I Would Die For Frederick

- an infodump account abt a silly book teehee - Moved to Kanataslays for Enstars content - ex viktor (arcane) fan account 2021- early 2022

[fredericksupremacy]

Its been almost a year since I read all the light we cannot see and i am excited to announce something soon :)

if nobody makes frederick content, then I will

[fredericksupremacy]

hello Frederick Nation... I am struggling to recover from the catastrophic international disaster that was the 2023 Netflix adaptation of All The Light We Cannot See.

[fredericksupremacy]

All of my atlwcs cartoons,,,but its just Frederick ft. Werner,,, was messing around with character designs a few months ago and i was inspired by @skipblebee posting their art so i was like,, sure lets post my stuff!!!

Frederick's hair was under development here,,, i wanted his design to show his carefree and inattentive personality, however, I later changed it to something more historically accurate (which I will show you later!)

[fredericksupremacy]

DID YOU MAKE THE FANART OF WERNER AND FREDERICK IN YOUR BANNER YOURSLEF???????? because WOW it looks awesome I think it might be one of my favourite atlwcs fanarts ever

YES I DID!!! All the art I have on here is drawn by me lol,, while i was reading atlwcs, i was also applying for animation school, and part of my portfolio work was visdev stuff of frederick and werner :D so thats where it came from! I'm gonna post better quality versions,, thank you SO SO MUCH!!!!!!

[poeedamerons]

I anticipated it, and despite my futile hopes, it happened. One of the most masterfully written books on World War II was transformed into an overly dramatic series lacking any complexity, glorifying a Nazi as our heroic figure. If you can't grasp how messed up these changes are, then just get out.

This wasn't an adaptation; it was a complete distortion of the original story. Having read the book, it's infuriating to witness the show's blatant disregard for the profound moments that reveal the humanity in people, the major moral dilemmas, and the portrayal of Werner as inherently good, wiping away all shades of his moral complexity. He's essentially an entirely different character, suggesting a world where individuals are either inherently virtuous or irredeemably evil, with no middle ground. Werner's numerous transgressions are trivialized and never brought to light, leaving his path to redemption woefully incomplete. His character portrayal is utterly disjointed.

And Marie... she was as unremarkable as the color beige. It's not just about her acting skills (acknowledging she's a newcomer), but her entire character lacked any memorable impact.

Werner is a brilliantly written character who evokes our sympathy, as he was just a small grain of sand on a vast beach. Even though he had little control over his circumstances, he was still a part of the bigger picture. His most redeeming moment came when he helped Marie, making his eventual death in the book all the more heart-wrenching. He found a glimmer of light within himself, only to meet a tragic end, while someone like Volkheimer, who way less deserving, survives and grows old. The injustice of this situation was painfully evident. However, all of this depth and complexity is missing in the show. It's like it never existed.

Moreover, the absence of Frederik, who represents the greatest source of light and humanity in this book, is a significant loss. Frederik played a crucial role in Werner's personal growth. He is also an element of resistance, and his absence robs the story of an important element.

A major oversight was aging the characters in the adaptation. Portraying them as children would have underscored the loss of their innocence and the cruel theft of their youth and early adulthood by the ravages of war. It could have highlighted the extent of their suffering during that time, a reality that is frequently disregarded. War leaves spares no one and the book is brutal about it.

The alterations in the storyline didn't align with the original narrative and it was disservice. The portrayal of the scene where Werner fixes the radio was entirely inaccurate. Moreover, all the German adult characters were depicted as cartoonish embodiments of evil – there were no layers of complexity. In the book, they were initially amiable towards Werner, but their behavior changed not because they are some cartoonish evils, but due to the complexity of human nature. They were kind to Werner because they wanted something from him, and once their purpose was served, the pretense disappeared, as Werner comes to realize.

The show completely mishandles the chronology, revealing crucial details about the Battle of Saint Malo without delving into the complexity of why the characters are the way they are or how they arrived at their current situations. The portrayal comes across as overly simplistic and lacking the depth present in the book, as if the producers attempted to compensate for this by sprinkling a handful of meaningful quotes, hoping to capture the essence of the profound analysis found within the book.

