Atonement Summary

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notice. Since the cook, Betty. is preparing dinner in the kitchen and is in a foul mood. Cecilia decides to fill the vase with water from the fountain outside. She goes outside and asks Robbie for a cigarette, and the two make awkward conversation. Cecilia recalls their encounter two days prior, when Robbie rang the doorbell of the house, took play ends with the wedding of the doctor and Arabella, who is once again. accepted by 1 her family. Having received praise from her mother, Emily Tallis, for safekeeping. Briony is looking forward to impressing her brother with the play as well. the vase being worth a great deal. Cecilia's grandfather wanted it to be hept in Briony has had a passion for writing since the age of eleven, finding satisfaction the family instead of sold to a museum. Cecilia attempts to arrange the flowers in creating whole worlds and having secrets in her otherwise mundane life. However, The Trials of Arabella is the first play Briony has written, to be performed by her cousins, fifteen-year-old Lola and nine-year-old twins. and Pierrot, who are Jackson visiting as their parents are in the middle of bitter divorce and their mother, Hermione, has gone off to Pan's for the weekend. Upon the arrival of her cousins, Briony tells them of the play and that they will rehearse that afternoon and perform the next day. However, • Briary off his shoes and socks when he entered, and ashed Cecilia if he could borrow a becomes dismayed to see that her cousins all have red hair and frechles, which book. Cecilia took his actions as meaning to moch and distance her. While Cecilia does not match her description of the characters in The Trials of Arabella. Once attempts to lean over the fountain and fill the rase with water, Robbie tries to Briony has gathered her cousins in the nursery for a rehearsal, she finds that help by taking the vase. During the short struggle, the lip of the vase breaks, and the twins, Pierrot and Jackson, are uncooperative while Zola attempts to indulge two sections fall to the floor of the famtain. Cecilia scolds Robbie, who takes Briony, coming off as condescending. Poriony becomes increasingly embarrassed by responsibility before beginning to unboulton his shirt to go in the fountain to get the 2 feels in companion to Lola and is horrified when Lola ashs pieces. Cecilia, adamant that she will not accept Robbie's help, strips down to her if she can play the part of Arabella, which Briony had assumed she would play. underwear and dives into the fountain herself, retrieving the broken pieces of the Briony feels obligated to say yes to the older Lola even though Lola is not at speaking a word to Robbie, Cecilia dresses and goes back inside all the image Briony had in mind for Arabella while writing the play. Briony pictures Lola receiving all the adulation Briony had imagined for herself and suddenly • herself running away from her family dismayed by. her own weakness in allowing Lola take charge of the situation. Briony attempts to regain control by asserting herself as the director and beginning do not match what she had envisioned in her head. how childlike she vase. While not spes in shame. She is also. the rehearsal, but her anger only grows as her cousins' performances by the family's. Chapter Two The next morning. • Cecilia Tallis, Boriony's older sister by I ten years, spends hours collecting flowers to put in another visitor's room at the request of her mother. Returning to the house. she sees Robbie Turner, the son of the family's charlady, weeding hedges along the fountain. him. Although they were childhood friends, since Robbie and his mother live in a bungalow on the Tallis property, Cecilia and Robbie grew apart as they got older. Though they both attended Camboridge at the same time, they did not. near the house, and tries to avoid the house. Chapter Three Briong's attempts to organize another rehearsel for The Trials of Arabella are once again. thwarked as one of the twins, Jackson, has wet the bed during the night and is forced cook Betty to wash his own sheets and pajamas, which takes a good deal Pierrot, she of his time and effort. While Briony tries to rehearse with only Lola and · feels frustrated by Lola's continued condescension toward the play and Pierrot's siled delivery of his lines. While taking a break from rehearsing. Poriony regards her own simple white dress and wonders if she should try to dress more like an adult, as Lola does. Briony also wonders at the nature of her own identity and human consciousness in general. She examines her • fingers, wondering if she controls them or if they have a life of their own. She considers how complicated the world must be if everyone has as many complex thoughts as Briony herself does. Briony laments at how the rehearsals have been out of her control and thinks that she should have just written a story to give to her brother, Leon, as stories do not require any props, actors, or looks out the window and sees Robbie and Cecilia at the - anything else that is not on the page itself. Briony famtain. At first. Briong thinks that based on his formal posture, Robbie is proposing to Cecilia, which tracks with Briony's understanding of stories involving romance across social classes. Then she sees Cecilia removing her clothes and stepping into the fountain and expects Robbie to act as Cecilia's rescuer. Briong realizes that what she