Chapter 6: Key Events & Themes
English Lit: AQA A Level Atonement - Specification B, topic 2.6.1
Key Event & Themes in Chapter 6: Emily Tallis' Migraine
Emily Tallis, the mother of Briony, Cecilia and Leon, lies in the darkness of her bedroom, anticipating another migraine.
Emily's reflections on parenting
- Emily reflects on her family and on her role as mother.
- The reader may gradually begin to suspect that Emily has been a neglectful mother.
Quotation: Emily's fear
- “But though she sometimes longed to rise up and intervene, especially if she thought Briony was in need of her, the fear of pain kept her in place” (p66-7).
- Emily is conscious that her frequent absences mean that she has perhaps failed her children.
- But tellingly, this is not enough to make her rise. She instead becomes distracted by a list of household chores which need her attention.
Emily Tallis as focalizer
- Emily Tallis is the focalizer in Chapter 6.
- She is a very self-absorbed character, consumed by her fear of an oncoming migraine which she personifies as “a caged panther”.
- There is a note of melancholy in Emily’s voice when the narrative mentions how, at 46-years-old, she now “mourned” the passing of a happier time.
Key Event & Themes in Chapter 6: Emily's Misjudgement
We see Emily “retreating” before the threat of a crippling migraine. We also see her retreating from the role of parent. She is distant and remote from her children, disapproving of Leon’s and Cecilia’s choices in life.
Irony: "all-knowing"
- Irony is created by the description of her as a wise and “all-knowing” mother-figure: “She lay in the dark and knew everything. The less she was able to do, the more she was aware” (p66).
Emily's misinterpretation
- In reality, Emily disastrously misinterprets what is happening around her.
- She misreads the “little squeal of laughter abruptly smothered” between Lola and Paul Marshall which leads her to speculate that Marshall “may not be such a bad sort”.
- The chapter ends with her looking for a pair of dark glasses – metaphorically, Emily wishes to remain in the dark.
Emily's disapproval of Cecilia
- Emily Tallis disapproves of Cecilia’s studies, thinking that she should be concentrating on “a husband to find and motherhood to confront” (p.65).
- This reflects Emily’s status as an upper-middle class, middle-aged woman of the time. Cecilia and Briony point to new identities for women in society with both attempting to find self-realisation through education or a career.
Test yourself on Chapter 6: Key Events & Themes
What does Emily misinterpret in Atonement?
What does Emily look for at the end of Chapter 6?