The decision to have the characters speak English with their national accents was distracting and bordered on being caricature-like. While I understand the desire to appeal to an American audience, it seems questionable whether the series would even be marketable there. Aside from the general American taste for hero-focused war movies and the presence of Mark Ruffalo, there seems to be little appeal for the American audience. Presenting a Nazi character as a hero would likely not sit well with viewers. It might have been more effective for the show to cast German or French actors and have them speak their respective languages, which could have added at least layer of authenticity to the series.

To be honest, I could continue to elaborate on how this show tells an entirely different story. With the characters aged and Werner surviving the Battle of Saint Malo, the essence of the narrative undergoes a significant shift. Overall, the series fails to capture the poignant essences of the book, offering viewers a simplified and emotionally detached rendition of what was originally a profound narrative.

Apart from the fact that not all Nazis enjoyed being Nazis, I’m not sure what we’re supposed to take away from this series… even the significance behind the title of the book seems to have been overlooked and might not be understood by the audience.

Honestly... this was four hours too long.

[fredericksupremacy]

The fact that so many people are mentioning Frederick's removal only proves how incredibly important he is, not only to the readers but to the story as a whole.

[stuckonpageone]

All the Light We Cannot See

Finished the Netflix adaptation and it was... okay. Just okay. I'm surprised it was only 4 episodes, tbh. Thought they'd milk it for at least 10 episodes and a lot of stuff was cut from the book... like his whole friend at the horrible school who literally changed his life??? Frederick. The one who reminded him of his humanity and was the whole turning point for him trying to do better with his life. It was so strange to see that pivotal character removed. I have to say, I'm glad I didn't see him get beat nearly to death on screen, but I'm just shocked they just straight up removed that storyline.

Also, it's just hard in general to adapt a book that is carried primarily by its prose. It's not a very visual book, in that while the descriptions are lovely and detailed, it's not primed for a teleplay. So much film and TV lacks subtlety these days -- especially Netflix stuff in particular. There's a lot more they could have done with it to try to translate some of the beautiful prose into a visual format. It just felt a little phoned in at times. I think Werner was well casted, but it was so strange to not hear any German or French... I don't know why every period film has to be with British accents (it was so weird to hear Mark Ruffalo attempt one lol.. it just sounded off).

Anyway, not to be like "the book was better", but the book was definitely better. Go read it.

[fredericksupremacy]

FREDERICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fredericksupremacy]

Dearest Followers...

From last April (?) to now, you have watched my delusional hyper-fixation on Frederick grow from mere curiosity in regard to his character, to solidified devotion. With the news of... recent events, I feel incredibly let down. From crying over what I thought would be his replacement, to seeing his name cast, to this underwhelming climax, I have accepted that any attempt to further build All The Light We Cannot See will end with the release of the Netflix show and therefore will be no chances for Frederick to get recognition beyond the 40-something pages in the book in which he is mentioned. Therefore, the Frederick nation must take charge.

I, unfortunately, am a first-year college student with an extensive amount of work on my hands... however, I will do whatever it takes to make Frederick relevant. For now, I will try and make fan art of canonical scenes in the book, however, I hope to actually produce an animated short (im an art student, i cant get actors yall) that will prove that you don't need a million scenes and pure book accuracy to still articulate an important relationship; that being between Werner and Frederick (take notes, netflix)

In addition, I'm a writer and would love to write some fake scenes for the book (imagine if Frederick was like,,, a main character) so please request prompts!

Thats all for my rant, have a good day!

[fredericksupremacy]

someone pls leak all the clips of Frederick

[fredericksupremacy]

read some reviews and i am LIVID. I will make my own Frederick content once im free from college work because he was done dirty

[fredericksupremacy]

did they make Frederick insufferable, basic, or forgettable? I do not have high hopes for him (mourning his character atm)

[fredericksupremacy]

im still watching it.. its probably gonna be in spite tho

To be honest, from what I've heard about ATLWCS, I am not excited to watch it. I won't spoil but there's already many changes that are probably gonna have me tossing about in complete agony. If they mess up Frederick Im done.