is seeing is beyond her own comprehension and decides to simply watch what happens. After Cecilia retrieves the pieces of the vase and returns to the house, Briony wonders at how such a scene that she could never have thought up on her own could play itself o out. She is suddenly inspired to write a scene like the one she saw between Cecilia and Robbie to show what she only just began to understand earlier, that all people equally have just as many unique thoughts feelings as anyone else and the · confusion that arises from that truth. However, for of The Trials - now she must finish what she has started and return to the rehearsal als of Arabella. and change so easily. Cecilia understands that there is nothing she can do now that the invitation has been issued and suggests they go inside to fix themselves some cocktails. Chapter Five the While in the middle of a rehearsal, Briony walks out on Lola and the twins with no explanation. They wait for her to return wihil the twins grow bored. Lola wonders out of nursery and into an empty bedroom. Looking out the window, Lola sees Briony standing in the temple on the island and realizes she is not coming back. Lola then notices a man's suitcase in the room and leaves. With nothing to do, as the twins did not want to ·go in the pool while Cecilia, Leon, and Paul are there, the boys play while Lola arranges her hair. Eventually. Jackson and Pienot begin solbbing due to homesichness. Lola comforts by saying they will go home soon, but Jackson argues that due to the divorce, they have no real home. Lola is horrified to hear Jackson. them use the word divorce, as it has to never been uttered in front of the twins before. She chastises him and tells him to never use the word again. After the boys have calmed, Paul Marshall comes into the room and introduces himself. As Paul sits down, Lola notices that he has a cruel-looking face but a pleasant manner, a combination that she finds attractive. Paul mentious that he has read about their parents in the papers, which surprises the thins. Lola challenges Paul say what he has read about them, and when he prevancales, she warns him not to mention their parents in front of the twins again. Paul notices that Lola is closer to a young woman than a girl and compliments her on her clothes. When Pierrot says he is Paul pulls out one hungry,' -of his family's chocolate bars, an Amo. Paul explains that sugar casing keeps the chocolate safe in any conditions, even war. The twins say their father question why adults would want chocolate, Paul gives the chocolate bar to Lola instead and encourages her to bile it while he watches. insists there will not be a war, but Paul warns otherwise. When the twins Chapter Four After repairing the vase. Cecilia runs into the vase • Briony, who appears to have been crying. Cecilia is reminded of waking Briony up from nightmares when she was younger and is tempted to try to comfort: her but sees that Briony wishes to be in contral of the situation. Brioing sputters out that her play is the wrong genre but mispronounces gerre and dorms off. so Cecilia does not know what was truly bothering. her sister. Cecilia goes to put filled with flowers in the room where Paul Marshall will be staying. Looking out the window, she sees Briong crossing the bridge to a man-made island on the Tallises' lake on which there is an old temple. She also sees Hardman, one of ' family's servants, coming up the driveway in a comiage with Leon and Paul Marshall, and Robbie on his way back to his mother's bungalow. She goes downstairs to greet Leon and Paul, whose luggage is being. boy Hardman's son, • Danny. Cecilia explains that her mother is lying down due to one her migraines and that their -father, Jach, Chapter Six is staying the night in London. As Cecilia directs Daung where to put Paul's luggage, she notices that, at sixteen, he is no longer a young boy and wonders if he is interessed in Lola. Cecilia leads Leon and Paul out to the pool, where Paul dominates the the carried in lunch knowing that a migraine. to recover and penchant Emily Tallis has retreated to her dark bedroom after is imminent and hoping before dinner that night. She thinks of how she wishes Leon would have taken a position from his s father in the civil service instead of conversation with talk of his family's chocolate-manufacturing company. Cecilia, who, working for a bank. As Emilly hopes Leon will bring home a friend that Cecilia could upon meeting Paul, had wondered if she would be attracted to him, thinks of how mory, her worries turn to Cecilia, whom she feels will not be a good prospect for homific it would be to be married to such a boring and stupid man. As Paul continues, any potential husband due to her intreversion, quiring Cambridge friends.. Cecilia tries to make eye contact with Leon, who is determinedly not looking at her. for cigarettes. Emily's thoughts turn to her youngest child, Briony. whom Emily worries Cecilia recalls how she and Lean could bring each other to hears of laughter with a cannot handle failure. Emily compares her niece Lola to Lola's mother, Emily's sister, Simple look as children. Drawing I Leon's attention, Cecilia gives him the look, and Hermione, whom Emily believes creates personal drama to gain attention. Emily thinks Leen attempts to hide his silent laughter from his friend. Once Paul finishes talking. of how all this worrying she has done about her family has led to her migraines, Leon