The End of Atonement

July 16, 2011
Pages 333-351

This ending of book just ticked me off. I like happy endings, and it killed me when Briony stated that "It is only in this last version that my lovers end well, standing side by side on a South London pavement as I walk away." (350) That was a totally shock right there. I can't believe that Cecilia and Robbie never saw each other after the accusation of rape from Briony. It now makes me think if any of this book was real? She stated that she wrote many drafts of the story so I highly doubt most of this book is real. How do you know, because I don't think Briony ever really grew up. I think she still has the mind set of the thirteen year old she was. I think she is still in her own imaginary world and even after all these years she can't escape it. I don't believe she got atonement either, which was the whole plot of the book. I believe she thinks she resolved the issue, but I disagree. She seems as though she's lived with the guilt and now could care less. The last line of the book concludes that when she says, "But now I must sleep." (351)
    As the reader, we really don't know if any of this story is real. Since Briony is a storyteller she can write whatever she wants to write about. For all we know she could have made up the whole entire story.  It wouldn't surprise me if she villainies herself for a story, she likes attention. "The Trials of Arabella" foreshadow the book. The play was never full acted out until the end, it showed that Briony is so involved in writing that she likes drama to be in her life and her writing. The play was written to make Leon more serious about love, instead it was Cecilia who became more serious about love ironically.

"Imaginary World." Zazzle. Web. 16 Jul 2011. <http://www.zazzle.co.uk/imaginary_world_poster-228217796331154281>.