Analysis of the ending and Michael's final confession can be found at Plugged In , focusing on the film's moral conclusions. Rotten Tomatoes
Years later, Michael is a law student observing a trial of former SS guards. To his horror, Hanna is one of the defendants. She is accused of allowing 300 Jewish women to burn to death in a church during a death march. When asked to provide a handwriting sample to prove she wrote a crucial report, Hanna confesses to the crime rather than reveal she cannot read or write. Michael, realizing he could save her by revealing her secret, chooses not to, paralyzed by shame and the weight of German guilt. The Reader 2008 Lk21
: The film delves into Hanna's illiteracy, which she goes to great lengths to hide, even at the cost of her freedom. Critical Reception Analysis of the ending and Michael's final confession
If you saw The Reader on Lk21, rewatch the trial scene (approx. 1h 10min in) with good subtitles. Notice Hanna’s confusion when the judge asks her to compare handwriting – she isn’t cunning; she’s terrified. She is accused of allowing 300 Jewish women
