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By Marie-Laure reading this book during her radio broadcasts it symbolises resistance and provides hope for those listening.

The novel enables Marie-Laure to use her inner strength and navigate her way through the devastating war which had consumed her life.

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The Sea of Flames symbolises the need of control and power. This is shown through constant fighting for the gemstone, and helps to portray Reinhold von Rumpel's character.

It drives the plot of this story, being both ordinary and extraordinary, though the diamond loses it's value in the end as it is seen as a banal thing.

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"That as long as he kept the stone, he could not be killed" pg 21. This refers to the Prince who was in possession of the Sea of Flames and the curse attached to it. The curse declared whoever has the stone will live for eternity though the owners loved ones will receive much misfortune.

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Marie-Laure's character develops throughout the novel. This includes her loss of sight, adapting to living in a war-torn city, surviving the losses of her loved ones and rebuilding her life after the war.

"When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave. When my father left, people said I was brave. But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don't you do the same?" pg 469. Marie-Laure's resilience and determination is shown throughout this passage, which had been strengthened in previous chapters. Although horrible things had happened to her, she saw no other option than to persevere. This reinforces the strong-willed, resilient and intelligent character she is.

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Reinhold Von Rumpel is a villain driven by ambition, aiming to gain power through stealing the Sea of Flames.

He is patriotic and likes bringing glory towards his own country, though doesn't see any wrong in the activities he partakes in when they are extremely inhumane.

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"I did. After the war. Took me years." pg-160 Etienne responded to Marie-Laure's query about his radio. He is highly intelligent, especially with radio knowledge and this plays a role in part of his charm.

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Etienne's acts symbolise his past war experiences and the impact which they have on his mental health. Due to this he lives a very isolated and reclusive life, although opens up to Marie-Laure occasionally. As the story progresses he strives to protect her, for instance "But you may no longer do these things in this house. And you may not do them with my great-niece" pg-282 relates to when he told Madame Manec to stop committing criminal acts in order to keep Marie-Laure safe.

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On Marie-Laure's 16th birthday she receives both parts of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' in braille. This allows her to cope with her current state of depression, and escape life in war into the fantasy world of Jules Verne (author). It also enables her to feel a sense of connection with her father as they read the book together before he was taken.

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As time passes, Marie-Laure inspires Etienne to take action against the Germans and join the French Resistance. He helps through broadcasting important messages on the radio. This is significant as without help from Etienne the progression of the Allies would've been delayed.

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Without the radio Werner wouldn't have saved Marie-Laure as his past memories of the broadcasting compelled him to guide her to safety.

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The radio is seen as a motif in the story as it constantly reoccurs, becoming extremely significant.The radio was the only connection between Werner and Marie-Laure for majority of the novel, therefore a major symbol. It was used as a tool, allowing Marie-Laure to gain an insight to what was happening in the war as she couldn't physically see.

Werner and Marie-Laure are connected through the radio as Werner used to listen to Marie-Laure's grandfather broadcast, though now he listens to Marie-Laure on the same channel instead.

As the story develops the radios symbolism strengthens in both Werner and Marie-Laure's lives, though in different ways. Werner uses the radio to find a sense of purpose, whereas Marie-Laure uses it to receive critical information aiding her survival.

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Etienne stated "I wasn't trying to reach England. Or Paris. I thought that if I made the broadcast powerful enough, my brother would hear me" pg 161. His brother was very special to him and tried to bring peace to his brother through the broadcasts. This is seen as a coping mechanism, similar to how Marie-Laure copes by reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea during times of distress.

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Werner is an intelligent, young boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He has a strong moral compass and when forced to track radio signals and kill innocent people he wonders if he'll be able to live with his choices. This is understood through Doerr's description "Werner's fever seems like an externalisation of his inner turmoil-its like his body is physically rejecting the hypocrisy he is forcing upon himself in trying to believe that everyone he kills deserves to die".

Before Werner left Jutta was explaining that they would train him to become a cog in the Nazi military machine and he would never experience freedom again after being accepted into the most prestigious Nazi school. He responded with "It's not forever, Jutta. Two years, Maybe." pg 133 This showed his hope and resilience before he was taken into the army.

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As time goes on Werner's enthusiasm towards radios and learning new concepts vanishes. Along with his hope of survival.

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After spending a prolonged amount of time in the Nazi camp Werner develops self-hatred. He remembers his youth and listening to the radio, where he recalls something the Frenchman said, "Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever" pg 264. This enabled him to recognise that the Nazi's only allow him to study as they need efficient ways to kill enemies.

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Reinhold Von Rumpel is the primary antagonist in the novel. He is able to create and build much tension through the stories progression. His character symbolises the destructive nature of the Nazi party, and his act to pursue the Sea of Flames can be related to Germany's endeavour to rule the world.

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Marie-Laure's strong connection to her father (Daniel) is present when hiding from Reinhold Von Rumple. When she was unsure of what to do she imagined what her father would say, which encouraged her to stay where she was and remain secure in the attic.

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When approaching the resolution both Marie-Laure and Werner go to the beach where she opens the gate and places a small wooden object in the grotto. This act shows the protagonist returning the diamond to the sea and fulfilling the legend, also staying true to herself by honouring the promise made with her father.