Role Of Guilt In Atonement

Making mistakes is a common attribute to human life. Learning from mistakes is helpful for coping with the destruction of sins. When any mistake is made, guilt plays a crucial role in the process. Granted it be a small mistake or a large one, guilt has a way of eating away at the conscience. “Guilt is largely described as an outcome of self-regulation failures, which often prompt individuals to engage in self-regulation.” (Saintives 41-51). Guilt determines the future for one’s life, based on how well it is managed. Unresolved guilt is painful and will always stay within one’s mind. Guilt isn’t always easy to get rid of because it lingers its way through situations. In the novel Atonement Ian McEwan demonstrates how a character can live a

Lola knew it was Paul, the readers knew it was Paul yet they let Robbie take the blame. There is not enough evidence in the novel to know whether or not Lola felt guilty for letting Robbie taking the blame. Whether or not she did feel guilty, she still went on with the lie to save Paul’s reputation. Paul was so wealthy he could have paid himself out of jail. Paul should feel guilty for Robbie because he is the one who committed the crime and got away with it. Emily Tallis knew Paul had been in the nursery talking to Lola and the twins, “It would be Mr. Marshall whose room was just along from the nursery, and he was talking to the twins, she decided, rather than Lola. Emily wondered if they were being impertinent, for each twin seemed to behave as though his social obligations were halved” (McEwan 64). If Emily had heard Paul talking to Lola and the twins earlier that day then she should have been suspicious of Paul. Emily could have at least brought up the subject to the police. As for the police, they should have gathered information from every person that was there that night. They should have separately questioned Paul and Robbie as well as Lola. Had everyone in part one done more to solve the case, Robbie would not have gone to