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Fiction(/fiction/) Essay(/fiction/Essay/)
Atonement:Misunderstandings

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By:astrarisks(/u/819742/astrarisks) (https://www.fictionpress.com/pm2/post.php?uid=819742)
Essayprompt:"Whatisexceptionalaboutthenovelasaform...isitspeculiarabilitytogetinsidemindsandtoshowusthemechanicsofmisunderstanding...andmisunderstand
canstretchfromsomethingthatismildandsocialandcomic,tothedeepestformsofhatred."HowdoesMcEwandemonstratehisclaimforthenovel's"peculiarability"through
Atonement?[rapemention]
Rated:FictionT(https://www.fictionratings.com/)EnglishWords:2,087Published:Dec16,2014Status:Completeid:3227031

essayiwroteformyenglishclass,regardingianmcewan'satonement.strangebutnicewritingstyle(streamofconsciousness),thoughitcouldgetsoporificattimes.
originalprompt
"Whatisexceptionalaboutthenovelasaformandhereitexertsitssuperiorityovermovies,overtheaterisitspeculiarabilitytogetinsidemindsandtoshowusthemechanicsof
misunderstanding...andmisunderstandingcanstretchfromsomethingthatismildandsocialandcomic,tothedeepestformsofhatred."HowdoesMcEwandemonstratehisclaimforthe
novel's"peculiarability"throughAtonement?

AtonementEssay

AccordingtoDictionary.com,thewordmisunderstandingcantakeeitheroneoftwomeanings:1.afailuretounderstandcorrectlymistakeastomeaningorintent,or2.adisagreementor
quarrel.Atonementdepictsbothofthesemeaningstotheirgreatest,andperhapsmosthorrificextent,asitisthestoryoftheultimatemisunderstanding:astorythatshowswhatisproneto
happenwhenobservationsaretakenoutofcontext,wheninferencesaredrawnwithoutpreamble,whenaccusationsaremadewithbarelyanybackgroundknowledge.IanMcEwanhascr
atalewhereinhemethodicallypicksatthemindofeachofhischaracters,usingtheliterarydevice"streamofconsciousness"togreateffect,immersinghisreadersintoBriony's,Cecelia's,
Lola's,Robbie's,andmanyothercharacters'exactmindsets,oftentimesshowingeachoftheirperspectivesontheexactsamesituation.Eventually,hetwistsalloftheseviewpointstogethe
thepointwherethemisunderstandingofthemaincharacter,BrionyTallis,unwindsthelifehersister(Cecilia)andherwouldbefianc(Robbie)couldhavehad,whichinturnstemsintoal
standingestrangementbetweenCeciliaandBrionythat'smainlyupheldbytheformer,asBriony(inaccordancewiththenovel'stitle)wouldliketoreachatonementforheractions,having
realizedsinceherimpetuousactionsthatshewasincorrecttoaccuseRobbieofavileacthehadinfactnotcommitted.

InordertoestablishthebasisofthemisunderstandingthatstandsatthecoreofAtonement,IanMcEwanusesacertainmethodofwriting,calledstreamofconsciousness,todelveintothe
mindsofhischaractersandlayouttothereaderwhattheyaretrulythinking.Inthisway,youcanseethesomewhatdisjointedconnectionofthoughtsof,takethemaincharacter,Briony.T
novel'smainconflict(otherthantheactualconflict,WorldWarII,ofcourse)infact,stemsfromBriony'sownmisconceptionsaboutwhatwashappeningbetweenhersister,CeciliaTallis,an
RobbieTurner.Infact,bylookingatthecharacters'thoughts,IanMcEwanalmostcreatessomethinglikeacrossroadsateachscene:takethefountainscene,forinstance.WeseeCecelia
pointofview,whereshestrippedandjumpedstraightintothewaterbecauseshewantedtomakeastatementtoRobbie,havingbeenratherangryathimontheaccountofhimtryingtohe
herdipavaseintothefountaintogetitfullofwater(shealsothoughtthathehadbeentryingtodeliberatelyteaseandhumiliateher).Thisdoesn'treallyendwell,consideringthatbetween
twoofthemarguingoversuchatriviality,theymanagetobreakthelipofthevaseintopieces,twoofwhichfallintothewater(thisiswhenCeceliamakesherdiveintothefountain).Andth
givinganodtowardCecelia'spointofviewwiththestreamofconsciousness,IanMcEwanhasestablishedthissceneasnothingmorethanratherchildishbickeringindeed,arather
convolutedformofflirtingandquiteinnocent,inandonitself.

