Essay on A Sense of Desperation in Atonement - 984 Words

How does McEwan capture a sense of desperation in Part 2 of Atonement? The title ‘Atonement’ hints at a dark secret, a need for retribution and weighty themes, which McEwan duly delivers. The desperation in the narrative format of Robbie the soldier is paralleled by Briony’s increasing desperation to obtain penance for her crime. It is a desire further complicated by her omnipotent narrative role; McEwan steps in and out of his characters minds with unfettered confidence and in Part 2 he provides Briony with the same gift so that she might assume the mind of Robbie. This can therefore provide her with only a fabricated atonement, of which she is subconsciously aware will never fully purge her of her sin. Briony says that it†¦show more content†¦This does not devalue Robbie’s desperation to be removed from the war and be reunited with Cecilia, sentiments which he would undoubtedly have felt, but significantly it displays (in her all too poetic manner) Briony’s desperation for retribution. The tone in which ‘Robbie’ gives his account of the horrors which â€Å"would not let him go† is one of desperation and exclamation but also ambiguity; it is not just the war which haunts him but his arrest and subsequent jail term too and it also hints at the horrors of Briony’s crime which will not let her go either. Robbie’s sole reason for living is Cecilia and it the memories of her which constantly drive him to fight for his survival: â€Å"This is why he had to survive†¦. he had one good reason to survive†. The torment until he can see her, having endured three and a half years of sleepless nights, was like â€Å"a hand squeezing at his throat.† Through Briony’s narrative of Robbie, McEwan shows how memories of the past are essential to counteract Robbie’s growing frustration and desperation: â€Å"when he wrote back he pretended to be his old self, he lied his way into sanity.† Similarly Cecilia â€Å"[feeds] on the same memories†, in an attempt to give herself hope and dispel her anxiety. At the end of Part 2 Briony providesShow MoreRelatedMark Solis. Mrs. Ham . English 12. 02 March 2017. Kite1099 Words   |  5 Pagesis a cause of constant guilt for Amir. As a result from Baba’s emotional detachment from Amir he longs for Baba to feel a sense of pride and acceptance in him. Sadly, all Amir wants to do is please his father to the point where it leads him to a desperation that is willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to please him in hopes that Baba will acknowledge Amir. 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While they are running the music playing isRead More The Criminal Is Not Solely Responsible for His Crime Essay example2339 Words   |  10 Pagesgoing around. All it means people – They trying hard to keep you down. Unfortunately, most poor people do not have the information, education or means to take the high road out of the ghetto. As a result, they end up living lives of quiet desperation that poets write about. The poverty mentality described in Bobby Bland’s song is a luckless legacy passed down from generation to generation by people who settle for less because they don’t know any better or can’t do any better. Many choose toRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesonly a commodity. Unless he could change such a mindset, this was a major impediment, one that would scuttle his dream. To every one who would listen he repeated his mantra: â€Å"We would take something old and tired and common—coffee—and weave a sense of romance and community around it. 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