Chapter 4: Key Themes

Test yourself

Key Thems in Chapter 4

Cecilia is focalizer. Danny Hardman and Paul Marshall are introduced in Chapter 4.

Cecilia as focalizer

The narrative perspective switches back to Cecilia as focalizer.
We see her response to Briony’s tantrum and her own confused feelings towards Robbie. She is self-conscious at all times and, on meeting Paul Marshall, wonders if this will be a defining moment in her life in that she will end up marrying him.
The narrative voice also creates moments of comedy, particularly when it notes that Cecilia has “passed many hours deliberately not thinking of Robbie Turner”, illustrating her confused response to Robbie.

Introduction of Danny Hardman

McEwan introduces two new characters in this chapter.
First is the 16-year-old Danny Hardman. Cecilia is suspicious of him (“She had noticed him hanging around the children lately. Perhaps he was interested in Lola”) and notices how his lips have become “innocently cruel”.
Cecilia’s reactions suggest something villainous about Hardman.

Paul as a comic figure

Paul Marshall is at times presented as a rather comic figure in this chapter.
Cecilia notices “something comically brooding about his face” and she longs to tell Leon that Marshall “had pubic hair growing from his ears”.
She finally dismisses him as “unfathomably stupid”.

Misleading with Cecilia's perspective

McEwan may be deliberately misleading (or misdirecting) the reader here.
By using Cecilia’s perspective, he presents the readers with two possible villains, of whom Hardman seems to be the most sinister.
However, the ambiguous ending to the chapter serves as a reminder that Marshall may not be all that he seems.

Class tension: Robbie Turner

Leon mentions that he has invited Robbie Turner, the son of their cleaning lady, to dinner that evening.
This sparks some comments which highlight the prejudices and assumptions around social class in English society.
Marshall speaks with an arrogant and patronising tone on “resentful” grammar-school types while Leon teases Cecilia by asking her, “You think he can’t hold a knife and fork?”

Absence of parental figures

A recurring theme in the novel is the absence of parent or authority figures.
Emily Tallis, the mother, is referred to but only to explain why she is not present (“Emily’s lying down”).
It is obvious that Emily has often been missing through much of her children’s childhoods as “it was hardly necessary to say” that their mother is suffering from another migraine which they would recognise by “a certain darkening at the windows” of her room.
Likewise, Emily’s husband is “staying in town”.

