During my four years at Los Osos I have had three different English teachers who have encouraged me to explore various kinds of literature. The book that was most significant to me was Atonement by Ian McEwan.
What most struck me about Atonement is the significant role perspective plays in the novel. Not only in the novel when Briony misinterprets the scene by the fountain and the note from Robbie to Celia due to her naive perspective of sexuality but also the reader’s attitude towards Briony’s actions later in the novel is subject to the readers’ individual perceptions of her motivations. The first time I read Atonement the summer before freshman year I was repelled by the actions of Briony. Initially I viewed Briony’s lack of courage to confront her sister as an act of complete cowardice. In later years when I revisited the book I found that Briony was intimidated by the idea of having to face the two people she had wronged but in seeking forgiveness she gave something even better that they would have never had in their lives: a happy life. Even if Briony had mustered up the courage to recant her testimony Robbie and Celia would have had to live their lives knowing that her sister was responsible for separating them for years. While they would have been together they still would have had to struggle with that issue. In the ending to the novel Briony gives them almost an eternal utopia in which they can live a life unburdened by the past. In my later readings of Atonement I found myself more understanding of Briony and that her action of depicting them as a happy living couple is as extremely unselfish and just act. Through this ending to the story Briony depicts them as forever alive and forever happy. Although some see this as deception I think Briony gave them something close to immortality. In reviewing the book I came away with a happier disposition because they live on through the book. In reality Robbie and Celia die separated and unhappy, this would have made Atonement just another well written sad story, rather than the epic novel Briony made it through the fantasy ending the book has. I also enjoyed the importance of perspective in the novel, the misinterpretation of the note to Celia and the scene by the fountain by Briony is central to the novel and lets the reader get to know the characters more. When the reader experiences the day of the party through Celia’s perspective her frustrated attitude towards her life with her family and the future that is expected of her which is to marry a wealthy man and have children like her mother is revealed. It is also found through Robbie’s perspective of the day that while he and Celia were at college together they did not see each other very much even though they had been friends at the Tallis’ estate. This came as both became more conscientious of the class difference between them. The different character’s perspectives of that one-day add so much more depth to all the events that play out in the novel.
-Jasmine M.
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