Atonement

The title Atonement is very appropriate for the novel because many of the characters in the novel struggle with atoning for their past actions. The character that most obviously wants to atone for her actions is Briony. Throughout the story she tries to do the impossible and make up for sending Robbie to jail. In the end she finds out it is impossible for her to correct what she has done so instead she tries to give them their happiness through her writing. Another character that tries to atone for her actions is Lola. Although she does not do anything wrong directly she is horrified by what has happened to her in her childhood and tries to fix things by marrying the man who raped her as a child. A character that isn’t obvious is Robbie. His atonement isn’t for something he has done but for who he is. He never feels he deserves to be with Cecile because of his class and status. His atonement can be seen in the war when he becomes a leader and takes control of the situation. This gives him a status level that he has never experienced and one that he feels is capable of reaching Cecile and is deserving of her. The only characters in the novel that do not try to atone for their actions are Cecile’s parents and Paul Marshall. Its almost as if this sense of trying separates the good from the evil characters. Although many of the characters commit sins, it is those that try to atone that make up for their mistakes.