My Newest Aggravation From English 101, The Reader by Bernard Schlink Options

[oobunnie]

I dont suppose many of you have read this book, so i'll give a rather quick synopsis. Since there are basically two storys within in i will seperate it that way

1.) Well the first part is about a love affair going on between the 15 year old boy Michael, and the older married Hanna. One day Hanna dispears and Michael doesnt see here again until he is in law school and gets to sit in on a trial in which Hanna is being prosecuted. Personally Michaels character bothered me alot, he was a selfish whiney git that blamed Hanna for everything that happened to him.

2.)The story of Hanna starts with here quiting her old job because her boss is about to find out she is illiterate (which she is deeply ashamed of), so right after she quits her job she goes out to find a new job and ends up getting one with the Nazi party (although she had no idea she was joining the Nazi party because she cant read). She ends up working in a concentraion camp, however does try and help some of the people. She brings in the weakest people everyday to read to her (well okay until they get sent off to be slaughtered, but hey at least she was making them a little more comfortable). The story then goes onto to where she is at trial and basically she admits blame to all the war crimes they blame her of simply because they ask her to sign a confession (and rather then admit she cant read she signs the confession). Anyways she gets sent to prison and Michael starts sending her books and tapes of him reading the books so she can read along, from this start learning to read and write and starts writing Michael. Michael wont ever reply to her and when it comes to the day before Hanna is to be released she doesnt think Michael is coming to get her and ends up killing herself.

I realize that my way of telling to story might make it a little swayed toward my point of veiw. But i am the only person in our class of 200 students that seem to think Hanna was a victim and Michael was a whiney git. One of my classmates said Hanna knew what she was getting into (well no she just signed up for it and she couldnt read) and after my reply of that she said yah but when she got to the concentration camp she would understand and could have left (what a wounderful idea, lets join the Nazi's go out to there camps and try and tell them its not really my thing, i think i will be going, some how me thinks it doesnt work that way). As for Michael, hmm Hanna disappeared and turned up on trial for war crimes, could it possibly be that she was arrested and not that she abandoned you.

Well this was a pretty long rant, so umm yeah respond however you want. tell me about another book if you want.

[porcelainwarrior]

sounds like an interesting book, ive not heard of it but am now going to go beat my librarian til she finds me a copy

you seriously dont want to get me started on books, i wanted to set up a mata bookclub but thought ud all find me foolish i live to read!!!

im not gona go into it cos is too hard to explain and ill have to go measure stuff* but has anyone read house of leaves? is an obsession of mine

*if you dont know why id have to measure stuff you either didnt read the book, are thinking of a different book or arent as naturally paranoid as me ...

[oobunnie]

The House of leaves, I think I've read that. It's somewhat like the Blair Whitch Project right, except its about a strange house. hmm shall have to try and find it. But i'm pretty sure its the same book i'm thinking of.

[porcelainwarrior]

my god! my god! yes thats it! zampano and the corridor and the labyrinth and stuff!

someone else knows what im talking about finally .... *sobs* i thought i was going insane ... i still might be as i keep tapemeasures on my walls but at least im not alone ...

[oobunnie]

*gasp* i was right I read alot of books so sometimes its hard to remember them.. As for a book club maybe me and you aught to start one

[porcelainwarrior]

ooh ok then, well wait ...


HEY - YOU GUYS! CAN WE SET UP A BOOK CLUB? WOULD ANYONE WANT TO JOIN IN? ANSWER HERE OR FOREVER HAUD YER WHEEST!

there we go ... now let us wait for the mocking ...

[oobunnie]

lmao. mocking a geek like me is like a kicking someone when there already down. come on i'm sure me and porcelain can come up with alot of great books

[porcelainwarrior]

someone answer! anyone!!!

i feel like such a geek ...

[MoonlightSavings...]

I like books. A lot. If you start a book club, I'll join in a flash.

By the way, porcelainwarrior...........you may have tape measures to measure your walls, but what are you going to use to measure your tape measures? Who's to say your tape measures aren't changing their dimensions as well? Mwahahahahahaaaa.......

[porcelainwarrior]

ok, im just very glad i read that at school, im going to have to check things now ....

hey! wait! no .... in the book objects didnt change was only the house, the house was all wierd and possessed and could change but the objects didnt, also the hallway (or labyrinth as it turned out) was completely empty, it had smooth walls and floors and no obejects in it, in fact any objects left unattended in it were swallowed up or expulsed somehow, so my tape measures cant have changed ... can they?

[nordelen]

my god! my god! yes thats it! zampano and the corridor and the labyrinth and stuff!

someone else knows what im talking about finally .... *sobs* i thought i was going insane ... i still might be as i keep tapemeasures on my walls but at least im not alone ...

i know of it too......
tried reading it once, but it was a little too weird for me i like books that are'nt trying to melt your brain into sluddge......