tells Cecilia that they ran into Robbie on their way to the house and invited which in turn prevent her from doing all the work a mother should and have led her him to dinner that night. Cecilia is • angry and tries to convince Leon to rescind the own children to coddle her. As Emily lies on the bed, she hears all the events of invitation. Leon and Cecilia wonders how the affections between siblings can the afternoon taking place. While heaving Betty tend to the twins' needs, Emily thinks refuses.. of how Briongi is no longer a baby who needs taking care of, but still a child. whose mind is constantly at work inventing stories and creating new problems. Emily mourns that she will never have a baby again as she is now forty-seven. While hearing the twins in the bath, she thinks of how selfish her sister is to abandon her of a a nervous breakdown. As her migraine begins to abate, Emily hears Paul talking to Lola in the nursery and thinks Paul might be a good ід н prospect for Cecilia •good with children. Thinking of all there is left before dinner, Emily gets out of bed and looks for her sunglasses. children with the excuse. is to do Chapter Seven At the island temple, which has long been in disrepair, Briony uses a branch to slash at nettles, pretending they are Lola, then the twins, and then the act of playwriting itself. Feeling satisfied that she has hilled those nuisances enough. Briony decides that her childhood is the next thing she must destroy as she no longer has any use for it. While continuing her swipes at thirteen nettles, each representing a year of her life Briony imagines herself competing in the Olympics at such a sport. When she hears the carriage approaching the house, she pictures Loon being impressed by her new shill refuses others no longer matter to her. Broken out of her daydream, Briony is frustrated to find herself. world of her own making. She returns to the bridge between the house and the island and decides to remain there until something momentous occurs to dissipate her feeling of insignificance. but to turn toward him to show that the opinions not in a his open anatomy book and before stopping to think about it, writes a graphic description of how he would like to make love to Cecilia. He immediately takes the paper out. t of the typewriter, knowing he cannot give that particular to Cecilia. He takes out another piece of paper and writes the letter draft by hand, including only the apology. Robbie reflects on how he was once. while the prospect ashed about his parents by another student at Cambridge and explained his situation without embarrassment. Robbie figured the others must see him as ignorant to not think his s family history matters, but he knows that growing up alongside Cecilia made him an equal in her getting ready for dinner, Robbie begins to feel excited, both by of seeing Cecilia and by his future in medical school. As Rolbble walks to the house, he thinks of how bright his future looks and how much he can accomplish in his lifetime. When he approaches the bridge, he sees • Briony standing on it, but she does not respond when he calls out to her. Robbie decides to give his letter to Briony may read and reflect on it before seeing Robbie. Briony takes the letter and runs up to the house without speaking. After Briony leaves, Robble lights a agarette to delay his arrival. But once. of sight and earshot, Robbie realizes that the letter he put in the envelope was the typewritten one and the handwritten one he meant to deliver is still on Briony, but she is already entering the to deliver to Cecilia so that Cecilia Briony is out his desh. Robbie calls out to house. Chapter Eight Chapter Nine mind. But, due to her socks between them and so do not ashamed of After returning from the Tallis house to the bungalow, Robbie takes a bath and Cecilia changes her outfit before dinner, first thinking a black remembers Cecilia Stripping to her underwear and climbing into the ・fountain. He dress makes her look like widow and then that a pink dress makes her look thinks of how, despite knowing her since they were young, he has never truly like a child. She eventually settles on a silh, and is green backless доши appreciated her beauty before. As he thought Cecilia was embarrassed by him, pleased with her appearance. She opens the door to find Jackson and Robbie never thought Cecilia would have paid him any Pierrot, who only have one pair of. exaggerated performance at the fountain, Robbie wonders if she is truly angry have any to wear to dinner. Cecilia takes the twins to their room and with him or was actually trying to make him see her beauty. After grappling with finds a mess, which she begins cleaning up until she realizes they are wether he should go to dinner at the Tallis house that night, Robbie goes to his typewriter to draft a letter to Cecilia. While sitting at his desh, he regards a picture of his parents, Grace and Ernest, on their honeymoon. Ernest, who was the Tallises' gardener, left when Robbie was six years old, never to be heard. from again. Robble also sees the book he borrowed from the Tallines' liberary a few days earlier, on the day he took off his socks and shoes to enter the house.. That day was the first time he noticed how awkward he felt around Cecilia, and - finds that his attraction to her has exept up quite suddenly. Robbie begins Cecilia follows the twins downstairs. Stalling on the stairs, Cecilia thinks to write a letter of