'The Reader' - by Bernhard Schlink

“THE READER” BY BERNHARD SCHLINK
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(October 9, 2012)

“The Reader” By Bernhard Schlink
The element of guilt remains a highlighted issue in the lives of the characters who are haunted by the holocaust that happened in Germany. The characters try to acclimatize and reflect on their pasts and come to terms with the occurrences. The three part story clearly draws attention to the issue of guilt in the life of Michael and Hanna who are the main characters.
Michael is portrayed right from the start as guilty as his first contact with Hanna is when she rescues him; he feels indebted and guilty not to say thank you and hence decides to go to Hanna’s residence to thank her. His guilt is also portrayed when he is caught watching Hanna dressing; he runs away only to return after some days. His guilt is shown when she refutes having an affair with Hanna and spends more time with Sophie and his friends; this makes Hanna to leave without notice. This sudden disappearance of Hanna affects him throughout his life as he is not able to relate to the women in his life; he becomes guilty that he was responsible for her departure and this haunts him for a long time. Seven years later, he discovers that Hanna was an SS guard responsible for the deaths of 300 Jewish women in a church fire; this makes him guilty of loving a murderer and a remorseless woman. However he finds out the it may be a set up as she is accused of writing about the fire while she was illiterate; on the other hand he finds out that she may have caused the women to burn in th...