Chapter One Summary

Chapter One introduces the main characters and sets the stage for the events to come in Atonement.

Thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis has written a play called "The Trials of Arabella" for her brother Leon's homecoming. The play tells the story of Arabella, who falls in love with a foreign count but is abandoned and falls ill with cholera. She then falls in love with her doctor and they marry.

Highlight: Briony's play foreshadows themes of love, abandonment, and redemption that will be central to the novel.

Briony's cousins - Lola and the twins Jackson and Pierrot - are visiting due to their parents' divorce. Briony attempts to rehearse the play with them but becomes frustrated when things don't go as she imagined.

Example: Briony's dismay at her cousins' red hair not matching her character descriptions shows her rigid expectations and desire for control.

Meanwhile, Briony's older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner, the son of the family's housekeeper, have an awkward encounter by the fountain. There's tension between them, hinting at unresolved feelings.

Quote: "Cecilia finds a vase that belonged to her uncle Clem, which he acquired during the first world war from villagers who were grateful for his role in evacuating them."

This vase becomes a significant object, leading to a pivotal moment between Cecilia and Robbie.

Chapter Two Summary

Chapter Two delves deeper into the relationship between Cecilia Tallis and Robbie Turner, providing crucial background for the Atonement summary.

Cecilia spends the morning gathering flowers for a guest room. She encounters Robbie, who is weeding near the fountain. Their interaction is strained, despite their childhood friendship.

Vocabulary: Charlady - A woman employed as a cleaner in a house or office.

We learn that Robbie has graduated from Cambridge with a literature degree and plans to attend medical school, funded by Cecilia's father. Cecilia, also a Cambridge graduate, is spending the summer at home without clear future plans.

Highlight: The class difference between Cecilia and Robbie is subtly emphasized, setting up potential conflicts.

A significant event occurs involving Uncle Clem's vase. As Cecilia tries to fill it with water from the fountain, Robbie attempts to help. In the ensuing struggle, the vase breaks.

Definition: Benefactor - A person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.

Cecilia, refusing Robbie's help, strips to her underwear and retrieves the broken pieces herself. This scene is laden with sexual tension and embarrassment, foreshadowing the complex relationship that will develop between Cecilia and Robbie.

Quote: "Cecilia, adamant that she will not accept Robbie's help, strips down to her underwear and dives into the fountain herself, retrieving the broken pieces of the vase."

This chapter sets the stage for the misunderstandings and tensions that will drive the plot of Atonement Part 2.