43 pages • 1 hour read
Atonement
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Essay Topics
Compare and contrast Briony’s character as a young girl and an old woman. How do these different versions of her differ? In what ways are they similar?
How does the search for atonement function as a motivation in the novel? In your view, is Briony’s novel enough to atone for the past?
Robbie and Paul are very different. In what ways do they function as doubles or opposite versions of one another?
To what degree does the parenting style of Jack and Emily Tallis influence the events in the novel?
Cecilia and Briony are sisters, but they are different in many ways. In what ways are they alike? What makes them different?
What is the role of fiction as a literary device in Atonement?
Robbie’s experiences on the battlefields of World War II traumatize him. How does the portrayal of the horrors of war affect Briony’s guilt?
Discuss Briony’s character arc over the course of the novel’s three parts. How does Atonement use structure to convey Briony’s growing maturity?
How does Briony’s relationship with Lola develop throughout the novel?
To what extent does Atonement portray the injustices of the British social class system? Does it make a judgment on the system or offer alternatives?
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By Ian McEwan
