Mea Culpa-It Is My Fault.

674 Words3 Pages
How does a person overcome a sense of guilt that has been etched to their lives? Even if they had no cause of guilt? Bernhard Schlink throughout The Reader brings a sense of guilt in almost all of the characters of the novel in the post-war generation. This love story between a 15 year old Michael and a 36 year old Hanna blooms after the Nazi holocaust that wiped out over 6 million people and the majority of whome was Jewish. The Germans were reeling with guilt and so did the novel. This sense of guilt is experienced by the entire German generation. Even though the young were too young to have directly been involved with the Second World War. But nevertheless they experienced guilt, shame and anger. Throughout the novel Schlink raises the question as to what could have been done differently to be rid of guilt. But never gives an answer to it. This shows that there was nothing to be done. Michael was guilty of betraying Hanna by denying the relationship she had with her. And also by cutting short the time he spends with Hanna to be with Sophie and the rest of his friends. But most importantly he is mostly guilty when he doesn’t save Hanna’s life when he could have reveled about her illiteracy. But he does not, which leads to Hanna’s eventual death. Even in the roles of husband and father Michael is charged with guilt. “(he) could never stop comparing the way it was with Gertrude and the way it had been with Hanna.” (pg.171) but does not tell her what he expects of her. This results in a divorce, and is then again guilty for not being able to give Julia; his daughter, “the sense of security she obviously craved” (pg.171) and “cheating her of her rights” but “the fact that (they) did it together didn’t halve the guilt.” (pg.172) Was it in Michaels hands to have had saved this guilt? Could he have done anything differently? Hanna is firstly guilty

More about Mea Culpa-It Is My Fault.

Open Document