By: Rachel Watts
Purpose of the book
Atonement
• The central
purpose of the
book Atonement
is seeking
forgiveness from
a situation in the
past that
destroyed your
life and
everyone’s
involved.
Quotes
•
“Looking at the boys, under whose chairs
water was pooling before spilling between
the floorboard cracks, she knew they could
never understand her ambition. Forgiveness
softened her tone” (11).
•
In this quote Briony feels bad for yelling at
her cousins for forcing them to do the play.
She was forcing them to do something they
didn’t want to do. Briony felt guilty and
asked for there forgiveness.
•
“As for the rest of them, I can never forgive
what they did” (196).
•
In this quote Cecilia is talking about her
family. She feels like she can never forgive
her family for letting Briony make up a
story about Robbie whom she loves.
Robbie’s life was changed forever and
Cecilia’s family can never take that back.
Quotes Continued…
•
“But I get the impression she’s taken on nursing as a
sort of penance” (199).
•
In this quote Cecilia is talking about her sister Briony.
It has been many years after Briony changed Robbie
and Cecilia’s life because of her lie. Briony writes
Cecilia a letter informing her of what’s happening in
her life. Cecilia feels like Briony is being a nurse just
like Cecilia for forgiveness.
•
“She knew what was required of her. Not simply a
letter , but a new draft, an atonement, and she was
ready to begin” (330).
•
This quote is about Briony. She has decided to write a
story about her past as a way of seeking forgiveness.
•
“I gave them happiness, but I was not self- serving as
to let them forgive me. Not quite, not yet” (351).
•
This quote is about Briony. She wrote the story of her
past and the situation in her childhood. She made a
happy ending for Cecilia and Robbie in her writing, but
she still can’t forgive herself for what she did.
My personal
connection…
• I feel like I have a huge connection with the book
Atonement. My personal connection with this book
reflects forgiveness. I have been in many situations where
I have said something that was not true about a person.
The victim of the story had to deal with the consequences
of my loud mouth. I asked for forgiveness, but they
weren’t quite ready to forgive me. This is very similar to
the situation in the book Atonement. Cecilia never felt like
she could forgive her sister Briony for her wrong doing.
Everyday in this world people are asking forgiveness for
their wrong doing, but they are not always forgiven. Many
people never seem to forgive themselves like Briony in the
book Atonement.
Recommendation
• I absolutely loved
this book. Ian
McEwan’s writing
is remarkable and
incredible. His
writing grabs you
into the story and
never lets you go. I
give this brilliant
novel five stars.
What type of audience?
• The novel Atonement
reaches out to war
veterans and nurses.
It’s a wonderful love
story that would
capture anyone’s
heart who is deeply in
love. The novel
Atonement also is
directed more
towards teenage and
adult men and woman
versus young
children.
Ian McEwan
• Ian McEwan was born on
June 21st, 1948 in
Aldershot, Hampshire,
England. He is an amazing
writer and has won many
important awards. Ian
McEwan was awarded the
Shakespeare prize in 1999
and he was awarded a CBE
in 2000. I would
absolutely love to read
more of Ian McEwan’s
novels. The book
Atonement was one of my
favorite books I have read.
I look forward to reading
some of his other books
like The Daydreamer,
Enduring Love, On Chesil
Beach, and The Cement
Garden.
Works Cited
• McEwan, Ian. Atonement. New York:
Anchor Books, 2001.