In The Reader, past events shape Michael's and Hanna's emotional landscape.
When Michael and Hanna were involved with one another, a lack of emotional commitment led to their undoing. Neither Hanna or Michael generated a healthy and open emotional commitment. Issues of fear, sex, violence, dependence, education, and age were just a few that plagued their relationship. Their lack of emotional honesty prevented these issues from being properly addressed, and clouded their time together....
In The Reader, past events shape Michael's and Hanna's emotional landscape.
When Michael and Hanna were involved with one another, a lack of emotional commitment led to their undoing. Neither Hanna or Michael generated a healthy and open emotional commitment. Issues of fear, sex, violence, dependence, education, and age were just a few that plagued their relationship. Their lack of emotional honesty prevented these issues from being properly addressed, and clouded their time together. Being unable to sort out these issues not only led to their undoing, but set the stage for their future interactions.
A lack of emotional commitment shaped the next time their paths crossed. When Michael is in the courtroom, an emotional commitment in the form of telling the truth about Hanna would have delivered her from an unjust verdict. Michael retreats into metaphysical rationalization as opposed to fully committing to an emotional connection to another human being. Hanna is also emotionally unable to fully commit to the truth. Rather than accept her illiteracy in public, she accepts blame for something she did not do. The courtroom shows the lack of openness that defined the earlier part of their relationship. Even though they are no longer together, Michael and Hanna are still living lives filled with evasion of emotional truth.
While Hanna is in jail, a lack of emotional connection continues to shape their relationship. Michael can commit to reciting books on tape for Hanna. He can be there for her through recorded tape. However, he cannot commit to her rehabilitation process, as he is unable to write personalized letters to her. The emotional distance that defined their earlier relationship shapes this phase of their time. Michael runs away from the complexity of emotions. Even though so many years have passed, he cannot bring himself to embrace emotional intimacy. He won't even admit to having a deep relationship with her. When the warden asks Michael why he did not respond to Hanna's repeated pleas, he can only shrug his shoulders. The lack of emotional commitment that defined Hanna's and Michael's past shapes their present and future.
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