apdogy. to Cecilia, first jokingly blaming his awkwardness on of how Leon has always evaded responsibilities of the family. She wishes her the heat and then implying that the heat on its own is not to blame. After family would see how much her hime at Cambridge changed her but blames only revising his statement a few times to get the tome just right, Robbie nolices herself for returning home instead of going off but how of the state the room. While Cecilia tries to comfort the twins, the boys say. they would like to до home and that they were hoping to be in the play. • Brieny has disappeared. Cecilia thinks of Briony is yet another problem she needs to deal with and wishes she could enjoy a careless summer night instead. of having to take on the responsibilities of the household. Resigned to her role, Cecilia takes the twins to Briony's room to find socks for them to wear. After combing their hair, now he on some adventure. She decides three times be able to enjoy her family. more that she will make arrangements to move to London and find a job and will : from afar. In the kitchen, Cecilia comes across her mother and Betty arguing over dinner, which Ceallia helps resolve. While Emily goes to locate Briony, Cecilia joins Leon on the terrace for a drink. While around the garden, Cecilia thinks of how uncomplicated Leon walking all others as acting in good faith. After Leon shares his sunny view seeing of his life. Cecilia sardonically describes how monotonous her days have been since and she how he cannot wait to be leaving Cambridge. Leon invites Cecilia to come stay with him in London, Briony to chashise Robbie. Leon brings up how all the rules seem to change. says • she would love to despite feeling repelled by the thought of it. during a heat wave, with people more at ease and likely to loosen their morals. As they make their way back to the terrace, Cecilia and Leon find Briony. As the conversation continues, Robbie thinks of who gives Cecilia a piece of folded paper before greeting Leon. Cecilia reads Robbie's letter and understands suddenly why she fought vase and changed her outfit several times. However, she then realizes there is no envelope and that Robbie would not have sent such a letter unsealed. Cecilia ashs Briony if she read the letter, but Briony ignores her. with Robbie over the version the letter. Cecilia, unsettled Chapter Ten alone with Cecilia again. He recalls amiving at the house to Cecilia answering the door, his letter in hand. She took him to the library and closed the door, where he told her he meant to send a different. of through tears, told Robbie that their attraction has existed for weeks or months, but she was only able to achnowledge it today. They both felt going from friends to lovers, but they began to hiss and then make love against the shelves, shocked by the intimacy they shared, until they realized someone had Briony, having read Robbie's letter as soon as she entered the house, realizes come into the library. When Briony came into the light and Cecilia disentangled she has emerged into a new arena of adult emotions, which she does not herself from I • him, Robbie thought that he had never haled. anyone understand but hopes will help her writing. After giving Cecilia the letter and maining that moment. At dinner. Jackson and Pierrot ash to be excused. When greeting Leon, Briony runs up to her room to reflect on what she has learned Briony. wearing her socks, she becomes upset, and about Robbie. Although Briony was unfamiliar with terms used in the latter, the Cecilia explodes at Briony for being a brat. Robbie remarks to Lola that her has no doubt to what Robbie was refering. She feels brothers are nice boys, and Briony announces to everyone how the twins hurt family i in general, is in imminent danger from Robbie, whom she now sees as Lola. While Emily fusses over Lola and goes to get her some ointment, Paul someone evil who cannot be trusted. As Briony sits down to write about this claims he was the one to break up the fight between Lola and the twins, experience, Lola comes into the room and shows Briony she has scratches and which was how he got his scratch. Robble wonders why Paul had not said bruises from the twins, explaining that the boys blame her for their mability anything about it earlier. Poriony then notices a note on for sees that the twins are that Cecilia, and their to home. her. Jackson's place sething declaring that they have run away due to Lola and Betty being mean to them. Paul suggests forming search parties to look for the twins, with Cecilia and Leon going together and Paul, and Robbie each Briony, going off themselves. Chapter Twelve до 2. Briony suddenly feels compassion for Lola and comforts reveling in the power she feels that her adult-like cousin could have been brought down by two children. Briony, hoping to impress her cousin, shares with Lola the contents of Robbie's letter to Cecilia. Lola says Robbie must be a "maniac" and encourages Briony to tell the police about him. Even the thought of relaying the information: in the letter to the village constable. embarrasses Briony. Briony goes down to dinner, apprehensive about seeing Robbie but also feeling that she must protect Cecilia. On her way, she passes father by the library and thinks it odd that the door is closed when her is not want to have to speak with his talhalive wife. Emily could not help but feel home. She goes to listen at the library door and, after