Angelika tells Rachel that she "make[s] her [so-called-crime] such a terrible transgression that it stops you from living. You hide behind it, hide from life." Do you believe this is true? 

Angelika tells Rachel that there was nothing special about the girl Rachel exposed, or about Rachel's "so-called crime." Yet, she says, Rachel "make[s] it such a terrible transgression that it stops you from living. You hide behind it, hide from life." 

Do you believe this is true? 

I do agree that her major source of guilt is the betrayal of the young Jewish girl in the baret, and that the guilt does keep her from enjoying life. It is, after all, one o the major things keeping her from having children, and that in turn is impacting her relationship with her husband. I'm not sure I'd characterize her reaction as hiding behind it; I think it's more like a roadblock.

I completely agree with kimk especially of how it impacts her relationship with Aaron and possibly her hesitance in having children. In addition, I think that the advice comes from Angelika has more impact because she has not really forgiven her for what she did to survive and coax Rachel to participate in order to survive.

It is hard for me to say she is hiding behind her trauma... I believe that is what is keeping her from enjoying a full life with her husband, but I don't believe it is of her own doing. Trauma can effect people so severely... I don't believe Rachel wants to be the way that she is.