Part 1 Reaction Ryan C

So far, The Reader seems to me like a combination of The Sense of An Ending and Calvino’s short stories. The novel has a narrative voice and is not too difficult to read, like Barnes, but Schlink’s writing uses synesthesia, similar to Calvino. Also, the story is told through flashbacks and Michael always seems to remember slight details about the places he visits and the people he sees, particularly Hanna. I think at first Michael is attracted to Hanna’s mysteriousness and her slow, deliberate movements. It seems as if Hanna was trying to trap Michael, because as soon as the two grew rather close, she started to become distant and eventually cut Michael out of her life; furthermore, Hanna appears to have no regard for Michael’s emotions. I had a feeling that Hanna was going to abandon Michael, particularly because of the events of chapter 16. After acting cold towards Michael, Hanna decides to be extremely open and loving and treats Michael, sort of like one last sexual encounter before she leaves.  I wanted Michael to separate himself from Hanna and spend more time with Sophie and his other friends; I think Hanna was a bad influence on Michael, being a teenager. I also wondered what was making Hanna agitated; I don't suspect it had to do with her job because she was clearly a good worker as she was in line for a promotion. I think either Hanna has been planning on leaving the town from a while before or she did something that forced her to skip town.