hearing some sounds, for the injuries on her arms and face. reminding Emily opens the door. Briony sees two shapes in the corner the library. her sister's penchent for causing drama. She notes how Lola made a dramatic body pressing Cecilia's into the shelves and holding her by the neck. Against • Briony showed the note from the twins and expects that once the frail to Briony. As Briony approaches, the two boys are found, Lola will still need to be located and soothed. Emily then breah apart. As Cecilia walks past Briony, Poniony is surprised that her sister of how her husband will soon call from London, where he will spend does not look grateful 1 or relieved of her presence. Poriony at first expects Robbie the night and claim it is due to work, though she knows it is not. While Emily. who has stayed behind, is reluctant to call the village constable, not only because the bodlieves the twins will quickly be found. but also because she does not resentment toward Lola Robbie's of exit when Robbie, Cecilia looks small and thinks 18, to attach her, but when he makes no more, she leaves the room in search of her sister. Chapter Eleven At dinner, the conversation is stilted as Cecilia and Robbie try to avoid each other's gases. At one point, Robbie notices that Paul has a scratch on his face. Robbie tries to make conversation about the heat, which startles Pierrot and leads more sitting and looking out the window, Emily again thinks of final own death. After the sits for her how Рокому child and there will be nothing more momentous happening was until her • at least a half hour, the phone rings, and Emily answers to hear her husband, Jach. Emily tells Jack that the boys. ran away, and when realizes he will call the constable. Jach. are still missing, he says they Emily tries to dissuade him, but then Leon, Cecilia, Briony, and Lola appear in the doorway, and Emily immediately knows something else is wrong... ·to come home right away. .Leon takes the phone and tells his • father. know! Robbie. She wants to explain that while she did not see him with her eyes, her lowledge of the situation instructed her sight. She figures this explanation would be too complex for the authorities and also does not want to be seen as a Billy little girl who made a mistake and so sticks with her story of seeing Robbie clearly. Eventually, Leon finds Lola and • Briony and carries Lola bach to the house while Briony tells him what she believes to be the truth. Chapter Fourteen After returning: to the house, Lola is brought upstairs, and Briony speak to the police inspectors and constables when 2 firest is the amive. She tells them that Chapter Thirteen the After deciding to send search parlies out 1 after - the twins, Poniony first checks the pool, where she assumes they would go. Briony imagines finding. them drowned ・they. Robbie was the man who assaulted Lola. During the comings and goings of H doctor and other police officers, Robbie and the twins are still nowhere to be & found, while Paul returns and is briefed on what happened. Cecilia remains at the outshirt of the conversations, refusing: to speak or help. Poriony eventually remembers another piece of evidence that will validate her story and goes to Cecilia's room describe scene in thinks of hatred to find Robbble's letter. She first shows it to Leon, who passes it to the police her time she Cecilia should have come to her with the letter and then Lola could have been the police take the letter as evidence. her at the in the pool and how she could vividly describe the scene to anyone, as the could any sort of writing. While numning through the darkness, Pariony how she must protect her sister from Robbie and how attaining the of Robbie, an adult, has brought Priony closer to adulthood herself. Briony thinks of how after everything! • family has given Robbie, it is disgushing officers. They all remain impassive, to Poriony's surprize, as? • Emily takes the letter that he would do something. so ville. Briony realizes that for the first and reads it. When Cecilia, who had been lost in her own thoughts, realizes what has met a real-life villain, whose prior friendliness. makes him an even more is happening, she becomes angry and tries to take the letter back. Emily says complex and interesting character. She pictures Cecilia telling Leon about what Robbie did and the three siblings turning their parents against Robbie for good. spared. After Cecilia goes up to her room in • anger and disbelief. After checking that the twins are not in or around the pool, Poniony assures .. Briony goes into the library with the police officers herself that they, along with Cecilia, are safe. She reflects on how after the events her mother for • formal interview and tells them that the witnessed Robbie of f the day, her childhood has ended. While walking around the house. Poriony raping I Cecilia in that very room The rest of the people present, including Leon. sees her mother sitting in the drawing. room through a window and thinks about Paul, Hardman, and Danny Hardman, are interviewed as well, though Cealla her mother's eventual death as well as the pity that would be bestowed on refuses to be interviewed. In days to come. Cecilia would eventually agree to an Рокому • Juneral. Briony considers going to snuggle with her mother but interview and describe her encounter with Robbie as consensual, but the damage continues her search instead. She decides to go to the island temple to