Bernhard Schlink’s The Reader explores the individual and collective pasts of Michael Berg and Hanna Schmidt. Highly analytical and reflective, Michael’s are the eyes through which the narrative is told. He becomes infatuated with Hanna from a young age, but revelations further in his life reveal Hanna’s dishonourable history. The novel is set post-WII Germany, a society in the midst of a moral debate regarding the actions of its past. Through the combined use of setting, characterization, dreams, and symbols, Bernhard Schlink leads the reader to question the lasting impacts of guilt and responsibility for one’s past actions.
Schlink utilises setting to establish the universal applicability of the impossibility of escaping one’s past. The …show more content…
Hanna’s illiteracy enables the reader to understand her vulnerabilities and how they shape her character. Schlink purposefully crafted the text so the reader is not aware that “Hanna could neither read or write.” (Schlink, 1997, page 131) until Part Two of the novel. Hanna’s obstinacy to keep her illiteracy a secret was the reason she became a member of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and why she later falsely confessed to leading the guards who “kept the church doors locked,” (Schlink, 1997, page 124) to “escape a confrontation with a handwriting expert” (Schlink, 1997, page 131). These decisions ultimately prove calamitous and life-altering for Hanna, and her imprisonment ensured she did not escape the repercussions of her actions. Hanna’s illiteracy is a representation of the morally uneducated German generation whose decisions lead them to detrimental destruction during World War II, in addition to conveying the innumerable obstructions encountered by the illiterate. Moreover, Hanna’s future relationships were also influenced by her illiteracy. This is particularly evident within the power dynamic between her and Michael. Hanna dominated Michael as compensation for her own shortcomings, and this is decidedly evident when she refers to him as “kid” (Schlink, 1997, page 21). Though the name is not inherently possessive or demeaning …show more content…
Michael’s self-reflection of his dreams provide insight into the reality of his thoughts towards Hanna. Michael repeatedly dreamt of the “building on Bahnhofstrasse”, (Schlink, 1997, page 4) a direct representation of Hanna herself. Michael recalled that “in later years [he] dreamed about the building again and again.” (Schlink, 1997, page 5) This demonstrates that though Michael may have believed he found an escape from Hanna, she still haunted him in his subconscious, and he still succumbed – “When I remember where I’ve seen [the building] before, I turn around and drive back.” (Schlink, 1997, page 6) The use of past tense is also integral in establishing Michael’s inability to escape from his past. The reader also understands his true feelings towards Hanna – Michael remembers the house on Bahnhofstrasse in intricate detail, though cannot recall other details of his past such as what he told his parents when he travelled with Hanna or what topics his university class studied for “scholarly discussion.” (Schlink, 1997, page 128). It is through this detail that the reader gains an understanding of Michael’s infatuation with Hanna and his inability to severe a connection ingrained within him as a young man despite what he later learned. Though Hanna and Michael had little communication after the trial, Michael could not escape his thoughts of her and sought to
Schlink utilises setting to establish the universal applicability of the impossibility of escaping one’s past. The …show more content…
Hanna’s illiteracy enables the reader to understand her vulnerabilities and how they shape her character. Schlink purposefully crafted the text so the reader is not aware that “Hanna could neither read or write.” (Schlink, 1997, page 131) until Part Two of the novel. Hanna’s obstinacy to keep her illiteracy a secret was the reason she became a member of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and why she later falsely confessed to leading the guards who “kept the church doors locked,” (Schlink, 1997, page 124) to “escape a confrontation with a handwriting expert” (Schlink, 1997, page 131). These decisions ultimately prove calamitous and life-altering for Hanna, and her imprisonment ensured she did not escape the repercussions of her actions. Hanna’s illiteracy is a representation of the morally uneducated German generation whose decisions lead them to detrimental destruction during World War II, in addition to conveying the innumerable obstructions encountered by the illiterate. Moreover, Hanna’s future relationships were also influenced by her illiteracy. This is particularly evident within the power dynamic between her and Michael. Hanna dominated Michael as compensation for her own shortcomings, and this is decidedly evident when she refers to him as “kid” (Schlink, 1997, page 21). Though the name is not inherently possessive or demeaning …show more content…
Michael’s self-reflection of his dreams provide insight into the reality of his thoughts towards Hanna. Michael repeatedly dreamt of the “building on Bahnhofstrasse”, (Schlink, 1997, page 4) a direct representation of Hanna herself. Michael recalled that “in later years [he] dreamed about the building again and again.” (Schlink, 1997, page 5) This demonstrates that though Michael may have believed he found an escape from Hanna, she still haunted him in his subconscious, and he still succumbed – “When I remember where I’ve seen [the building] before, I turn around and drive back.” (Schlink, 1997, page 6) The use of past tense is also integral in establishing Michael’s inability to escape from his past. The reader also understands his true feelings towards Hanna – Michael remembers the house on Bahnhofstrasse in intricate detail, though cannot recall other details of his past such as what he told his parents when he travelled with Hanna or what topics his university class studied for “scholarly discussion.” (Schlink, 1997, page 128). It is through this detail that the reader gains an understanding of Michael’s infatuation with Hanna and his inability to severe a connection ingrained within him as a young man despite what he later learned. Though Hanna and Michael had little communication after the trial, Michael could not escape his thoughts of her and sought to