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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who refuses to be convinced they will be going home soon?

2. Whose passing into adulthood is Emily mourning in this section of the book?

3. What does Briony think she should have done for her brother?

4. Where does Briony see Robbie and Cecilia talking?

5. Who calls Lola and her brothers to their bath, causing the meeting with the answer to #54 to be over?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who pronounces the unthinkable word, "divorce?"

2. What does Briony imagine is happening when she sees Robbie and Cecilia are out at the fountain?

3. Why is Lola embarrassed by Marshall?

4. What mystery does Briony begin to contemplate as she is looking at her hand?

5. What causes Cecilia to stop fixing the vase?

6. What does Briony do when she has finished a piece of writing?

7. What do the children do in response to Emily because her illness stops Emily from giving her children a mother's attention?

8. What does Cecilia's father disapprove of which she does in spite of this disapproval?

9. What does Briony do as she constructs yet another story?

10. Why is Briony relieved when everyone leaves her alone in the nursery?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of love and romance is an expected one in a novel containing a young girl who looks to her older sisters to see what "real life" will be like when she grows up.

Part 1: What does Briony think romance and love should include?

Part 2: What do you think Cecilia uses as a definition of love and romance? What does love include, according to her?

Part 3: Cite two examples of love relationships in this story. What do they have to say about the idea of love and its ability to heal and to hurt?

Essay Topic 2

The letter from Robbie to Cecilia sets off a chain of events in many respects. The importance of this letter cannot be denied.

Part 1: Why does Robbie write this letter in the first place? What is he trying to achieve?

Part 2: Why does Robbie decide to write another letter that is less crude? Why would he have been so crude in the first place?

Part 3: Why is Cecilia not bothered by the crudeness of the letter she does receive? What does this say about her?

Essay Topic 3

The ending of Atonement is one that can be confusing to the reader, as Briony is the one telling the tale.

Part 1: What are the two endings to the story of Atonement?

Part 2: Which ending seems to be "real" in terms of the storytelling? Which one is more believable?

Part 3: What do you think happens to Cecilia and Robbie at the end of this story?

(see the answer keys)

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