The Reader (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Vintage International)
by Bernhard Schlink
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bernhard SchlinkEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-12-30
ISBN: 0307473465
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Vintage
Book Reviews of The Reader (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Vintage International)
Book Review: A Haunting Book and Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
It is 3am on Monday morning and I can't sleep. "The Reader" has been haunting me over the past few days, or I should say, over the past few months. I watched the movie and read the book at the beginning of this year and I just re-read the book and watched the movie again.
At the end of the book, Michael dreamed about Hanna on his way from Boston to New York. Hanna had been dead then, but in the dream, Michael's longing for Hanna was so intense that it hurt. I knew this type of longing - it often hurt even sharper than a physical pain. Last night I dreamt about my recently lost love. I couldn't remember what happened in the dream, but what stayed with me was the pain of longing and not belonging. I have dreamt about my first love many times and woke up in tears more than once over the past 20 years. Michael had spent only a summer with Hanna, but he could never get over her. I know I would have similar difficulties to let go.
Hanna's longing for literacy was as strong as Michael's longing for her. Hanna's shame of being illiterate was as strong as Michael's shame of having loved her.
I have been thinking a lot about Michael's conversation with his father regarding dignity, freedom and happiness. Yes, even a child can take no comfort of knowing his mother is always right. Every adult should have the last word on his own matters. Nobody has the right to force his opinion on other, to take action behind other's back, even if it were for the good, the happiness of the other person. It isn't about happiness - it is about an individual's dignity and freedom. Yes, dignity and freedom, those are the things I have cherished most. I once fought my parents for my freedom when I was fresh out of college. I strongly desired to take control of my own life. I made my own decisions and ate my own mistakes. I don't blame others, and I want nobody's control in the name of "protection". Dignity and freedom are more important than "happiness". At the end of the day, happiness is a personal feeling: nobody can tell you how you should feel. Only you feel how you feel, and you know how you feel.
So many conflicts among family members and between couples are caused by lack of respect to other's dignity and freedom, lack of respect to other's right to make his own decision, or lack of courage to make his own decision.
Yes, I agree that Michael has no right to tell the judge about Hanna's illiteracy; even it could help Hanna's case. Yes, I agree that Michael should have talked to Hanna and persuaded her to admit her illiteracy. However, I understood why he couldn't bring himself to face her.
Courage to face the reality, courage to dig out the potentially very ugly truth, no every one possesses that kind of courage.
Another detail touched me was the picture of Michael's graduation that Hanna clipped from a local news paper and attached on the wall of her prison cell. Michael finally realized that, under the disguise of a cold surface, Hanna was as deeply attached to him as he was to her. I would have done and I had done similar things before. Love is an obsession and an addition that you couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't get rid of. You can squeeze it to a "niche" for a certain period of time; but eventually it would flood you unexpectedly.
I am not trying to write a review of the book/movie. I am merely pouring out my feelings at this moment.
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