Joanne Rosenzweig answers “Question to Hannah secret which caused me...”

Lucie Barber asked this question about The Reader:

Question to Hannah secret which caused me the biggest disappointment in the book- not how it is written, it is written and brought into the story beautifully and the layers as it comes to light are just magnificently plant and opening one by one, BUT the secret itself, the illiteracy is for me very unrealistic and I would love to know how it is that someone born on 21.10.1922 was illiterate?could it be it realistic ?

Joanne Rosenzweig I think the author (a judge) used illiteracy so as to muddy the waters philosophically/morally? speaking about whether an illiterate person should hav…moreI think the author (a judge) used illiteracy so as to muddy the waters philosophically/morally? speaking about whether an illiterate person should have been blamed for the deaths of people because she had locked them in a church which was later bombed and caught fire and they all died. (less)

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