Chapter 7: Key Events
English Lit: AQA A Level Atonement - Specification B, topic 2.7.1
Key Events in Chapter 7: Nettles & Briony's Stubbornness
Briony, frustrated by the failure of her play, is on the grounds alone, slashing off the head of stinging nettles with a stick. Leon and Paul Marshall drive past her.
Swiping at the nettles
- Briony angrily swipes at nettles, pretending that by doing so she is taking revenge on Lola.
- This brief scene adds to our knowledge of Briony’s personality. Perhaps ominously, we see Briony beginning to enjoy her act of destruction.
Quotation: Briony & the nettles
- “It is hard to slash at nettles for long without a story imposing itself, and Briony was soon absorbed… A tall nettle with a preening look… this was Lola… This was too satisfying to let go, and the next several nettles were Lola too…” (p73-4).
- Briony venting her frustrations on the nettles created comedy. We also see a vengeful and possibly vindictive side to her nature. We again see her creative impulses through the fact that she personifies the nettles and imposes a “story” on her actions.
Briony's stubbornness about Leon
- Briony decides not to follow Leon and Marshall back to the house.
- Despite her weeks of excitement anticipating Leon’s return home, Briony is too stubborn and defiant to immediately follow or greet her brother.
Quotation: Briony's stubbornness
- “… She decided she would stay there and wait until something significant happened to her… She would simply wait on the bridge, calm and obstinate, until events, real events, not her own fantasies, rose to her challenge, and dispelled her insignificance” (p77).
Irony: "insignificance"
- McEwan’s narrative creates a dark irony here as Briony will find herself caught up in “real events” very soon at the very spot where she is currently waiting.
- Her “insignificance” will disappear when she plays the roles of witness and accuser.
- However, “her own fantasies” will skew her judgement and eventually lead to tragedy.