Bernard Schlink influences the audience of the The Reader to explore the cost of various issues. Literacy is shown to be valued, through the use of irony and characterisation through Hanna’s illiteracy. The obedient human nature is examined through Hanna’s trial, with the use of symbolism and charactisation. Michael’s narration is trusted, forcefully, through the use of narrative voice, symbolism, and metaphors. Whilst the audience views the relationship between Michael and Hanna negatively with the use of dialogue and rhetorical questions.
Schlink positions the audience to make the reader appreciate the value of being literate, as they see Hanna’s vulnerability as a result of being illiterate. Hanna’s characterisation of being illiterate …show more content…
Her charactisation contributes to this through her naivety, displayed when the judge asks Hanna a question, and she replies with, “what would you have done?”(110) This interaction between Hanna and the judge only emphasises how Hanna truly doesn’t fathom her own moral corruption. She was an ordinary person following orders. There is the setting of the court “devoid of the gloomy pomposity” (93) as described by Michael, a place that traditionally decides what is right and wrong, a symbol of justice. Yet this symbol of integrity is juxtaposed with Hanna’s iniquity on trial. However Schlink could justify Hanna’s lack of remorse, with a study conducted by Stanley Milgram (1963) investigating what drives ordinary people such as Hanna, to do malevolent things. This study concluded that people are likely to blindly follow orders given by an authority figure even at the cost of killing innocent strangers (Milgram, 1963). This offers an explanation for Hanna’s behaviour and ultimately her charactisation as she cannot be at fault for falling victim to human nature. Hanna’s character offers a canvas for Schlink to critique the human nature of obedience and authority that the German people superlatively suffered from during the …show more content…
The texts narrator is Michael, who offers the only descriptions of the events incurred and the audience is led to trust his recount of Hanna. There are several points which lead the audience to doubt Michaels authenticity of his recount, as he “doesn’t remember” aspects of their interactions such as “what we (they) talked about in the kitchen”, “how I (he) greeted Frau Scmitz” and claims he had to “reconstruct her beauty” (9) This trouble that Michael shows recalling events early on cautions the audience as they proceed with text and begin to question the reliability of the narrator. Being written about events that occurred in the past, the audience becomes critical of whether later events influence his memories. Michael can also be seen as exploiting Hanna’s story only to “solve the riddle” (14) and signalling a personal motivation for his recount. Later when Michael sends tapes to Hanna he describes Hanna as the “court”, this could be similar to audiences role as they are forced to participate with Michaels attempts at atonement and are able to form their own opinions. He also mentions that he presses the “stop button” (184) and never makes any personalization. The stop button may be symbolic of Michaels need to be in control of his narration, and that his recount is the right one. This creates a detached and
Schlink positions the audience to make the reader appreciate the value of being literate, as they see Hanna’s vulnerability as a result of being illiterate. Hanna’s characterisation of being illiterate …show more content…
Her charactisation contributes to this through her naivety, displayed when the judge asks Hanna a question, and she replies with, “what would you have done?”(110) This interaction between Hanna and the judge only emphasises how Hanna truly doesn’t fathom her own moral corruption. She was an ordinary person following orders. There is the setting of the court “devoid of the gloomy pomposity” (93) as described by Michael, a place that traditionally decides what is right and wrong, a symbol of justice. Yet this symbol of integrity is juxtaposed with Hanna’s iniquity on trial. However Schlink could justify Hanna’s lack of remorse, with a study conducted by Stanley Milgram (1963) investigating what drives ordinary people such as Hanna, to do malevolent things. This study concluded that people are likely to blindly follow orders given by an authority figure even at the cost of killing innocent strangers (Milgram, 1963). This offers an explanation for Hanna’s behaviour and ultimately her charactisation as she cannot be at fault for falling victim to human nature. Hanna’s character offers a canvas for Schlink to critique the human nature of obedience and authority that the German people superlatively suffered from during the …show more content…
The texts narrator is Michael, who offers the only descriptions of the events incurred and the audience is led to trust his recount of Hanna. There are several points which lead the audience to doubt Michaels authenticity of his recount, as he “doesn’t remember” aspects of their interactions such as “what we (they) talked about in the kitchen”, “how I (he) greeted Frau Scmitz” and claims he had to “reconstruct her beauty” (9) This trouble that Michael shows recalling events early on cautions the audience as they proceed with text and begin to question the reliability of the narrator. Being written about events that occurred in the past, the audience becomes critical of whether later events influence his memories. Michael can also be seen as exploiting Hanna’s story only to “solve the riddle” (14) and signalling a personal motivation for his recount. Later when Michael sends tapes to Hanna he describes Hanna as the “court”, this could be similar to audiences role as they are forced to participate with Michaels attempts at atonement and are able to form their own opinions. He also mentions that he presses the “stop button” (184) and never makes any personalization. The stop button may be symbolic of Michaels need to be in control of his narration, and that his recount is the right one. This creates a detached and