This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1keren7
Spoiler
All the reviews I read of the book state that Briony lies about what she has seen because she misinteprets the events that she sees and she thinks that Robbie is trying to hurt her sister and cousin.
However, I think that the author provides a different motive for why she did what she did. If you remember, Robbie remembers how Briony had professed her love for him a year earlier and he did not recripocate back.
I think that Briony was jealous that Robbie gave the love note to Cecelia and so created the lie because she felt spurned. I think that McEwan puts the remembrance in the book as Briony's confession that her motive was not simply to protect her cousin and sister
what do you guys think? Am I reading too much into this or do you think there may be something to this?
All the reviews I read of the book state that Briony lies about what she has seen because she misinteprets the events that she sees and she thinks that Robbie is trying to hurt her sister and cousin.
However, I think that the author provides a different motive for why she did what she did. If you remember, Robbie remembers how Briony had professed her love for him a year earlier and he did not recripocate back.
I think that Briony was jealous that Robbie gave the love note to Cecelia and so created the lie because she felt spurned. I think that McEwan puts the remembrance in the book as Briony's confession that her motive was not simply to protect her cousin and sister
what do you guys think? Am I reading too much into this or do you think there may be something to this?
3LadyN
Hi! I loooooooooooved Atonement! Hmmmmm....not sure, but I think you have a valid argument. I think perhaps it could be a combination of the two! Maybe Briony doesn't deliberately lie, but the unrequited feelings for Robbie mean she has greater motivation to say what she thinks she saw..... maybe.... It's a while since I read it.
4hazelk
>1 keren7::keren7: it's a while since I read and enjoyed this novel. I've forgotten how old Briony was - was she early teens or even younger?
6jhowell
Keren -- I totally agree with you; that is what I have always thought. It has been almost a year since I have read it, but I think when she is writing about the cracked vase scene for her class -- it is then that she lets on to the reader that she in fact really did see and understand the whole event.
I think her motives are very selfish and remember she is a very melodramatic little girl. The version of events she ultimately chooses to portray has the most drama. Her WILLFUL misrepresentation of events is what gives her so much to atone for.
I really loved that book -- so I get excited talking about it!
I think her motives are very selfish and remember she is a very melodramatic little girl. The version of events she ultimately chooses to portray has the most drama. Her WILLFUL misrepresentation of events is what gives her so much to atone for.
I really loved that book -- so I get excited talking about it!
7hazelk
.6:jhowell:
I've re-read some crucial passages.
We can only suppose that Briony, writing at the very end of the complex affair, is imagining what she would have made of the scene at 13.
From the beginning she is a 'story-teller' and goes on to become a novelist.
I've re-read some crucial passages.
We can only suppose that Briony, writing at the very end of the complex affair, is imagining what she would have made of the scene at 13.
From the beginning she is a 'story-teller' and goes on to become a novelist.
8jhowell
I have tried to go back and find the passages I am remembering; but I can't. I think it is purposely left a little ambiguous to jive with one of the themes of the novel -- the truth is elusive and is dependent on a narrator's biased recollections and interpretations.
The adult Briony maybe making excuses for herself -- "I innocently misinterpreted events." Since she is the one telling the story, who is to stop her? But somehow, somewhere in the book, there is evidence that she knew all along what she was doing -- and she drops those hints to us. She is ashamed of it; and never meant for it to have such serious repercussions -- but I truly believe she knew the real story behind the cracked vase; and she knew in her heart who had assaulted Lola;and she knowingly falsely identified Robbie.
The only passage I can find at this point that hints at this starts on pg 38 with "As she stood in the nursery waiting for her cousins' return . . ." from there to the end of the chapter. But I know there are others.
The adult Briony maybe making excuses for herself -- "I innocently misinterpreted events." Since she is the one telling the story, who is to stop her? But somehow, somewhere in the book, there is evidence that she knew all along what she was doing -- and she drops those hints to us. She is ashamed of it; and never meant for it to have such serious repercussions -- but I truly believe she knew the real story behind the cracked vase; and she knew in her heart who had assaulted Lola;and she knowingly falsely identified Robbie.
The only passage I can find at this point that hints at this starts on pg 38 with "As she stood in the nursery waiting for her cousins' return . . ." from there to the end of the chapter. But I know there are others.
9lizzier
#7 Hazelk - It's a while since reading Atonement but reading your views on, I think you are very perceptive about Briony and the storyteller/novelist in her. When I read the book I wondered where exactly story/truth/reality/memory exactly started, especially bearing in mind the book is a novel, written by a novelist.
But I didn't worry about where they ended.
But I didn't worry about where they ended.
10keren7
See, I think Briony confesses that she understood all along and accused Robbie because she was jealous. There is a scene where Robbie remembers that Briony had confessed her love to him a year before and he had told her that he did not feel the same way - It's a scene when Robbie is trying to figure out why Briony made her story up - I think that is Briony's real confession - because we know that Robbie is dead and didn't write that part -
11jhowell
Yes, you are so right keren; I am not sure I really picked up on that retrospectively. I do think she confesses in lots of other ways as well throughout-- obfuscating, and hiding things within the story with in a story, and all that jabber about the truth depending on your perspective. She never just comes right out and says "Mea culpa" though.