Butthen,IanMcEwanshowsthesameexactscenethroughBriony'spointofviewintheverynextchapter,wearetoldaverydifferenttimelineoftheoccurringofevents,consideringthatt
interactionbetweenCeciliaandRobbieisnowbeinglookeduponbyanoutsideviewerwhohasreallynocomprehensivecontextofexactlywhatisgoingdownthere,consideringthefactth
Brionycan'tevenhearthem:onlyseetheiractions.Andthus,inachapterrightafterwehavehadtheviewofthethoughtsofadirect,inthescenenarratordescribingthesituation,weget
almostanunreliablenarratorinBriony,whothinksthatRobbieiseitherproposingmarriagetoCecilia,ortryingtoforcehimselfonherwithoutthelatterparty'sconsent.Brionyeventually
deducesfromthesituationthatRobbiewantsCeciliatotakeherclothesoff(which,ofcourse,shedoes,butinanentirelydifferentcontextthantheoneBrionythinksistrue).Ontheaccoun
Ceciliadivingintothefountain(which,asonewillrecall,wastoretrievethetwopiecesofbrokenvasethathadfallenintothewater,aswellastomakeastrongstatementtoRobbie),sheth
thathereldersisteristryingtoescapefromherpotentialattacker,andthenendsupthinkingabouthowthiswholescenewouldhavebeenmadeintoagoodstory:aworkoffiction.Andth
isfromthesetwodifferingversionsofthesamescene,bylookingintoeachcharacter'sindividualthoughts,thatIanMcEwanbeginstoforgethebasisofmisunderstanding,socentraltothe
novelitself.WecanclearlyseehowBrionyissoselfabsorbedintotheworldshewantstoseeandtheworldshewantscreatedthatshealmostdeludesherselfintothinkingwhat,
subconsciously,sheknowstoberatherunlikely.Brionyislookingattheworldthroughtheeyesofafictionwriter:sheinfactinitiallyseesRobbieandCecelia'smostlyplatonicconfrontation
despitethefactthat,again,theyweresubconsciouslyflirtingmadlywitheachotherasamarriageproposal,somethingpluckedstraightoutofafairytale.This,whilemuchmore"innoce
thanthenexttheoryBrionycooksup(theoneconcerningRobbie's"assault"),isstillentirelyamisconceptionandoneoftheveryfirstinstancesofmisunderstandingsBrionyreacheswithC
andRobbie'srelationshipthateventuallydrivetheplotlineintoPartsTwoandThree,thelatterhalfofthebook.Theuseofstreamofconsciousness,inthiscase,trulyexemplifieshowa
character'sthoughtprocessultimatelyleadstotheconclusionstheydrawwhenlookinguponasituation.Bylookinginsideacharacter'sheadandlayingbaretheirtrueinnerthoughts,it
ultimatelyreinforcesthemechanicsbehindacertaincharacter'smisconceptions:whytheyeverthoughtthatwayinthefirstplace,allshownthroughthewrittenword.IanMcEwanusesthis
greateffectinAtonement,enforcingthisone"peculiarability"ofthenoveltoexplaintheoftentimestwistedandveiledreasoningbehindmisunderstanding.

InAtonement,IanMcEwannotonlyexploresthethoughtsthatcandriveasinglehumanmindtodeducesomethingthatiscompletelyincorrectandamisunderstanding,butalsosocietyas
whole.ThisisespeciallyhighlightedwhenthepolicecomeaftertheincidentofLola'srapebyanunknownperpetrator,whoturnedouttobePaulMarshall,andconsideringthatLolahas
absolutelynoideawhorapedher(actually,shewasrapedtwiceshedidn'tquitegettheprofileofherattackereithertimes),everyonewasatalittlemorethanalossforwhattoexactlydo
thewholesituation.Briony,whoclaimstobethesolewitnesstothewholescene,reportsheraccountofthesituationtothepolice,onethatplacesalltheblameonRobbiefortheattackon
HavingacquiredaratherlewdletterthatRobbiehadintendedtogivetoCecilia,BrionythenhasthegrandideatoshowitoffasevidenceofRobbie'sindecency.Cecilia,understandably,al
flipsoutatthis,andconsideringthatnoonereallyletsherevenhaveasayinthesituation,eventhoughtheletterhadbeenaddressedtoher,it'sallratherhardtostomach.Thesituationd
evenfurtherintochaoswhenEmilytakesaratherunfaithfulleapoffaithtoaccuseCeciliaofthewholeordeal,furiousontheaccountthatCeciliahadn'tshownhertheincriminatingpieceo
paper:sheclaimedangrilythatifherdaughterhadsimplyshownhertheletter,shecouldhavepreventedLola'srapeandcurrentpredicament.(Itshouldprobablybenotedatthispointtha
EmilygreatlydislikesLola,asshownbyherinnermonologuemuchearlierinthenovel,andalthoughLolahadjustbeenraped,itmakesEmily'sclaimof"wouldhavebeenabletoprevent
rapeinthefirstplace"slightlylessbelievableandthelittlestbitmoreludicrousthanitalreadywas.)Althoughlater,Robbieturnsupwiththemissingtwins(Lola'slittlebrothers,whohadwe
missingearlieroninthebookaswell),thepolicehandcuffhimregardlessandshiphimpromptlyofftoacourt,wherehe'sessentiallyconvictedonthedotandthenthrownintojail.