see if to Robbie's reputation had already. been done. Cecilia also suggests that the the twins went there. Though frightened of the dark as she crosses the bridge. police look into • Danny Hardman, but since he has an alibi, the police assume she knows that as she is no longer a child and she must forge ahead. As she Cecilia is trying to protect her childhood friend. Around five o'clock in the morning. approaches the temple, she sees a figure she does not recognize. When the figure those gathered see someone approaching the house, only to realize it is Robbie, with begins moving and then breaking apart, she realites it is two people. While the 3. Priory i is outraged that Robbie seems to think he can earn larger figure 2 runs off, the smaller figure still on the ground calls out for Briony, forgiveness for assaulting i I Lola by finding the twins and returning them safely. Emily and Briony realizes it is Lola. Briony watches the larger figure disappearing in that Robbie's heroic act sends Briony to bed, but Briony cannot shake the fear the dark before going to Lola. Lola seems disoriented, and Briony asks her to will make Briony look like a a fool whose story could not be believed. At the sound identify her attacher. When Lola is about to answer. Briony first asks wether it of a a car. Poriony goes to the window and looks outside. She sees Robboie in hand. was Robbie, and then Briony states definively that it was Robbie. Lola never cuffs being led to the police car, which affirms for Briony! y her certainty that he is explicitly confirms what Briony is saying • that Poriony saw the men guilty. Before Robble is put in the car, • Poniony & sees Cecilia rumming out to him. As and she did not as he covered Lola's eyes during the assault. Poniony's perception Cecilia talks to him, Robbie watches her intently, and Briony assumes Cecilia is of Robbie as a maniac, along with the broad figure she saw in the dark, leads chashising Robbie for: r his various assaults. As Cecilia grabs Robbie's cuffed hands. if she could Briong marvels at how easily her sister is able to • forgive Robbie and then thinks how experiencing this tragedy will bring her closer to Cecilia. Eventually, the both the twins in tow.. but her to believe with conviction that Robbie was the assaulter, even not actually see the man. Over the next weeks, Poriony will be asked if she saw and inspector guides Robbie into the car. Cecilia watches as the police car drives Robbie's training and planned to spend two weeks together between his training and away, and Briony can tell her sister is crying. Before the other police cars drive deployment. However, the war broke out, precluding either of them from taking those Robbie's mother comes up the driveway and yells at the house that they are two weeks. They continue to exchange letters, with Cecilia promising to wait for away. him, liars. to talk to her family. Part Two like to One thing that has been troulding Turner is Cecilia's refusal. whom he knows she cares for very much. In one letter, he encourages her to contact Three and a half years later, Robbie, now called "Turner". by the narration, is a them again. When Cecilia replies, she delivers the news that Briony is also working. addier in the British • army! stationed in France. He has recently sustained an injury as a nurse and that Briony sent Cecilia a letter in which she implies she would to his side from a piece of shrapnel and walks through the French countryside with ·change her statement on seeing Robbie the night of the assault. Ceulia is two other British officers, Corporal Nettle and Corporal Mace. Though Corporals Nettle hopeful that even if t the convidion cannot be overturned, at least her parents will and Mace outranh Turner, they look to him to navigate toward the coast as they have know Robbie is not guilty and can apologize to him. Though Cecilion is experiencing no experience in the countryside while Turner does. While walking, they occasionally plenty of the horrors of the war in the hospital, she is hopeful about Briony's offer. take cover when they hear bombers nearioy. Eventually, the three men come across The next morning. orning, Turner and the corporals set of in the direction of a barn where they plan to spend the. night. An older women who owns the barn Dunkirh. Along the way they see villagers evacuating. Turner tries to get away from and the nearby house comes out, and they ash her to bring them food. the corporals, no longer wanting to be responsible for them. But when Turner nearly She tries to make them leave, kelling them they are not in danger from the Germans hits a man in a car who honks at him, the corporals stop him. They but from m her sons, who will hill them. However, the three men ignore her warnings walking, seeing a family of dead bodies and their suitcases lying in a ditch. Timmer and take shelter in the barn, though they keep their weapons nearby. Eventually. is overwhelmed by how tired and thirsty he 18, and he is slowed by his injury and the brothers enter the barn. Turner and the corporals are prepared to fight, but the blisters forming on his feet. They come across a major who is trying to enlist the men, Henr and Jean-Marie, have brought them wine and food. people to fight against a German advance party, but the corporals tell him they have Henri and Jean-Marie explain that they were away looking for their cousin and • from Dunhith. As the major tries to convince Turner and the her