Manipulation of Time

Time Structure: Shifting Back in Time in Atonement

One of the most important structural features in the novel is the way in which McEwan manipulates readers’ responses through his use of subtle shifts backwards and forwards in time.

Time setting of Part One

Part One, which takes up over half of Atonement, tells the story of a single day, night and following morning in the summer of 1935. Events are largely told in a chronological sequence which ends with Robbie’s arrest the morning after the sexual assault on Lola.
However, McEwan’s narrative in Part One has a much more complex structure than it may first seem to.

Time shift: Chapter 2-3

McEwan makes particular use of shifts backwards in time in Part One. Perhaps the most important example of this is the time shift between the end of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.
In Chapter 2, we see Cecilia and Robbie’s encounter at the fountain, focalized through Cecilia’s perspective, in which the vase is broken and Cecilia takes off her blouse and skirt to step into the fountain and retrieve the broken pieces.

Briony's perspective: fountain scene

However, McEwan takes us back in time at the beginning of Chapter 3 and we end up seeing the same scene replayed, with the crucial difference that we now see events from Briony’s perspective.
This is significant because we see how Briony misinterprets the scene, the first of several mis-readings by her which will eventually result in tragedy.

Irony: Briony's misinterpretation

This creates a layer of irony as we as readers know that Briony is mistaken, having witnessed the scene for ourselves in Chapter 2.
This also creates some distance between ourselves and the 13-year-old Briony as we discover that she is not yet able to understand the behaviour of the adults around her.

Time Structure: Shifting Forward in Time in Atonement

McEwan also uses shifts forward in time for specific effects. These often take the form of an authorial intrusion where the omniscient narrator provides us with some information about the future.

First authorial intrusion

The first time we see this is in Chapter 1 when the narrative informs us that Briony’s play will not make it to performance (at least not for when it was intended, later that day): “Briony was hardly to know it then, but this was the project’s highest form of fulfilment”.
- This is the first example of McEwan breaking the chronological sequence of the novel’s narrative, in this case to foreshadow some disruption to Briony’s plans.

Time shifts to create suspense

McEwan also uses these shifts forward in time to create suspense.
Chapter 13 (the chapter in which Lola is sexually assaulted) begins with the tantalising opening, “Within the half-hour Briony would commit her crime” (p156), which immediately creates an atmosphere of mystery and foreboding. We do not know as yet what Briony’s “crime” will be, and as she walks through the darkness in a state of heightened fear and excitement, tension steadily builds.

Briony sticking to events

After Briony discovers Lola and insists that it was Robbie that she had seen run away, there is another shift forward in time where Briony recounts how she sticks to this version of events in “the weeks and months to come” (p167).
Readers may react to this in different ways. Some may be horrified at Briony’s maintaining a lie for so long. But others may feel sympathy for a 13-year-old child who suddenly has this responsibility thrust upon her.

Time shits between parts

McEwan also uses abrupt time shifts between different parts of the novel.
When Part Two opens, we have no idea where we are in time or place. The references to rifles and officers hint at a war-time setting but then we are presented with the surreal image of “a leg in a tree” (p192).
The shock of this image may disorientate readers as well as bringing them unexpectedly face to face with one of the “horrors” mentioned in the opening sentence.

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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