Atonement | Themes

Atonement Themes

Comprehending

Most of the action in Atonement is seen through physical windows, which allow viewers to see but not necessarily hear or understand. Briony oversees Cecilia and Robbie at the fountain and is confused when their actions do not fit her preconceived, romantic idea of what ought to be going on. From a window Lola sees Briony stalking off to the island, not realizing her cousin dislikes her enough to behead her in effigy. Reading Robbie's unintended note and reflecting on the fountain scene, Briony is ready to misread the scene of passion she comes upon in the library as an assault on her sister and Briony prepares to indict Robbie. Although it is too dark to make out faces and though Briony has seen physical evidence on the true attacker, Briony makes what she "knows" become what she has seen and Robbie is wrongly sent to jail. When Briony later...
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