4.5.1

Pages 328-349: Key Events

Test yourself

Key Events in Pages 328-349: The Visit

Briony travels to Balham in London to visit her sister. Cecilia is cold towards her and Robbie reacts angrily.

Illustrative background for Briony reveals the truthIllustrative background for Briony reveals the truth ?? "content

Briony reveals the truth

  • Briony tells them that Paul Marshall was the man who raped Lola and agrees to swear an oath and tell her family the true version of events.
Illustrative background for Briony's nervesIllustrative background for Briony's nerves ?? "content

Briony's nerves

  • On the way to visit her sister, Briony feels nervous and decides to have breakfast in a café.
  • The visit to Cecilia will be the first time they have met since Cecilia broke off contact from her family years earlier.
Illustrative background for Quotation: Briony's distanceIllustrative background for Quotation: Briony's distance ?? "content

Quotation: Briony's distance

  • “She left the café, and as she walked along the Common, she felt the distance widen between her and another self, no less real, who was walking back towards the hospital” (p329).
Illustrative background for Briony's two selvesIllustrative background for Briony's two selves ?? "content

Briony's two selves

  • Briony feels a curious sense of detachment from herself but there is a deeper significance to the image employed here of her having two selves.
  • We later learn that Briony, in fact, has second thoughts about visiting her sister and decides to head back to the hospital. The account which we are about to read of Briony’s visit to her sister’s house did not happen. The ’real’ Briony walks back to the hospital; only the fictional Briony carries on to visit Cecilia.

Key Events in Pages 328-349: The Visit

Part Three ends with Briony’s resolve to write a new draft of her story.

Illustrative background for <b>BT London 1999Illustrative background for <b>BT London 1999 ?? "content

BT London 1999

  • The initial and date at the end provide a moment of revelation for the reader.
  • “She knew what was required of her. Not simply a letter, but a new draft, an atonement, and she was ready to begin.
    BT
    London 1999”
    (p349).
Illustrative background for Briony's act of atonementIllustrative background for Briony's act of atonement ?? "content

Briony's act of atonement

  • The closing words of Part Three, and in particular the date and initials, reveal that what we have just finished reading has been written by Briony as a “new draft” of her story and that this is her “act of atonement" for the wrongs she has done.
  • The realisation that Part Three has been written by an older Briony immediately makes us question what we have just read.

Jump to other topics

1Introduction to Atonement

2Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part One

3Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Two

4Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Three

5Chapter Summaries & Analysis: Part Four

5.1Epilogue: London, 1999 - Pages 353-371

6Key Character Profiles

7Key Themes

8Writing Techniques

9Context

10Critical Debates

Go student ad image

Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring

  • Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home

  • Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs

  • 30+ school subjects covered

Book a free trial lesson