The Reader by Berhnard Schlink introduced a new approach to analyzing German society post world war 2. In conclusion, the use of illiteracy and atonement as literary aspects in the novel. The first sense we obtained of her being in fact illiterate was when Michael began to read to Hanna his novels prescribed for school. Hanna’s illiteracy was disclosed at the beginning of the novel, but we, the readers progressively began to get hints. Meaning, she had never been introduced to different morals or even blank and it explains the reasoning for many of her actions such as, her unsavory relationship with a 15 year old Michael Berg. Hanna may be illiterate in terms of reading and writing but because of her absent parents, and blank in a way she is illiterate to situations. Having being illiterate her whole life it limits her not only to career paths but also to her understanding of her life choices, in specific her recognition of her actions in the holocaust. This aspect resides through the life of 36-year-old former guard at Auschwitz Hanna Schmitz. It brings forward an aspect like no other. Illiteracy is a cardinal aspect and theme in The Reader and is what distinguishes the novel from other post genocidal holocaust novels. Michael is speechless of the act Hanna has committed and to some extent is in disbelief. ![]() ![]() “I felt the numbness with which I had followed the horrors of the trial settling over the emotions and thoughts of the past few weeks.” (Schlink, p.160). Once the women are ushered into their designated spots and their names are said out Michael realizes that it was in fact his lover of many years, Hanna Schmitz. Michael believes to see who appears to look like Hanna Schmitz but isn’t sure as they. At one of the trials 6 Nazi women guards were being prosecuted for the malicious act of allowing a church to burn down with numerous inmates inside and not having allowed them to exit. The most prevalent extract from the novel regarding atonement can be found in Part 2 of Chapter 4 where Michael, apart of a seminar, visits a trial in court once a week as a part of his studies. Although very minimalistic we will see that this behavior heightens as the characters experience more together. A week later Michael visits Hanna to apologize or to make atonement for his wrong. Hanna catches his glare and Michael instantly overwhelmed with humiliation fleas her apartment. He begins to literally objectify Hanna as “not a whole person but as a series of body parts.” (The Reader Part 1, Chapter 4 Analysis). On Michael’s way out he secretly catches a glance of Hanna changing her clothes. After Michael’s illness had been nearly cured he revisited his benefactor to thank her. After Hanna had found Michael feeling ill next to her apartment she had taken him in and treated him. The first sample of atonement we get a taste of comes rather early in the novel. The effect atonement and illiteracy have on the novel The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.Ītonement and rather the desire for atonement can be found in numerous components of the novel. ![]() The aspect of illiteracy along with the addition of the guilt that had been casted over German society post second world war make it “the novel that people will talk about for years to come.” (Krishna). However, he did so through a rather peculiar view, that of an illiterate woman. Berhnard Schlink, a German judge and law professor known for his rather compelling German stories, took his take on the Third Reich and their effect on German society pre, throughout, and post World War 2. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink was originally published in Germany in 1995.
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