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ILLITERACY.
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Discusses problems of illiteracy.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses problems of illiteracy. Dangers posed by workers who can' t read. How and why people hide their illiteracy. Illiteracy as a handicap. Centers on Bernard Schlink's novel THE READER, a coming-of-age story. Importance of becoming literate. Cites example of character whose refusal to acknowledge her inabiltuy to read prevents her from proving her innocence in a war-crime trial.

Paper Introduction:
Illiteracy in ‘The Reader’ Aware that more than two billion people can neither read nor write the simplest message in any language, the United Nations. . .declared 1990 International Literacy Year. I've been reading for half a century, and it is as hard for me to imagine what it's like to be illiterate as it is to imagine what it's like to be mute, blind, and deaf. Being illiterate must be life imprisonment in a dark hole (Liefhebber, 1). There were some people in Miami in the airport who were entrusted with maintaining the brake systems on air planes. They could not read a notice that was

Text of the Paper:
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Michael described it by saying, "We were neverhappier than in those weeks of April" (51). They could not read a noticethat was sent around, saying that there was a new kind of brake fluid beingused and they continued to follow the usual procedures. Unable to read or write, Hanna probably trusted what she constantlyheard from the guards around her. The only "right" thing to do was to unlock that door. Hannah had tocompensate for her handicap by controlling people; by manipulating.However, when it came to her duties, Hanna's judgments were based on thefact that she had to participate in the concentration camps. Again, there's adeep sense of shame that shakes up the value hierarchy of people for whomreading is second nature. She ignored him, and thenlater blamed the whole incident on Michael by saying, "How should I knowwhy you're going to Schwetzingen? What is the cost to the world of an uninformed citizenry? . The Reader. He learns thatshe was a guard at Auschwitz, and now she has been charged for her part ina terrible war crime. She simply had no other place in life, due to her handicap:illiteracy. .declared 199 International Literacy Year. What is the cost to the world of people not knowing - and I am talking now of ignorance not just illiteracy - about the realities of powerbloc confrontation? Boston, MA: Bedford/St. It means the inability to check legal rights...And it means being exposed to fraud and expropriation (Various, 1). I use this opening anecdote as a diminished analogy ofthe harm that ignorance through illiteracy can cause the innocent. She denies the accusation but refuses to prove herinnocence by taking a handwriting test. An example ofHanna wanting to hold back is when Michael asked Hanna about her past.Michael expresses his thoughts: Things I wanted to know more about had vanished completely from her mind, and she didn't understand why I was interested in what happened to her parents, whether she had had brothers and sisters, how she had lived in Berlin and what she'd done in the army (Schlink 39). Thinking only of Hanna and the limitations and challenges of her life,her initial choice to work in the camps is not unimaginable. It means being unable to read instructions on a packet of seed, a tin of powdered milk, or an oral contraceptive. He used this justification tospend a lot of time with her and not his family members. How should I know why you choose not toknow me? Without her frame ofreference, it is hard to visualize life "in her shoes". It is tantamount to disability affecting every aspect of living. Michael sees her againseven years later. Martin's, 2 .Schlink, Bernhard. Even Michael's decision not to tell anyone, except his father, thatHanna was illiterate until after her death, kept Hanna in jail. Even the lady in Boston was surprised, but still angry at Hanna whenshe found out that Hanna could not read until she went to prison. Meanwhile, Michael feels guilty that he lovedher. This storyforces the reader to ask him/herself: "Were I faced with her struggles,would I have reacted as she did?" These questions may never be answered dueto the further handicap of knowing little to nothing of Hanna's worldview,her prejudices, her politics, or her religion. Lacking the financial resources to educatethemselves, illiterate people are unable to break that cycle withoutadmitting they need help, which would target a problem that affects 45million individuals in the United States alone (Various, 1). It is not until well into the book that it comes out that the womanthe story focuses on is illiterate; she has kept her secret well and atgreat cost. Besidesthose occurrences, Hanna was warm and caring to Michael, and that is why hefell in love with her. WORKS CITEDLiefhebber, Peter The Cost of Illiteracy. He is tormented that he betrayed her in his own way, and at the sametime is trying to come to terms with his generation's response to theHolocaust. He is a law student; Hanna is on trial. Would you leave now?" (47). When she is with Michael, Hanna seems held-back as if she is hidingsomething, rather than the aggressive one might think she is. Asan added incentive to get Hanna to hurt others, the other