"What is love?"
A centuries old question
asked by Shakespeare, Haddaway, and today also by the students of Clark
University.
The University libraries are adorned with phrases and ideas open to interpretation that students contribute to as time passes. Someone wrote, "What is love?" and the accumulated responses included:
"When your subconscious is attracted to another person's subconscious, subconsciously."
"Sex+Comfort+Time"
"Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more."
"it's holding hands even if your palms are sweaty"
"Oxytocin" (and its chemical structure)
The University libraries are adorned with phrases and ideas open to interpretation that students contribute to as time passes. Someone wrote, "What is love?" and the accumulated responses included:
"When your subconscious is attracted to another person's subconscious, subconsciously."
"Sex+Comfort+Time"
"Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more."
"it's holding hands even if your palms are sweaty"
"Oxytocin" (and its chemical structure)
So why bring up this familiar-yet-so-unfamiliar concept and question of love when reading The Reader?
In the book, 15-year-old Michael Berg enters his first serious relationship with 35-year-old Hanna. The relationship is unconventional and fiery, and Michael's passions run high. But the question of whether Michael is actually in love with Hanna is debatable.
I came across the "What is love?" diagram while I was studying in the library and it made me think deeply about Michael's experience. Since Michael is only 15 and has never been seriously entangled with another lover in the past, it is natural to be cautious when using the word 'love' to describe what he is experiencing. I considered that Michael is seriously bewitched by Hanna and lusts her. Hanna, with her experience and allure, is intoxicating and addictive. Straining away from the poetic meaning of those two words, 'intoxicating' and 'addictive' are words that also describe a chemical change in the body that makes a person feel or react a certain way. This BCC article explains the chemical processes involved in love, such as the chemical oxytocin drawn in the diagram. This made me think whether Michael is addicted to Hanna or loves Hanna, or if addiction–to an extent–is one of the many components of love. If he loves her, does he love her without being IN love with her, or is he in love with her without loving her? Deborah Anapol, Ph.D, of Psychology Today makes the differentiation between sex and love, and may offer some insight on where the two overlap or do not overlap.
Thinking about love in the book might get you to reach a deeper understanding of the text, as well as maybe the idea of love in your own life. Who knows, maybe you will discover that there is a very think line between love and lust, or that true love means loving someone while being in love with them at the same time. Your peers at Clark are certainly thinking about it at as well!
In the book, 15-year-old Michael Berg enters his first serious relationship with 35-year-old Hanna. The relationship is unconventional and fiery, and Michael's passions run high. But the question of whether Michael is actually in love with Hanna is debatable.
I came across the "What is love?" diagram while I was studying in the library and it made me think deeply about Michael's experience. Since Michael is only 15 and has never been seriously entangled with another lover in the past, it is natural to be cautious when using the word 'love' to describe what he is experiencing. I considered that Michael is seriously bewitched by Hanna and lusts her. Hanna, with her experience and allure, is intoxicating and addictive. Straining away from the poetic meaning of those two words, 'intoxicating' and 'addictive' are words that also describe a chemical change in the body that makes a person feel or react a certain way. This BCC article explains the chemical processes involved in love, such as the chemical oxytocin drawn in the diagram. This made me think whether Michael is addicted to Hanna or loves Hanna, or if addiction–to an extent–is one of the many components of love. If he loves her, does he love her without being IN love with her, or is he in love with her without loving her? Deborah Anapol, Ph.D, of Psychology Today makes the differentiation between sex and love, and may offer some insight on where the two overlap or do not overlap.
Thinking about love in the book might get you to reach a deeper understanding of the text, as well as maybe the idea of love in your own life. Who knows, maybe you will discover that there is a very think line between love and lust, or that true love means loving someone while being in love with them at the same time. Your peers at Clark are certainly thinking about it at as well!
Love is something that some would argue can not be defined. It may be defined differently depending on the person and the situation. However I think the most basic and broad definition of love is a fondness that one has for another, a comfort that is not found with strangers, and a bond of two souls that if it's true, can last forever.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that in relation to the book The Reader, to understand love we also have to be able to differentiate it from lust. I think that the question of whether or not Michael and Hanna's relationship is love or lust is extremely ambiguous. When Hanna first leaves, Michael states, "my body yearned for Hanna," (Schlink 83) which implies that at that moment, the relationship was rooted in lust. Despite this statement, when Hanna leaves Michael is unable to cope and even begins to become numb. For me this almost suggests that he loved Hanna because she left such an imprint on his life. This brings up the idea of whether or not the relationship could have started as lust and turned into love. Is it possible for a meaningful relationship to grow out of lust? Just because Hanna affected Michael in such a profound way, does this necessarily mean that he loved her? Is it possible for a 15 year old to even understand what love is?
ReplyDeleteSean- I think it was possible for 15 year old Michael to love Hanna. He wanted to be with her all the time, he thought about her all the time, he would do anything for her. Although it is a confusing time for him because he is so young and Hanna is so mature, Michael still is overwhelming in love with her. The sad part is that Hanna did not love Michael in return. This is what leads to Michael's numbness and inability to feel after the trials, he realizes he was in love with a Nazi who was incapable of loving him in return.
ReplyDeleteVery unique blog entry. I'd ultimately say that Michael did indeed love Hanna. In retrospect although he was young, and there was a lot of confusion in the relationship, Hanna gave him quite a lot, such as his first intimate experiences, and an understanding of women. Later on, Michael gave her just as much (as we see in Part 3 of the book). This process of giving and nurturing was very romantic, and I believe it shows the depth of their love. Of course there was a heavy lustful side to the relationship, however should we ask, can there be love without lust and vice versa? I believe the two go hand in hand. I think Michael certainly loved Hanna, and she loved him as well.
ReplyDelete