children, only to find her village destroyed and her house empty, though the battle corporals that they still have a chance. Turmer sees a German bomber approaching and shouts for everyone to take cover. ・After the attach, the major, who was shot! by a bullet in the hand, still tries to convince them to assemble, but they refuse and continue on their way. and water. continue orders to evacuate • for: a world in which he can be a -man, a doctor, married to Cecilia, who has reconciled with her into his had since ended and moved on. Turner, who is the translator between the corporals and the brothers, shares that he was separated from the rest of his unit when the retreat began and that he and the corporals are on their way to Dunhish. ・Jean. -Marie ashs if that means the British army is leaving, but Turner assures him that they' I will After helping the wounded, Turner and the corporals continue walking, Turner's wound be bach, though he does not actually believe what he says. Turner asks the brothers. becoming more ・inflamed. . He distracts himself by recalling Cecilia's promise to wait for why their mother tried to make them leave, and they' explain that their other brother him and thinks of her latest letter in which she shared that he could potentially be died in World War 1. Ever since, she has had an obsessive hatred of soldiers, no cleared of the crime he did not commit if Briony recants her statement. He pictures matter which side they are fighting for. Turner thanks the brothers! their hospitality a free v and promises that they will return to defeat the Germans. + family. However, he struggles with the idea of accepting Briony While Turner tries to sleep that night, he thinks back to his time in prison. He • life. While trying I to understand why Poriony would have accused him, Tumer remembers the words Cecilia spoke to him the morning he was arrested: "I'll wait recalls a day in 1982 when Poriony, for you. Come bach. " Although Cealia couldn't visit Turner in prison, as he was ・After - the lesson, Borony ashed him if he would save diagnosed as "morbidly oversexed", they exchanged letters, referencing literary love. In the water, and he said yes.. .To test this theory, she jumped in the stories and their time together in the library in order to get past the censors. - fett. he had no choice but to pull her out. After he scolded her, Briony However, Cecilia and Turner were able to meet once after Turner was released. said she wanted to see if he would save her because she loved him. This memory early from prison in exchange for him joining the military. Cecilia had begun causes Turner to wonder if Briony's accusation came • a place of jealousy over working as a nurse and had cut off her entire family for their role in Robbie's seeing him with Cecilia. Even so, Turner knows he will never be able to forgive arrest and conviction. After a nerveus exchange between the two of them in a café, Briony for the damage she did to his life. Robbie walked her to her bus stop, where they began hissing passionately before she had to head beach to the hospital. They continued to write to each other throughout was ten old and he took her to the years a swimming lesson if the fell viver, and he While passing through a village. Turner and the corporals see German bombers overhead • young boy and tries to help them, but and take cover. Tumer sees a woman with a viver her • from the magazine Horizon, where she do not print novellas like talented and want very It becomes clear through • the letter the scene she witnessed between Cecilia feedback for future drafts. retelling of day before his arrest. The letter makes suggestions that are testimony. Last, she will write a detailed letter to Robbie explaining why she accused him and whether she received pressure from anyone to stick to that Cecilia ·story. and Robbie also ash her to try to remember anything involving Danny Hardman... on how the scene affected the lives eerily similar to what occurred in Part One. For example, they suggest expanding Briony understands they believe Danny was the the rapist and tells them that it was Paul who assaulted Lola and that she has just come from Paul and lolo's wedding. Robbie and Cecilia understand that Lola would never amend her they of the man, woman, and I young girl watching statement to accuse the men who is now her husband. As leave to what she did. As she walks and watches separate ways, Briony apologizes for away Cecilia and Robbie from afar, she is grateful that neither she nor the war could destroy their love. She thinks that after enters the have asked, she will begin a new draft of where she can see her aunt and uncle, as Three ends with Briony's initials, BT, and the she has done what Cecilia and Robbie her novella, "an atonement". Part 1999 year letter waiting for. her and sees it is sent her story. The letter says they. Briony's Two Figures by a Fountain, they think she is to provide some that Briony's novella is a and Robbie the that while that the Germans winning the war is be free I on a Saturday. someone will mishake her it unfold. In the following days, Briony feels: inevitable. Briony switches shifts. She leaves the hospital after her shift that morning, afraid • a German spy. After walking for for · some time, she reaches her destination: the church where Lola Quincey and Paul Marshall are currently getting maried... .. Briony from well as the twins, Pierrot and Jackson. Briony thinks of how