Sexual Exploration

Sexual exploration is one of the main themes of the novel. As it begins, Liesel, Viktor, and Hana are all relatively young. As the novel ends, they are in their 60's. This allows for the reader to follow the main character's physical, emotional, and sexual growth. This is especially seen through Hana's character. When Hana is introduced, she is shown to be Liesel's outrageous, close friend. Quickly it becomes clear that Hana is very different from Liesel. She is not afraid to express any of her feelings. At first it seems as though Hana is just looking for fun outside of her relationship with her husband. Soon it becomes clear that while she loves Oskar, she is looking for more. So Hana decides to explore (what would be considered) other nontraditional relationships. At first, the reader assumes that Hana's experiences with Eva, Liesel, and Zdenka are meant...