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Analysis of ‘The Reader’ by Bernhard Schlink Part 2, Chapters 1 to 4

Analysis of ‘The Reader’ by Bernhard Schlink Part 2, Chapters 1 to 4. PLOT. Chapter 1 Hanna left Michael and his life slowly returns to normal Michael still yearns for Hanna and he calls Hanna's name in his sleep

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Analysis of ‘The Reader’ by Bernhard Schlink Part 2, Chapters 1 to 4

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  1. Analysis of ‘The Reader’ by Bernhard SchlinkPart 2, Chapters 1 to 4

  2. PLOT • Chapter 1 • Hanna left Michael and his life slowly returns to normal • Michael still yearns for Hanna and he calls Hanna's name in his sleep • Michael's family moved across town after about six months after Hanna's disappearance • Michael finished high school in the spring of 1962 and started university in fall, studying law • Sophie becomes ill and she sees the difference in him after Hanna left  Leads to character

  3. PLOT • Chapter 2 • Michael pursues his legal studies • Trails of Nazi war criminals were underway  Michael enrolls in a seminar which required him to be at the trials

  4. PLOT • Chapter 3 • The trial that Michael attends was in another town • Michael recognized Hanna’s name when she was being called out  Hanna Schmitz  “Then I also recognized the body, the head with the hair gathered in an unfimilliar knot, … … • Even though he recognized her, he felt nothing for her

  5. PLOT • Chapter 4 • Michael never fails to attend the trials and his classmates were surprised • He recalls the past with Hanna when he saw her birthmark which was on her left shoulder • Michael describes the numbness that he was feeling when he recalled the past with Hanna

  6. CHARACTER • Chapter 1 • Michael becomes more independent - reflection of societal transition from old Germany to new  • "I can also remember classes at school when I did nothing but dream of her, think of her." pg. 85  • Michael's character had changed and how he sees himself   • "I was arrogant and dismissive" pg. 87 

  7. CHARACTER • Chapter 2 • Michael is overwhelmed with seeing Hanna and he still thinks about her obsessively  • "I can no longer remember what it was he wanted to examine, confirm or disprove."  • Hanna is a distraction to Michael still in his life after leaving 

  8. CHARACTER • Chapter 3 • Michael's attitude towards Hanna has changed  • "I recognised her, but I felt nothing. Nothing at all." pg. 93  • Hanna appears very vulnerable while being questioned 

  9. CHARACTER • Chapter 4 • Michael is very observant and what he notes are intimate  • Her head, neck, shoulders, hair, birthmark  • He felt nothing for Hanna

  10. SETTING • Chapter 1 • Recollection of memories where he used to be after Hanna’s disappearance

  11. SETTING • Chapter 2 • Seminar that professor

  12. SETTING • Chapter 3 • Courtroom that the Nazi trial is being held

  13. SETTING • Chapter 4 • Courtroom where Hanna’s trial is being held

  14. THEME & STYLE Theme: • In the chapters covered, he reflects constantly on the impact that Hanna had on his life (metaphor for Old and New Germany) • Denial of impact and feelings that Hanna has done to him Style: • First person narrative  Easier for audience to sympathize with narrator • Recollection/ reflection of the past with Hanna

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