The Reader (2008) is a haunting and complex drama that explores the emotional aftermath of World War II through the lens of a secret love affair and a courtroom reckoning. Starring Kate Winslet in an Oscar-winning performance, the film blends passion and moral conflict as it traces the story of Michael Berg and Hanna Schmitz across decades.
Do you remember the details of this deeply moving and morally challenging film? Take this 10-question trivia quiz and revisit the questions of guilt, justice, and the burden of memory that The Reader so powerfully confronts
The Reader (2008) Trivia Questions & Answers
- Who plays Hanna Schmitz in The Reader (2008)?
Correct Answer: Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet gives a powerful and nuanced performance as Hanna Schmitz — a former Nazi guard whose relationship with a teenage boy and dark past define the film’s moral landscape. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for this role.
- What is the profession of Michael Berg when he becomes an adult?
Correct Answer: Lawyer
Michael grows up to become a legal scholar and lawyer. As a law student, he attends the war crimes trial where Hanna is a defendant, forcing him to confront both personal memories and the broader implications of guilt and justice.
- How does Michael first meet Hanna?
Correct Answer: He falls ill outside her apartment
At 15, Michael becomes sick with scarlet fever and vomits outside Hanna’s building. She helps him home, and a complex and intimate relationship soon develops — one that profoundly shapes his emotional and moral identity.
- What secret is Hanna hiding that affects her trial?
Correct Answer: She is illiterate
Hanna’s illiteracy is a central revelation. She would rather accept a harsher sentence than admit she cannot read or write — a secret that has shaped much of her life. This refusal plays a tragic role in her trial, where she’s accused of writing a report she couldn’t have authored.
- During which historical event did Hanna work as a concentration camp guard?
Correct Answer: World War II
The story centers around Hanna’s role as a guard at a Nazi concentration camp during WWII. Her involvement, and her silence about her illiteracy, raise deep ethical questions about personal responsibility and collective guilt in post-war Germany.
- Why does Hanna accept a greater sentence at her trial?
Correct Answer: She refuses to admit she can’t read
In court, when asked to provide a handwriting sample to prove she didn’t write the incriminating report, Hanna refuses — afraid of exposing her illiteracy. This leads to her being singled out for the heaviest punishment among the accused.
- What does Michael do to reconnect with Hanna years later?
Correct Answer: Sends her audio tapes of him reading
Michael begins sending Hanna recordings of himself reading classic literature aloud. Though he never writes to her, these tapes give her comfort — and eventually motivate her to teach herself to read and write while in prison.
- What book does Michael read aloud that deeply affects Hanna?
Correct Answer: The Lady with the Little Dog
Among other works, Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Little Dog resonates deeply with Hanna. Literature becomes a bridge between her and Michael — a way to connect across time, distance, and guilt.
- What is the main theme of The Reader?
Correct Answer: Guilt, memory, and moral ambiguity
The film deals with personal and collective guilt, the complexities of judging past actions, and the way memory shapes identity. It challenges viewers to consider the difference between understanding and forgiving — especially in the context of historical atrocities.
- What award did Kate Winslet win for her role in The Reader?
Correct Answer: Academy Award for Best Actress
Winslet won the Oscar for Best Actress at the 81st Academy Awards. Her performance was widely praised for its depth, restraint, and emotional complexity — embodying a woman both culpable and pitiable, monstrous and human.
