The Reader · written by David Hare · 2008

Dieter condemns the trial as a diversion that singles out six guards instead of confronting society’s wider guilt; Michael cannot answer.

Scene 109 of 196 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Dieter
Rohl
Michael

Act oneAct two

Begins 49 min into a 1:21 film

The story so farBefore scene 109

As a law student, Michael sees Hanna, his former lover, on trial for war crimes and must face the secret that shaped their teenage relationship.

Scenes 1–6
In 1995, Michael prepares breakfast for Brigitte, then is alone in his apartment and looks out the window.
Scenes 7–24
The sick schoolboy Michael accepts Hanna’s help and returns to her.
Scenes 25–35
Michael enters an intimate relationship with Hanna, organized around his reading to her.
Scenes 36–96
Michael alternates between time with Hanna and school; their reading ritual and cycling trip continue while he also spends time with friends.
Scenes 97–104
At the trial, Michael finds Hanna among the defendants and hears her admit involvement in selections.
Just before
Scene 106
Ilana identifies Hanna and other guards, describing Hanna’s favored readers and asking whether selecting vulnerable women for death was kindness.
Scene 107
Michael sits alone with his head in his hands, in despair.
Scene 108
Rose recounts the death march and locked church fire, explaining how she and Ilana survived on a gallery.
Scene 109
This scene

109INT. LECTURE ROOM. LAW SCHOOL. DAY

The group is back in the big hall. But the atmosphere is grim. It’s a while before DIETER speaks.

DIETER

I don’t know. I don’t know what

we’re doing any more.

ROHL

Don’t you?

DIETER

You keep telling us to think like

lawyers, but there’s something

disgusting about this.

ROHL is very still, like an analyst who is finally leading his patient to the heart of things.

ROHL

How so?

DIETER

This didn’t happen to the Germans.

It happened to the Jews.

Everyone is shocked at his violent passion.

DIETER

What are we trying to do?

MICHAEL

We’re trying to understand.

DIETER

Six women locked three hundred Jews

in a church, and let them burn.

What is there to understand? Tell

me, I’m asking : what is there to

understand?

MICHAEL can’t answer. DIETER gets up, outraged now.

DIETER

I started out believing in this

trial, I thought it was great, now

I think it’s just a diversion.

ROHL

Yes? Diversion from what?

DIETER

You choose six women, you put them

on trial, you say ‘They were the

evil ones, they were the guilty

ones’. Brilliant!

Because one of the victims happened

to write a book! That’s why they’re

on trial and nobody else. Do you

know how many camps there were in

Europe?

DIETER turns, furious.

DIETER

People go on about how much did