The Invisible War
I went to see the
screening of The Invisible War, a
documentary about sexual assault in the US military, and I saw a lot of
connections between the movie and The
Reader. In the film, different women and men were interviewed about their
experience with sexual assault in the military and all state the fact that the
bureaucracy makes it
almost impossible to bring their attackers to justice. They would often go to
report the crime and people would either not believe them, attempt to cover the
crime up, or simply twist the situation in order to make it seem that the
assault was the victim’s fault. Defending itself in civilian court in 2011, the
Pentagon argued that sexual assault is an “occupational hazard” in the
military. The US military is one of the most trusted institutions in America
(along with the Supreme Court) yet many people are unaware that they have this
history of attempting to cover up sexual assault. I saw the people who put this
film together almost akin to Michael in a way when he contemplated whether or
not he should bring to light Hannah’s “lifelong lie” because some people want
to remain almost blind to the atrocities in the world around them. Is it our
right to bring things to light which may negatively affect the world around us,
or is it better to allow people to keep their blinders on?
Great connection between the film and the book, Sean!
ReplyDeleteI think your open-ended question at the end raises a lot of thought. It made my think of the people's quote, "ignorance is bliss," a quote that I have never really believed in. In my opinion, it is not the exposure of a lie (or, the telling of the truth) that is what would impact the world negatively, however awful that truth might be. The damage that that the lie has already happened, usually, when a lie is told or a truth is concealed. Revealing it would probably give people a better and more accurate understanding of the situation.
For example, let's say on your way to class everyday for the past 4 years, you have greeted a classmate and that classmate has been nice to you (asks you how your classes are going, seems interested in your life). Truthfully, that classmate despises you and hates seeing you everyday, but will never express that to you. Would you prefer to know this truth, or not? Is ignorance bliss, would you want to idealize something that isn't true, or would you rather make a decision bases on having full information of a situation?
This post got me thinking!
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ReplyDeleteTo clarify - is the "lifelong lie" you're referring to Hanna's illiteracy or her role in the holocaust? I think it's less appropriate to compare the ignorance and secrecy surrounding the pervasiveness of sexual assault in the military to her refusal to acknowledge or admit her illiteracy, but I definitely see a connection between attitude's towards sexual assault in the military and the book's discussion of people's discomfort with talking about or acknowledging the holocaust.
ReplyDeleteBoth are situations in which people's inability to confront injustice, or to look at their role in it, results in an environment in which violence is permitted, excused, and (most of all) ignored even if it isn't directly endorsed.
I made the connection when I was reading page 143. The idea that I was referring to states, “’If one knows what is good for another person who in turn is blind to it, then one must try to open his eyes.’” Though the ‘lifelong lie’ refers to Hannah’s illiteracy, I was referring more to the idea that by not admitting it to herself as well as to the court, she was sinking further and further. In the novel Michael was contemplating whether or not he had the right to allow the court to remain blind to Hannah’s situation or if it was better to allow her to keep some of her dignity in the trial. He even asks the question, “Imagine someone is racing intentionally towards his own destruction and you can save him- do you go ahead and save him?” This is what I connected to the idea of whether or not it is better to allow people to remain sheltered or if it is our right to bring certain situation to light. But I also really like your connection between Michael making his society face their past and the documentary bringing to light a very difficult situation like sexual assault in the military.
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