[fredericksupremacy]

shoutout to my biggest fan @zestiestz

[fredericksupremacy]

#notmyfrederick

[fredericksupremacy]

OK EVERYONE FREDERICK HAS BEEN SECURED anyway now i need to know who plays him... and if his role was written well into the show,,, i know adaptations have a tendency to mess characters up so im hoping he's ok

[fredericksupremacy]

Now that I'm working towards a bachelor's degree, I probably won't post about Frederick until the actual release of atlwcs, however, i keep checking the cast list and my hope has been lost. be prepared for lots of anger and complaining when it comes out

[fredericksupremacy]

This is the REAL reason why Netflix removed Frederick

Of course, in the eyes of a billion-dollar streaming service, Werner needs to fulfill some degree of a teen heartthrob standard because obviously these writers hadn't read the room and realized thats inappropriate for the subject matter of atlwcs,,, BUT if they're gonna play that game, I have a couple cards to add to the deck:

Werner and Frederick had something going on.

And I'm guessing that concept insulted the little traditionalist babies at Netflix who were like NOOOO WERNER NEEDS 10000000 GIRLFRIENDS NOOO

but...

might I offer snippets from the book that say otherwise?

enjoy:

"Frederick flutters his fingers and asks, “Do you like birds?” “Sure.” “Do you know about hooded crows?” Werner shakes his head. “Hooded crows are smarter than most mammals. Even monkeys. I’ve seen them put nuts they can’t crack in the road and wait for cars to run over them to get at the kernel. Werner, you and I are going to be great friends, I’m sure of it.” (ok so obviously this was when they first met but look at how ADAMANT Frederick is about being Werner's friend like?!?!?! Werner is like erm ok birds r swag and then Frederick is like "OMG WE WERE LITERALLY MEANT TO MEET EACH OTHER")

"You would like Frederick I think. He sees what other people don’t" (Ok Werner, this is literally the equivalent to suggesting ur beloved should meet your parents, except its not Werners parents, it's his sister)

"Werner keeps to the center of the group as it strings out, his heart beating in dark confusion, wondering where Frederick is..." (dependancy... need i say more?)

"his boot and Frederick’s touch the ground at the exact same moment." (thank you Anthony for further proving that these two were MADE FOR EACHOTHER)

"Werner washes Frederick’s mess tin for him; he shares homework answers, shoe polish, sweets from Dr. Hauptmann; they run next to each other during field exercises." (DID YOU KNOW ACTS OF SERVICE IS A LOVE LANGUAGE)

small break but um

"Frederick stands in the middle, panting and blinking his long eyelashes." (SO HES PRETTY :3 all the more reasons for him to get between Werner and um,,, sandrinaaaa???)

"Frederick hardly ever thinks of himself. Frederick is stronger than he is in every imaginable way." (yes Werner, you enjoy him)

"Frederick slides open a drawer, and when he turns around, he’s wearing eyeglasses with black frames. He looks at Werner shyly. “Oh, come on, you didn’t already know?” With his glasses on, Frederick’s expression seems to ease; his face makes more sense—this, Werner thinks, is who he is. A soft-skinned boy in glasses with taffy-colored hair and the finest trace of a mustache needled across his lip. Bird lover. Rich kid." (DO I EVEN HAVE TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE?!?! WERNER IS ADMIRING HIM)

"They lie on their stomachs and page through comics, feeling the pleasure of being outside of school, glancing at each other now and then as if curious to learn whether their friendship will continue to exist in another place." (THE TENSION HERE IS WILDDD)

"Frederick takes Werner by the arm..." (TBH im just reaching at this point but um!! i dont see SANDRINA TAKING ANYONE BY THE ARM)

“And you must be Werner!” The smile sweeps back onto her face. “Frederick has written lots about you! Look at that hair! Oh, we adore guests.” (FREDERICK'S MUM HAS ACCESS TO SOME TOP TEIR CONTENT THAT WE COULD HAVE REALLY LIKED TO READ... anthony??)

