The Reader



The Reader

Introduction

The Reader, a translated novel originally named as “Der Vorleser” is written by a judge and law professor of Germany Bernhard Schlink, in the year of 1995. It was translated in English in 1997 and published in United States. The story of the novel is a fable, which deals with the problems of German generations of post-war about the understanding of the Holocaust. This novel of Bernhard greatly discusses the topics of memory, identity, victimization and guilt.

The novel cunningly detains the relationships between the present and past of Germany metaphorically through the love between an older woman i.e. Hanna and a young boy i.e. Michael. Later on these lovers becomes the defendant in war crimes trial. The central and crucial point of the novel is the trial. The novel is considered to be both as a crime story and a tale as Michael represents the postwar generation of Germany that judges the Nazi past as an interrogator while Hanna represents it as a defender in the latter. The novel is divided in three main parts discussing various time periods of Germany and situations of the main character Michael.

Discussion

Relationship between Generations

The novel covers various aspects of the relationships between generations of different ages. The main character is mainly focused towards his childhood memory and recollections. The main character Michael a 15 year boy, becomes ill when he was going to his school. He was cleaned up by a 36 year old tram conductor Hanna. The illness of Michael is hepatitis which is metaphorically resembled to the redolent of the Jewish yellow star. Moreover the hepatitis or jaundice is figuratively the plague that occurred in the Germany. The meeting of Hanna and Michael is an unpleasant one while later on Michael went to thank Hanna for helping him and get attracted to her. The illness of Michael resembles the unhealthy situation and moral decay of the Nazi Germany and the cleanliness of that by Hanna propose the possibility of restoration and healing. The use of water in the novel is symbolically presents the idea of guilt. This guilt suggests the possibility of good and evil in the relationship between the two.

The relationship of Hanna and Michael continues with their regular meetings at Hanna's apartment including their physical relation but their minds are comparatively different from each other. This represents the difference in their ages and thoughts which can be said ...