Part 3

I never truly understood why Michael was so numb and impervious to any emotions. I guess it was some sort of subconscious innate defense system to stop himself from hurting and missing Hanna. However, it did make sense that he had to somewhat reach rock bottom in order to feel again. It's almost as if he realized that he could not go on living numb anymore because he was going on through life without really living and enjoying it.

I started to like Michael more as a person in the beginning of part three because he had in fact gotten married and had a daughter. I thought there was a small chance that he had finally gotten over Hanna and fallen in love with someone else. Yet, when he said that they go married when she got Gertrude got pregnant, I realized it wasn't a marriage out of love, but rather because they kind of had to get married. Nevertheless, he loved his daughter greatly even if he didn't love her mother. 

Then, i was pretty bothered by the fact that Michael still cared so much about Hanna. It is understandable that she was a big part of his childhood, but everything took place when he was fifteen. Thirty years later and he's still living in the past. However, I began to realize that he wasnt making tapes for her because he was still in love with her and wanted her back, he just cared about her, I'm assuming as some sort of mother figure because he even mentions that he doesn't talk much about his mother. If you really take it into consideration, it is very nice and caring of him to send her tapes. Without knowing it, he was helping her become literate and as a result making her happy. 

By the end I realized that Hanna really did care for Michael too, also in a mothering type of way. The fact that she had his graduation picture on her cell what is creepy, but it shows how much she cares. The way the warden described her longing for his handwritten letters shows that she wanted a connection with Michael. Yet, I do not get her reasons for suicide. I think it is that she realized Michael was annoyed by the comment she made and she didn't want to make him go through all that or she didn't want to. Be with Michael without actually being able to be with him. Whatever her reasons were, I still find the book somewhat odd and creepy, but entertaining and worth reading,