Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Reader

A must read book by Bernhard Schlink. Its not your regular run-of-the-mill holocaust novel. It is a deeply sensitive and moving story that would compel its readers to think precisely how many lives were affected by the holocaust and in how many ways?.. It is the story of a 15 year old kid falling in love with an older woman...an affair that lasts only a summer but leaves the kid emotionally affected for the rest of his life. A touching story that portrays both the physical and emotional part of their relationship in the post-war Germany. This story thoroughly examines the German guilt and the impact of the holocaust on the German conscience.

I have found this story especially moving since I am living in Germany currently. Those days have been left far behind..now it is one of the largest economies of the world...people are so courteous, polite and matter-of-fact that it is impossible to imagine that this holocaust ever took place here. I remember an incident where we all were standing outside a club and suddenly this Indian guy who was in our group got into a drunken conversation with a German guy who was equally drunk...after sometime, as happens normally when two drunk people converse, they started arguing....and suddenly out of nowhere the guy said " Why are you talking to me like that? Do you think I am Nazi?...I am not Nazi...I hate them and whatever they did"....this statement had a deep impact on me. This behaviour may or may not be common but goes on to show the deep seated shame that is felt even today in this society.



The movie "The Reader" is also amazing albeit slightly different from the novel due to creative reasons, I think. Kate Winslet has given one of the best performances I have ever seen and deservedly got an Oscar for the same. I would recommend that you watch the movie after reading the book for a deeper impact and understanding but incase you aren't much of a reader, atleast watch the movie lest you dont want to miss something simply amazing :))
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4 comments:

  1. blazingraveApril 15, 2010 at 5:33 AM

    I know this Indian guy , who got drunk and started arguing.

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  2. RuchiApril 15, 2010 at 6:06 AM

    haha...most of us do ;)

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  3. UnknownApril 28, 2010 at 11:29 AM

    Reading this article one can very well see that any collective attribute or human nature is not absolute or an end in itself. Why does it change.. a nation that was nazist at some time is not so now.. Human beings appear to be a medium through which outside forces act. The social consciousness and concepts change the belief system of an individual to such an extent that it makes the person do things he/she won't normally do.. But it again suggests that human nature is not absolute and unyielding but malleable to a large extent.. This malleability and yielding quality can be used to achieve peace and benevolence as well.. we just have to be positive about it and the world.. and have faith that things get even better in this world..

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  4. RuchiApril 28, 2010 at 11:55 AM

    Very well said Divya I must say it was good.....your thoughts have distilled the entire concept in a concise form in which this book is based and the different perspective that author wanted to communicate :)

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