relieved Lola must church and sits in the back row, have been at Briony's willingness to name Robble as her assaulter instead of Paul London 1999 the two not to be wed wakes up on her has vascular dementia and hopes to make sure everything. When the vicar asks if anyone has reason. .. Bricky considers Briony! ·seventy- • her past wrongs, which now include paring objeding, hoping to right I the way for library of the Imperial War Museum. She her cousin to marry her rapist. However, Briony understands that Lola appears. to be there of her own free Briony anyway. As the priest declares them husband and wife, Briong knows that the marriage will only make the truth more impenetrable than ever. As the couple. Briony will and that no one would believe • she loses her memory completely. As she amrives at the museum, Lord and Marshall, Paul and Lola, on their out. The way their philanthropic actions, grand parties, moves down the aisle, makes eye contact with Lola, who frowns before and libel suits against looking away. is shocked to see hands for various newspapers. Though they both have aged. Brieny thinks that Paul locks in good shape for his eighty-eight years. Briony leaves the church and heads to her next destination, Cecilia's flat. Cecilia while eighty-year-old Lola is in remarkable shape. She realizes that while Briony. Briony nervously delivers news she has heard • from their Paul may die before Briony, Zola almost certainly will not, which will ・of the only. parents, including that Danny Hardman is one from their village affect flect the publication of her next book. In the reading. Poniony not to have joined the army. • which Cecilia already! knows. Poriony also shares over to the Keeper of Documents a bundle of letters she received that Betty broke Uncle Clam's vose, to Cecilia's surprise. Cecilia tells Briony Corporal Nettle about Dunkirh, to be stored with the other letters Briony has provided. The keeper delivers to • Poniony! from historian he had introduced to Poriony that detail historical inaccuracies her latest manuscript. and suggested revisions men from she saw a about Roldore's notes cleared, but with no new an amateur gething langer charges evidence and Hardman having died, it is unlikely Robbie would be exonerated. Briong is confused by the mention of Hardman's death and becomes even more Poriony is already an unreliabde for h Back at her. who never puzzled when Cecilia mentions that since witness, no court would believe her. Briony. · thought of her crime as an outright ere, understands that it must have seemed that way to Cecilia. "0" their conversation, Robbie comes out In the middle of of the bedroom. Briony is shocked and relieved, and the idea of Robbie dying in France suddenly. vidiculous. Robbie, however, is furious at the sight of Briony. Briony explains that she wants to make things right and that growing up has helped her realize that Robbie was not the culprit. Robbie becomes overcome with memories from prison and the war until Cecilla comforts I • him, telling him to come back to her. with Fiona so that she will be How Once Robbie has calmed, Cecilia tells Poriony what they want her to do. First, Briony will go to see their parents and tell them the truth about what she 1 a solicitor and make a stalement recouting her original. did. Then she will BROMS before she passes by Marshalls are now well known Lady in order -seventh birthday. • out the day before e found picture of I drives her to her old their and decides to visit the room, that she in the archives is · flat, Briony dresses for her birthday elimmer and regards a her deceased husband, Thierry. A car arrives to pich Briony u up and estate, which is now a hotel. She sees that the Jamily. lake and the island are now gone, a lawn in their place. As Poniony is shown to her room, she finds she does not feel nostalgic about the changes but is glad that people can. when it was her home. Bri • find more happiness in this place as a hotel than Priony goes down to greet her guests, who include Leon, Pierrot, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Relatives approach Briony to praise her books. Charles, Pierrot's grandson, invites s Briony & Arabella. to sit, and as a surprise, the children and The Trials of After dinner, Briony is unable to sleep, thinking about her most recent novel, which she began in 1940 and finished only this year. She feels that she has finally done justice to describing the crime that she, Lola, and Paul Marshall all committed in the summer. of 1985. She has disguised nothing.. including names, for this reason, her editors have warned her against publishing until Lola and Paul Marshall are dead due to their penchant for lawsuits. After seeing with the truth that Robbie died the Marshalls this morning. Briong knows that this means the book will not be published until she is dead as well. Only i in the latest version of Briony's novel does the story end with Cecilia and Robbie, the star-crossed lovers, together on a London street. Briony thinks it would serve no purpose to end of sepsis on the way to Dunkirk and Cecilia was killed by a bomb in the London Underground. Briony feels that when she. Lola, and Paw are dead along with Robbie and Cecilia, they will all only exist as inventions of Briony's imagination. She hopes that her novel serves as a final hindness to the memories of Robbie and Cecilia and pictures them in attendance, shill together and in love, at her birthday party.