Three Parts
The Reader is organized into three parts. Each part is an era or time period in Michael’s life. It is very easy for the reader to understand that the first part is when Michael is in high school, the second part is when he is in law school, and the third part is when he is an adult. More important however is the plot in each of the three parts. The plot encompassing the parts are Michael’s love for Hanna, Hanna’s trial, and Hanna’s time in jail, respectively. Schlink’s organization allows the reader to not be confused about the latter. What I found most interesting however is the way his organization leads to the breakdown of Hanna’s life. Each part gives a unique view of Hanna and I found that within each part I felt differently for Hanna.
The first part focuses on Michael and Hanna’s relationship. Hanna is presented as a strong, focused person who knows what she wants. Schlink portrays her strength not only through characterization of her character but also through the contrast presented by Michael’s character. Michael being the weak boy, who as always been sick, makes Hanna seem that much stronger and in control. She seems so much in control that I began to feel as if she was taking advantage of Michael, advantage of his vulnerability and weakness. Though this story doesn’t really have a protagonist and antagonist, Hanna’s character, in part one, is seen to have the characteristics of an antagonist. She is the older person and so she should be rational and know that this relationship is not right. This view of mine changed however as Schlink reveals Hanna’s vulnerability.
The second part focuses on Hanna’s trial. The first part ends sadly for Michael who finds that Hanna has left without saying goodbye. Part two picks up when Michael is a law student who must go to see the trial to some concentration camp guards. He sees Hanna and describes that there are no feelings left. As the trial continues the reader understands that something is not quite right. Here Schlink uses the trial to present some gruesome details about the Holocaust. He details the crowded camps, inhumane conditions, and detachment of the guards to what they were a part of. The reader sees the trial as the facts are presented to Michael. This makes it more personal for the reader as it is for Michael. I then began to feel pity for Hanna as it is revealed that she is at a disadvantage because she is illiterate. She chooses to face the consequences of the trial rather than admit that she is illiterate and so could not be held responsible. This is when the moral undertones of The Reader start to take effect. Does illiteracy give Hanna a way out since she was simply following orders? Can anything really excuse murder?
The last part focuses on Hanna’s time in jail and Michael’s time away from her. He never speaks to her nor does he visit. He wants to forget but can’t. I began to feel pity for Hanna and the fact that she was suffering for a crime she solely did not commit. I don’t think that she should have been aquitted but her illiteracy makes it so that she was simply following orders and not the coordinator of all the decisions for which she was found guilty. He sends her homemade tape recordings of books, and from this she begins to learn how to read and write. Schlink shows that she has let go of her image because she no longer needs to feel in control because she no longer has something shameful to hide. I found this very interesting.
As I am reading through it a second time, I found that the three parts also invokes different emotions for Hanna. They go from disgust, to pity, to near absolution. I find it intriguiging that Schlink is able to do this with such precision. What he leaves for us to decided are the may moral questions that he presents while taking us on this emotional roller coaster. He never fully presents his view on these question but simple asks them while presenting the facts. Right now this is what I am finding hard to decipher. The questions are easily asked and the answers may even be simple but what I am finding hard to understand is how I feel.
P.S. Not like this page is not long enough already but…………here are some images to go along with the parts. (All are not rated Pg. 13, Viewer beware.)
Part One (The Relationship)
Part Two (The Trial)
Part Three (Absolution)
Have to go see the movie…….won’t spoil ending. 