"Every night he polishes Frederick’s boots for him until they shine a foot deep—one less reason for a bunk master, or Bastian, or an upperclassman to jump on him. Sunday mornings in the refectory, they sit quietly in a sunbeam and Werner helps him with his schoolwork. Frederick whispers that in the spring, he hopes to find skylark nests in the grasses outside the school walls." (more acts of service yipeee)

"Werner climbs into bed and stares up at the underside of Frederick’s mattress. A warm wind blows against the castle, and somewhere a shutter bangs and snowmelt trickles down the long downspouts. As quietly as he can manage, he whispers, “Are you awake?” Frederick leans over the side of his bunk, and for a moment in the nearly complete darkness Werner believes they will finally say to each other what they have not been able to say." (LISTEN HEAR ME OUT!!! I know exactly what happens after this snippet BUT the way its written sets the scene up to be something totally different and I'm living for it. LIIIVINNGGGG.

"He’s risking detention or worse; it’s a sunny, bright noon, but his heart is being crushed slowly in a vise, and everything is slow and hypnotic, and he watches his arm work as it pulls open the door as if he’s peering through several feet of blue water." (HIS HEART... thats how much he cares about Frederick, u guys!!!!)

“You look pretty,” he says. He does not look directly at Werner, and his words are close to moans. “You look pretty, very pretty, Mama.” “I’m not your mama,” hisses Werner. “Come on, now.” Frederick’s expression is entirely without artifice." (PROOF THAT WERNER IS ALSO PRETTY)

"Outside, shells fly back and forth. “We must get lower in the house,” she says. But for a moment they do not move. California Partridge. Common Gannet. Frigate Pelican. Werner can still see Frederick kneeling at his window, nose to the glass. Little gray bird hopping about in the boughs. Doesn’t look like much, does it? “Could I keep a page from this?” (SEE HERE?!?!?! WERNER IS WITH THE SUPPOSED LOVE OF HIS LIFE BUT HES LITERALLY JUST THINKING ABOUT FREDERICK. YOU GUYS NEED TO UNDERSTAND!!!!!)

"He has written For Frederick across the front. Frederick: the bunkmate Werner used to write about, the boy who loved birds." (THIS IS FROM JUTTAS PERSPECTIVE!! EVEN SHE KNOWS ABT FREDERICK AND SHE DIDNT EVEN MEET HIM. DO U GUYS UNDERSTAND ME)

There. Thats why.

[fredericksupremacy]

I'm all for creating new characters to further enhance adaptations of various beloved source materials, but one thing that filmmakers cannot comprehend is that getting rid of pre-existing characters is evidently lazy and sad. the target audience for whatever adaptation this is are the fans of the source material and are looking to see the world they hold dear be adapted to a new form. Getting rid of the fundamentals of the original project further separates it from the very aspects that could have held audience members in the first place.

I'm saying this as an individual who enjoyed atlwcs because of Frederick. I have ADHD, so my attachment to him was what make me so adamant about the book in the first place. While the other characters are great in their own respective right, keeping up with Frederick and Werner's friendship was what drew me into atlwcs. I believe that Frederick's eventual destruction was an excellent commentary on how toxic masculinity was rampant when men were plagued with the concepts of filling a violent and dominant standard, and were actively being trained to do so. Frederick's storyline can connect to many individuals who feel as if they fall outside of a constricting set of roles; he served as one of the only characters who was unapologetically himself and had genuine moral strength. He is meant to contrast Werner's feeling of restrictiveness, his struggle to articulate how in which he wanted to free himself but could not identify what held him back in the first place (class system). I speculate that Frederick's removal was done to pass his qualities onto Werner, in order to guarantee that audiences sympathize with him more. The fact is that Werner exists as a character that is the product of his environment and is struggling to choose between his morality and the ideologies of his era. He is uncomfortable with what he sees, yet follows because he has yet to find his voice, which is why Frederick is so dear to him; it is because Frederick and Jutta (Werner's sister) hold their places as Werner's moral role models. They have a persistence to them that Werner admires and learns from. Werner is meant to be caught in the fear of what could happen if he strays from the security of conformity, and if he may meet his fathers fate.

I am very disappointed in Anthony Doerr, considering how he worked closely with the director. Had he not considered that he was allowing a vital character in Werner's development to be removed?