The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
what are the major themes
role of the media
role of the media
"One of the major themes in Boll's The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum is the power of the media to shape "fact" and "objectivity." The novel is narrated from the perspective of a reporter and supposedly all the "facts" of the case regarding the murder of Totges are revealed. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the "facts" are still being presented in a subjective manner as to paint a particular picture of Blum and her intentions. Sex and violence quickly overshadow the case and tarnish any reputation that Blum had prior to the murder investigation. Boll's novel is a reminder to us that the public image of a person is greatly controlled by the power of the media and that "objectivity" is really not possible."