Pages 202-213: Key Themes

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Perspective & Time in Pages 202-213: The Night in the Barn

For most of this section, we continue to view events from Robbie’s perspective.

Robbie's exhaustion and wound

Robbie is “exhausted, but not sleepy” and, although his “wound throbbed uncomfortably” (p202) he cannot take his mind off of the victims of war he has passed that day.

Hand "squeezing" metaphor

The metaphor of a hand “squeezing” his throat is used twice in the chapter to describe the oppressive, suffocating regimes of prison and army life.
His thoughts soon turn to Cecilia and, in the excerpts from her letters to Robbie, we hear directly from her perspective. Cecilia was not allowed to visit him in prison as the authorities feared this would over-stimulate Robbie who they had diagnosed as “morbidly over-sexed” (p.204) and so they instead wrote to each other every week.

Cecilia providing hope

Cecilia provides Robbie with a reason to survive the war.
He carries his last letter from her in his pocket and, as Robbie reads it once more, we again see events directly from Cecilia’s perspective.
The closing words of the letter, “I’ll wait for you. Come back” (p203) become a mantra of hope for Robbie.

Robbie's reflections

Robbie’s reflections take us back in time. He recalls the three and a half years he spent in prison and then describes his meeting with Cecilia in a café in the Strand in London.
We learn about his anxiety about meeting her, their kiss by the bus stop and his regret at not accompanying her to the hospital where Cecilia works on the maternity ward

Key Themes in Pages 202-213: The Night in the Barn

Families torn apart and romantic love are key themes in pages 202-213.

Cecilia's split from the Tallis'

Cecilia has broken off from the Tallis family. We learn that she “had not spoken to her parents, brother or sister since November 1935 when Robbie was sentenced”.
When Leon visits her in hospital, we learn that Cecilia “pushed past” him and “wrenched” her arm free, the verbs suggesting an almost violent separation from her family.
Robbie, who has undergone a forced separation from his mother, is “troubled” by the thought that “she was destroying a part of herself for his sake”.

References to families torn apart

There are other references to families torn apart in this section:
- The Bonnet sons describe how the loss of their older brother had such a damaging effect on their mother.
- Robbie cannot get the family of the boy in pyjamas out of his head.
- Cecilia’s letter tells Robbie that one of the premature twins she has been looking after on the maternity ward has died.

Positive portrayl of romantic love

Cecilia and Robbie’s relationship provides the only positive representation of romantic love in the novel, albeit in very challenging circumstances, with the prison sentence and then the outbreak of war keeping them apart.
Cecilia’s letters provide Robbie with a “reason for life” and the words “I love you. I’ll wait for you. Come back. Cee” become a mantra of “hope” for him.
We learn that, even amidst the horrors of war, Robbie “would lose himself in thoughts of her” (p211).

Sexual aspect of love

The sexual aspect of romantic love is impossible because of the enforced separation between Robbie and Cecilia.
But the reference in one of Cecilia’s letters to her visiting the library, finding a quiet corner and pretending to read (p205) may be a coded reference to masturbation, as Cecilia is presumably mentioning the spot where she and Robbie made love.

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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