Atonement is written in the third person, apparently by a neutral but sympathetic observer. The end of Part 3, however, bears the initials of the protagonist and a date six decades after the earliest events described. "BT" is Briony Tallis, whose future as a noted author is often hinted in the text but as an objective fact and with no emphasis. The signing of Part 3 leads to the conclusion that parts 1 and 3 of Atonement are a fictional autobiography cast in the third person. Part 2, set in Northern France and Belgium fleeing towards Dunkirk, is event- and character-driven narrative interspersed with inner thoughts of an increasingly feverish mind.
Assuming BT wrote this portion supposes she applied standard techniques of fiction writing. A brief postscript is cast in the first person singular......
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 841 words. This
study guide contains 26,910 words (approx. 90 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Atonement Access Pass.
