Genetta asked this question about All the Light We Cannot See:
[Spoiler Alert] Why do you think the author decided to add the rape scene? Does it add anything to the characters' arcs? Does it propel the plot forward? Does anything result from that scene? Frau Elena, Jutta, and the other three girls were already obviously miserable. The reader has already experienced the cruelty of war. Why was the rape scene necessary?
Hannah Monroe Honestly, the scene was completely pointless. It's the only thing we really hear about from Jutta, and the scene itself is never revisited, and it doe…moreHonestly, the scene was completely pointless. It's the only thing we really hear about from Jutta, and the scene itself is never revisited, and it doesn't really come up again through her characterization. It serves no purpose to the plot and just takes away from the overall effect of the novel. I was a fan of this book until this scene, but it was executed terribly and is disrespectful to the woman who had to endure the same fate.(less)
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by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author)
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