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Introduction
The Reader, a novel written by Bernhard Schlink, is one of the heartbreaking books in the last 30 years. The author discusses many topics relevant to people born in the 20th century and analyzes one of the worst events during this period, the Holocaust. Topics include first love, male growing up, war crimes, and redemption. There is the theme that plays a crucial role in the plot, namely Hanna’s illiteracy.
Literacy and the Nature of Things and Actions
At some point in the story, readers and the protagonist, Michael, learn that Hanna is illiterate. The fact that she is illiterate could have mitigated her sentence for the war crimes she committed, but it would hurt her pride, and she would be ashamed of herself. It can be said that here the author claims that literacy and education affect a person’s understanding of good and evil. Those who learn and love to read know the nature of things and actions, and Michael is a prime example of it; he is a law student.
Illiteracy and the Poverty Trap
There is another thing that Hanna’s illiteracy symbolizes. It is poverty, to be more precise, the poverty trap. Hannah’s lack of grammar indirectly tells readers that she grew up and lived in poverty. In real life, many people in economic hardship are forever stuck in poverty with their families. They cannot get a promotion to higher-paying positions and cannot find a good job due to a lack of education and necessary skills. Being trapped for their whole lives, people become desperate and decide to commit crimes, just like Hanna. It is affordable education that can save people from the damnation of the poverty trap.
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