little Siegfried says. Don’t shake your head, we’ve always wanted to see the inside of an airplane, haven’t we? I’ll fly us west, you and me, Frau Elena too if she wants. Or we could take a train. We’ll ride through forests and villages de montagnes, all those places Frau Elena talked about when we were small. Maybe we could ride all the way to Paris.” The burgeoning light. The tender hissing of the grass. Jutta opens her eyes but doesn’t look at him. “Don’t tell lies. Lie to yourself, Werner, but don’t lie to me.”
Pg - 133
This is the true began of Werner's descent into darkness. He chooses this option because it is easy. By doing this he is closing his eyes and looking for the dark. He lies to himself and believes that he will be able to control his situation and it will make him successful.

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The theme that I will be pursuing is Werner Pfennig's descent into the Nazi Culture. In the beginning of the book we can see Werner is at the least hesitant/cautious of the Nazi party, however throughout the book his character undergoes many changes and leads him to do the things he does. I will be finding quotes from specific times when his character is changing and explaining the significance.