STORYTELLING AS A MEANS OF REDEMPTION: A STUDY OF BERNHARD SCHLINK’S THE READER
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Keywords
Bernhard Schlink, The Reader, redemption, reading, storytelling, Holocaust
Abstract
This essay explores the redemptive potential of reading and storytelling in Bernhard Schlink's The Reader. Through the relationship between Michael Berg and Hanna Schmitz, the narrative illustrates how literature serves as a vehicle for healing, moral reflection, and confronting the complexities of the Holocaust. Reading facilitates Michael's emotional growth and understanding of guilt and forgiveness, while storytelling acts as a means of intergenerational dialogue, allowing characters to grapple with shared histories. The novel emphasizes the importance of bearing witness and preserving memory through literature, highlighting its capacity to foster empathy and connection. Ultimately, Schlink's work underscores literature's transformative power in navigating moral ambiguities and seeking redemption in the face of historical trauma.
References
1. Berger, Stefan. “The Past in the Present: History and Memory in the Literature of Post-War Germany.” German Studies Review, vol. 26, no. 3, 2003, pp. 461-480.
2. Friedlander, Saul. Nazi Germany and the Jews: 1933-1945. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
3. Hoffman, Eva. After Such Knowledge: Memory, History, and the Legacy of the Holocaust. New York: PublicAffairs, 2004.
4. Koller, V. “The Function of Literature in Confronting the Past: Schlink’s The Reader.” Journal of Contemporary Literature, vol. 15, no. 2, 2010, pp. 123-139.
5. Levi, Primo. If This Is a Man. London: Penguin Books, 2003.
6. Schlink, Bernhard. The Reader. New York: Pantheon Books, 1997.
7. Young, James E. The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993.
2. Friedlander, Saul. Nazi Germany and the Jews: 1933-1945. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
3. Hoffman, Eva. After Such Knowledge: Memory, History, and the Legacy of the Holocaust. New York: PublicAffairs, 2004.
4. Koller, V. “The Function of Literature in Confronting the Past: Schlink’s The Reader.” Journal of Contemporary Literature, vol. 15, no. 2, 2010, pp. 123-139.
5. Levi, Primo. If This Is a Man. London: Penguin Books, 2003.
6. Schlink, Bernhard. The Reader. New York: Pantheon Books, 1997.
7. Young, James E. The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993.
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Published
Dec 22, 2018
Article Details
How to Cite
Dr. Chinnadevi Singadi. (2018). STORYTELLING AS A MEANS OF REDEMPTION: A STUDY OF BERNHARD SCHLINK’S THE READER. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 25(2), 93-96. https://doi.org/10.53555/qa76rj14
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Articles
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Author Biography
Dr. Chinnadevi Singadi
Assistant Professor Department of Indian and World Literatures School of Literary Studies The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad
How to Cite
Dr. Chinnadevi Singadi. (2018). STORYTELLING AS A MEANS OF REDEMPTION: A STUDY OF BERNHARD SCHLINK’S THE READER. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 25(2), 93-96. https://doi.org/10.53555/qa76rj14