Bernhard Schlink’s The Reader uses the literary device of contextual setting to convey the central ideas of the novel. In part one of the novel, the setting is heavily based around Hanna and her life, the two predominantly interact at her house, the building on Bahnhofstrasse, demonstrating Michael’s level of secrecy and emotional distance between himself and Hanna as he does not involved Hanna in his personal life. The setting of the court room, a symbol of right and wrong, conveys the central idea of Hanna’s guilt around her participation in the crimes committed and reveals the impact of her illiteracy. The central idea of incapability and Hanna’s guilt surrounding her illiteracy is portrayed through the use of the setting of jail. Schlink
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The idea of a court has connotation for a reader, with the court room representing right and wrong, justice and guilt. The association that the reader brings to the novel during this scene influences their view on the plot. As Hanna is convicted guilty of war crimes “sentenced to life” in prison while others merely “received terms in jail”, the reader is told Hanna is wrong, and a criminal who is entirely at fault here (p 160). The contextual setting of the court room also stands as a symbol of finality in a justified court ruling, and this leads the reader to see Hanna’s punishment as warranted due to her actions, believing she deserves the punishment she has received. But the reader has been previously exposed to the idea of Hanna’s illiteracy and this affects their perspective on Hanna’s sentencing. Hanna’s guilt is a key concept within Schlink’s novel and the reader sees, through the symbolic setting of the court, how Hanna is convicted guilty. The reader’s prior knowledge of Hanna’s character, and her illiteracy leads the reader to feel empathetic towards Hanna, believing she is not entirely at fault and has been disadvantaged in the trial. This idea of Hanna being convicted guilty is a main concept of The Reader, as she feels shamed by her illiteracy and guilty of crimes she was not alone in committing. As the novel progresses, Hanna’s guilty verdict ultimately leads to her …show more content…
The building on Bahnhofstrasse is the main setting that Schlink uses when describing Hanna and Michael’s relationship. Michael excludes Hanna from his personal life, never speaking about her to others and keeping their relationship private, and this idea of emotional distance and secrecy is a key theme within the novel. Schlink incorporates the court room to symbolise right and wrong, and when Hanna is sentenced to life in prison, it becomes evident how guilty Hanna feels surrounding her crime and her illiteracy. The setting of the jail represents Hanna’s illiteracy and incapability as, going to jail indicates a level of inability to function appropriately within society. All of these central ideas interrelate, connected to the guilt felt by Hanna and Michael individually. Michael is ashamed of Hanna, and feels guilty for hiding their relationship, and Hanna feels guilty about her role within the crimes committed during the war and also guilty for her illiteracy and the issues that it has caused her throughout her life. Schlink’s novel The Reader is heavily influenced by the overarching theme of guilt, present within many of the central ideas which are conveyed through the use of the literary technique,
The idea of a court has connotation for a reader, with the court room representing right and wrong, justice and guilt. The association that the reader brings to the novel during this scene influences their view on the plot. As Hanna is convicted guilty of war crimes “sentenced to life” in prison while others merely “received terms in jail”, the reader is told Hanna is wrong, and a criminal who is entirely at fault here (p 160). The contextual setting of the court room also stands as a symbol of finality in a justified court ruling, and this leads the reader to see Hanna’s punishment as warranted due to her actions, believing she deserves the punishment she has received. But the reader has been previously exposed to the idea of Hanna’s illiteracy and this affects their perspective on Hanna’s sentencing. Hanna’s guilt is a key concept within Schlink’s novel and the reader sees, through the symbolic setting of the court, how Hanna is convicted guilty. The reader’s prior knowledge of Hanna’s character, and her illiteracy leads the reader to feel empathetic towards Hanna, believing she is not entirely at fault and has been disadvantaged in the trial. This idea of Hanna being convicted guilty is a main concept of The Reader, as she feels shamed by her illiteracy and guilty of crimes she was not alone in committing. As the novel progresses, Hanna’s guilty verdict ultimately leads to her …show more content…
The building on Bahnhofstrasse is the main setting that Schlink uses when describing Hanna and Michael’s relationship. Michael excludes Hanna from his personal life, never speaking about her to others and keeping their relationship private, and this idea of emotional distance and secrecy is a key theme within the novel. Schlink incorporates the court room to symbolise right and wrong, and when Hanna is sentenced to life in prison, it becomes evident how guilty Hanna feels surrounding her crime and her illiteracy. The setting of the jail represents Hanna’s illiteracy and incapability as, going to jail indicates a level of inability to function appropriately within society. All of these central ideas interrelate, connected to the guilt felt by Hanna and Michael individually. Michael is ashamed of Hanna, and feels guilty for hiding their relationship, and Hanna feels guilty about her role within the crimes committed during the war and also guilty for her illiteracy and the issues that it has caused her throughout her life. Schlink’s novel The Reader is heavily influenced by the overarching theme of guilt, present within many of the central ideas which are conveyed through the use of the literary technique,