Hanna

I remember the first time I read Chapters 10 and 11 of The Reader.  I was horrified by Hanna's actions—the violence of the belt stands out like a bloodless wound in my memory. Yet, I'm uncomfortably aware that I, to some degree, recognize and understand Hanna's reactions.  In Meghan's post, she astutely attributes Hanna's actions and responses to her insecurities. I agree. From personal experience, Hanna's actions seem like they come from a place of self-hatred. Michael says that he "had the feeling that she hurt herself when she turned cold and rigid" (49). To me, this points to Hanna's inability to face up to whatever guilt or shame or self-hatred that is buried within herself. To deal with it, she alienates Michael, making him the aggressor and turning herself into the victim. Many students see Hanna as a confident, dominant woman; I see the opposite: Hanna is a woman out of control who only has the appearance of being in control. When someone's self-hatred has nowhere else to go, it turns on those who love that person. By alienating the one person who cares about her, Hanna might be performing a twisted sort of self-flagellation (self-punishment). Perhaps Hanna feels that she does not deserve Michael's love (pushing him away, turning "cold and hard") (49); at the same time, however, she yearns for the unconditional love that Michael offers—it's something that she may never have experienced before.

Not to say that this excuses Hanna in any way whatsoever. She is creating an abusive relationship with Michael and she must bear that responsibility. Many students also cannot understand why Michael cannot (or will not) stand up for himself. However, it is important to keep in mind that victims of abuse are completely under the control of the abuser, psychologically and emotionally. It is easy to tell a wife who is regularly beaten by her husband that she should just leave him, but that does not take into account the damage her psyche has taken. Michael's thought process (given to us by his revealing first person narration) indicates that he is under Hanna's thrall—fearing and loving her, needing her validation.