Who Is Briony Tallis 'Real In Atonement'?

1456 Words3 Pages

Atonement is a heart wrenching novel that follows the intense and amorous relationship between Cecilia Tallis and Robbie Turner. The novel also tracks the destruction of their lives at the hands of Briony Tallis, Cecilia‘s younger sister. Against the backdrop of World War II, this devastating romantic novel highlights the delicacy of emotion and the reality that humans sometimes do not have happy endings.

Briony Tallis is the most significant character in the entire novel. She’s conceited, vastly intelligent, and wholeheartedly believes the world revolves around her. Briony’s demeanor is revealed within the first scene of the novel, when she commands her cousins to perform the play that she has written for the homecoming of her brother, Leon, and his friend Paul Marshall. …show more content…

This chocolate bar, with a sugar casing, was eventually placed in every ration kit received by soldiers in the British army. The bar was meant to represent the power and influence that Paul Marshall displayed throughout the entire novel. The Amo bar is given to Lola, who becomes the victim of his crime, and the Amo bar most likely showed up in Robbie’s own ration pack. This proves that the domination of Paul Marshall was inescapable, and that Robbie was unable to ever break free from his past, given the accusation that Briony provided.

One of the most memorable motifs throughout the novel was Cecilia’s phrase, “come back, come back to me.” She uses this first to comfort Briony when her play direction was not going well. It was then used by Cecilia to comfort Robbie and prevent him from exploding on a teenage Briony who had paid the couple a visit. Cecilia uses this device as comfort to those close to her. Her loving care was evident as she became a ward sister at St. Thomas Hospital. The phrase was drenched with emotion every time she uttered it, and the reoccurrence of the phrase is what makes it such an impactful

More about Who Is Briony Tallis 'Real In Atonement'?

Open Document