concentrationcamp guards probably told her that the Jews were hurting the German people. That iswhen it became obvious that Hanna did not write any reports. Low self-esteem,experts say, is a common symptom of illiteracy (Gormley, 1). "It's inexcusable that we can't provide basic skills to allpeople of the community." But several factors prevent this from happening.For one, many illiterate persons are afraid to seek help. New York, NY: Random House, 1995.Gormley, Brian "Turning the Page on Adult Illiteracy" The New Haverhill Gazette. So, Hanna'sdecision based on her judgments to not tell anyone that she cannot read gother sent to prison. Hanna simply responded by saying, "The things you ask, kid!" (39).Hanna once became outrageous and hit Michael because she thought that heleft her alone on the bike trip. He said that one of the happiest moments in his life wason their bike trip together. Hanna probably felt that Jews were evilbecause of this and lead to her actions being justifiable in her own mind.This is when her illiteracy takes her and controls her. Hanna later becomes aggressive whenMichael came on to the streetcar to visit her. It confines job opportunities to the most menial and low paid tasks. However,she is portrayed as an innocent character in the story. Although Hanna did hurt other women in the concentration camp, hercharacter portrayed her as too innocent to have malice towards others. Being illiterate must be life imprisonment in a dark hole (Liefhebber, 1). Some of the judgments in The Reader include Hanna's choice to keep ita secret that she could not read. There is a tendency for the reader of this story to follow Hanna'swartime actions with some modicum of compassion and empathy. It means being unable to read newspapers, street signs, warning signs. There were some people in Miami in the airport who were entrusted withmaintaining the brake systems on air planes. She was notill willed. Her concept of"mercy" which governs her actions in the camp is misguided and distasteful(this writer's opinion), but not utterly impossible to comprehend. During World War II, Hanna participatedin the heinous crimes against the Jews in the concentration camps. So to a certain extent, Hanna was falsely accusedand her punishment was unfair. Illiteracy creates a vicious cycle which often relegates people tomenial labor and minimum wage. Her ignorance, herevery action, is based on the fact that she cannot read or write. Share International. Theyhave an affair that ends when Hanna leaves town. Michael's judgment was based on the fact that there was an unpleasanthome environment. When alocked door and a burning church confront Hanna, there is NO "choice"required. The Reader begins as acoming-of-age story. Literate people find it hard to grasp the full impact of illiteracy.In a world operating on written laws, rules and instructions, beingilliterate is a severe handicap. Illiteracy in 'The Reader' Aware that more than two billion people can neither read nor write the simplest message in any language, the United Nations. Michael is 15 years old and the son of a professor ofphilosophy who by chance meets Hanna, a 36-year-old tram conductor. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. I do not need to go into very great detail, but you can imagine that certain military measures may be taken simply through the ignorance of citizenry in a democratic country, involving high costs in human beings killed needlessly, or in terms of wastage of resources on military expenditure, and so on (Liefhebber, 1). One of the most surprising best-sellers in recent years is Berlinwriter Bernhard Schlink's The Reader, a book which questions conscience andethics and has been called a philosophical parable. Although this is not specifically mentioned in the book, it can beconsidered common knowledge. Hanna is sentenced for life. I've been reading for half a century, and it is as hard for me to imagine what it's like to be illiterate as it is to imagine what it's like to be mute, blind, and deaf. It is her illiteracy thatcontributed to her insecurities that made her do these things to him. Hanna toyed (madehim extremely happy, sad, mad, and made Michael feel as if he was in love)with young Michael's emotions, but her character was not portrayed as onewho could commit a crime against people. In fact, she allows herself to be convicted as a Nazi warcriminal rather than reveal that she can't read or write. It comes out that Hanna is illiterate andher shame for that is so great that all of her life she has done whateverit takes to keep her secret. One of the planesthat they mis-serviced in this way lost its pressurization at about 3 , feet and dropped. October 1997.Various "Illiteracy and Economics", Inetport.com 2 1.Schilb, John and John Clifford. Illiteracy is a handicap, and when we do notacknowledge our handicaps, they become true weaknesses. She always ran him warm baths and held him tight atnight. It's your business, not mine. Hanna didnot want anyone to experience a life of illiteracy, so she donated hersavings to a literary organization, which she did not even take the creditfor, because Michael was told to use the name Hanna Schmitz, not Frau,which has her real name. If Hanna had told the judge that she wasilliterate, then she might not have been convicted because she would havebeen unable to write the reports. Monday, October 13, 1997.

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