Revision notes on Ian McEwan's novel Atonement

The most essential
JIan McEwan: Atonement


theme of Atonement is the
way an individual’s
perspective inevitab
shapes his or her reality. At
various points throughout
the novel, McEwan filters
the narrative
through a particular
character’s point of view.
By juxtaposing the distinct,
and frequently
conflicting, ways his
characters understand the
world, the author illustrates
that each

,individual’s reality is as
much a product of their
own biases, assumptions,
and limited
knowledge as it is a
reflection of an objective,
external truth.
The most powerful and
consequential example of
perspective influencing
reality is Briony’s
inaccurate incrimination of
Robbie. A long chain of self-
centered reasoning leads
the young

, girl to believe that Robbie is
responsible for raping Lola.
First, her resentment at
being
excluded from Robbie and
Cecilia’s mutual love
predisposes her to view
Robbie negatively.
Later on, her childish
imagination leads her to
fabricate a sinister
backstory to explain why
she saw Robbie and Cecilia
cavorting semi-clothed in
the fountain together.
These biases in