1Introduction to Atonement

1.1Introduction & Background to Atonement

1.1.1Background to the Author - Ian McEwan

1.1.2Settings & Historical Context of Atonement

1.1.3Social Issues Raised in Atonement

1.2Focus of Your Exam: Crime Texts

1.2.1Atonement as a Crime Text

2Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part One

2.1Chapter 1

2.1.1Chapter 1: Key Events

2.1.2Chapter 1: Key Themes

2.2Chapter 2

2.2.1Chapter 2: Key Events

2.2.2Chapter 2: Key Themes

2.3Chapter 3

2.3.1Chapter 3: Key Events

2.3.2Chapter 3: Key Themes

2.4Chapter 4

2.4.1Chapter 4: Key Events

2.4.2Chapter 4: Key Themes

2.5Chapter 5

2.5.1Chapter 5: Key Events

2.5.2Chapter 5: Key Themes

2.6Chapter 6

2.6.1Chapter 6: Key Events & Themes

2.7Chapter 7

2.7.1Chapter 7: Key Events

2.7.2Chapter 7: Key Themes

2.8Chapter 8

2.8.1Chapter 8: Key Events

2.8.2Chapter 8: Key Themes

2.9Chapter 9

2.9.1Chapter 9: Key Events

2.9.2Chapter 9: Key Themes

2.10Chapter 10

2.10.1Chapter 10: Key Events

2.10.2Chapter 10: Key Themes

2.11Chapter 11

2.11.1Chapter 11: Key Events

2.11.2Chapter 11: Key Themes

2.12Chapter 12

2.12.1Chapter 12: Key Events

2.12.2Chapter 12: Key Themes

2.13Chapter 13

2.13.1Chapter 13: Key Events

2.13.2Chapter 13: Key Themes

2.14Chapter 14

2.14.1Chapter 14: Key Events

2.14.2Chapter 14: Key Themes

3Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Two

3.1Pages 191-201: To the Farmhouse

3.1.1Pages 191-201: Key Events

3.1.2Pages 191-201: Key Themes

3.2Pages 202-213: The Night in the Barn

3.2.1Pages 202-213: Key Events

3.2.2Pages 202-213: Key Themes

3.3Pages 214-226: The Attack

3.3.1Pages 214-226: Key Events

3.3.2Pages 214-226: Key Themes

3.4Pages 226-234: Robbie's Reflections

3.4.1Pages 226-234: Key Events

3.4.2Pages 226-234: Key Themes

3.5Pages 234-246: To the Bridge over the Canal

3.5.1Pages 234-246: Key Events

3.5.2Pages 234-246: Key Themes

3.6Pages 246-254: Arrival at Dunkirk

3.6.1Pages 246-254: Key Events

3.6.2Pages 246-254: Key Themes

3.7Pages 254-265: To the Cellar

3.7.1Pages 254-265: Key Events

3.7.2Pages 254-265: Key Themes

4Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Three

4.1Pages 269-277: London, 1940

4.1.1Pages 269-277: Key Events

4.1.2Pages 269-277: Key Themes

4.2Pages 277-286: Briony as Writer

4.2.1Pages 277-286: Key Events

4.2.2Pages 277-286: Key Themes

4.3Pages 287-315: Victims of War

4.3.1Pages 287-315: Key Events

4.3.2Pages 287-315: Key Themes

4.4Pages 315-327: Lola & Paul Marshall’s Wedding

4.4.1Pages 315-327: Key Events

4.4.2Pages 315-327: Key Themes

4.5Pages 328-349: The Visit

4.5.1Pages 328-349: Key Events

4.5.2Pages 328-349: Key Themes

5Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Four

5.1Epilogue: London, 1999 - Pages 353-371

5.1.1Pages 353-371: Key Events

5.1.2Pages 353-371: Key Themes

6Key Character Profiles

6.1Briony Tallis

6.1.1Overview of Briony's Character

6.1.2Briony in Part One

6.1.3Briony in Part Three & Four

6.2Robbie Turner

6.2.1Overview of Robbie's Character

6.2.2Robbie in Part One

6.2.3Robbie in Part Two & Three

6.3Cecilia Tallis

6.3.1Cecilia in Part One

6.3.2Cecilia in Part Three

6.4Lola Quincey

6.4.1Overview of Lola Quincey

6.4.2Lola Relationship with Marshall

6.5Paul Marshall

6.5.1Overview of Paul Marshall

6.5.2Paul Marshall's Relationship with Lola

6.5.3Paul Marshall's Power

6.6Emily Tallis

6.6.1Overview of Emily Tallis

6.6.2Emily Tallis' Character

7Key Themes

7.1Introduction to Crime Texts

7.1.1Common Themes in Crime Texts

7.2Crimes in Atonement

7.2.1Crimes in Atonement

7.2.2Structural Patterning & Ambiguity in Crime Texts

7.3Criminals in Atonement

7.3.1Paul Marshall & Lola as Criminals

7.3.2Narrative Point of View in Crime Texts

7.4Victims in Atonement

7.4.1Lola, Robbie & Cecilia as Victims

7.4.2Females Victims & Social Class in Crime Texts

7.5Detection in Atonement

7.5.1Detection in Atonement

7.5.2Detection in Crime Texts

7.6Settings in Atonement

7.6.1Settings in Atonement

7.6.2Symbolism of Settings in Crime Texts

7.7Guilt & Punishment in Atonement

7.7.1Marshall & Briony Escaping Punishment

7.7.2Guilt & Punishment in Crime Texts

8Writing Techniques

8.1Structure

8.1.1Overview of Structure

8.1.2Metanarrative, Circular Structure & Ending

8.1.3Manipulation of Time

8.2Form

8.2.1Narrative Perspective

8.2.2Genre

8.3Symbols & Motifs

8.3.1Symbolism of the Vase & Amo Bar

8.4Language

8.4.1Focalising Through Briony & Robbie

9Context

9.1Historical Context

9.1.1The Summer of 1935

9.1.2Dunkirk, 1940

9.1.3London, 1940

9.2Social Context

9.2.1Social Class

9.2.2The Role of Women in the 1930/40s

9.3Literary Context

9.3.1Literary Genres & Atonement

10Critical Debates

10.1Marxist Literary Criticism

10.1.1Introduction to Marxist Literary Criticism

10.1.2Marxist Readings: Importance of Social Class

10.1.3Marxist Reading: Capitalist Exploitation & War

10.2Feminist Literary Criticism

10.2.1Introduction to Feminist Literary Criticism

10.2.2Feminist Readings: Gender Roles & Stereotypes

10.2.3Feminist Readings: Marriage & Family

10.2.4Feminist Readings: Male & Female Sexuality

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