Whilereadingallofthis,itwoulddothereaderwelltorecallthatRobbiecamefromalowerrankedclassthaneitherLolaorBriony(thoughtheformerhadalowersocialstandingthanthe
latter),andconsideringthatLolawasn'ttalkingaboutwhomayhaverapedherapparently,shedoesn'treallyremembermuchabouttheincidentatallasamoderatelyhighclassmem
ofsocietyaswellasthelonewitness,Briony'swords,nomatterhowtruetheyturnedouttobe,willalwaysholdquiteabitofweighttothem.Furthermore,whenreadingalittleclosertothe
lines,onewillnotethattheothersuspectinLola'srape,amanbythenameofDannyHardman,wasalsoofrelativelylowclass.Thus,thetwosuspectsinLola'srapecasewerebothfrom
socialstandingthanPaulMarshallwhowasachocolatemagnateandthusofrelativelyhighclasseverwas,despitethefactthatPaulMarshallwasthetruerapist.Marshallwasnote
suspectedbythepolicenoranyoneelse(infact,CeciliathoughtthatitmayhavebeenDannyHardman),andperhapstheywereallwillingtoturnablindeyeawaymerelybecauseofhish
standinginsociety.Lookingcloseratthispoint,onecouldprobablydeducethatbecausethereisacommonlyheldmisconceptionthatthosewhobelongtoahighsocialclassmeantthatth
wereabsolutegentlemenandwomen,apersonthatcouldbeheldabovesuspicionbecausewhywouldamemberofthehighclasseverthrowthemselvestoa)forcehimselfuponayou
lowerclasswomanandb)evenconsiderthethoughtofdebasinghimselfandhisvictiminsuchanembarrassingwaywhich,essentially,probablyallowedMarshalltohaveflownabovet
radarfromthebeginning.WhereasinthecasesofRobbieandDannyHardman,bothofthembelongedtoalowersocialclass,andthoseofalowersocialstandingareassociatedwith
essentiallyeverythingthatthehigh"nobility"arenot,whichmeansthatsocietydidnotthinkthemabovepotentialrape.Thus,McEwannotonlyexplorestheideaofmisunderstandingona
personal,singlemindedlevel,butalsoasocietyasawhole:misunderstandingofwhatsocialstandingisassociatedwithintwentiethcenturyEngland.

Inessence,IanMcEwanhasusedthenovel'sdescriptivepropertiesits"peculiarabilities"togreateffectwhendevelopingoneofthecentralthemesofAtonement,whichistheideao
misunderstanding.Heexploresboththeindividualandsocialrepercussionsofmisunderstanding,ofhowholdingsuchmisconceptionscanleadtobrokenrelationshipsandwoeintheend,
usingstreamofconsciousnessandsimplyput,thenatureofhumanbeingsthemselves.Heshowshowtheveryideaofgeneralmisunderstandingcancomeinsomanydifferentforms,tha
whileonepersonmayfinditharmlessandacompletelyinnocentmistakeontheirbehalf,anothermayfinditenormousandlifechanging.Byshowinghisreadersthemindsofthecharacte
andexposingtheheartofhumansasawhole,IanMcEwanhascreatedataledetailinghowonelittlegirl'sassumedperceptionofasituation,ignoringalltheotherfactorsthatmayhavebe
playaroundherbecauseshewantedtotellagoodstory,changedthecourseofanother'slifeforperhapstheworse.
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