Robbie in Part Two & Three
English Lit: AQA A Level Atonement - Specification B, topic 6.2.3
Robbie Turner in Part Two & Three of Atonement
The Robbie of Part Two is a young man of great courage, determination and compassion.
Robbie's humanity in war
- Corporals Nettle and Mace both follow and look up to Robbie. Robbie’s ability to map-read and speak French provides invaluable skills in their retreat north.
- We also see Robbie's acts of simple humanity, providing aid to the wounded after the Stuka attack and helping the RAF man escape the angry mob about to lynch him.
Robbie's perspective on war
- We see the horrors of war through Robbie’s perspective and witness the emotional toll of scenes like the boy’s leg in the tree and the woman and son who are “vaporised” have on him.
- Robbie is able to look outwards, away from his own private pain, to reflect on a whole world which is suffering. He measures the injustices he has faced against the global tragedy playing out in front of him, in which a whole civilisation is dying.
Robbie as a love story hero
- Robbie is also depicted as a hero in a love story.
- Both he and Cecilia imagine themselves as romantic figures from stories in classical literature. Briony later recreates them as such, bringing the lovers back from the dead to be together again after the retreat from Dunkirk.
- Cecilia’s love is shown to be the one thing which sustains Robbie, providing him with the will to survive. Briony rewrites history in order to make it so.
Tenderness: Robbie & Cecilia
- We see moments of touching tenderness between Robbie and Cecilia in Part Three and Briony the author leaves us with the simple image of the two lovers “hand in hand” as they walk Briony to the tube station.
Robbie's imperfections & anger
- Robbie is not depicted as perfect. He is prone to flashes of anger, seen in him wanting to punch the driver who sounded his horn at him, his reaction on seeing Briony in Part Three and his outburst about wanting to kill Paul Marshall when Briony reveals the truth.
- However, Cecilia is able to soothe Robbie and call him “back”, again demonstrating the love and tenderness shared by the pair.
Robbie's death
- Robbie’s death, when it is confirmed to us, leaves readers with a sense of tragic waste and perhaps makes some sympathise with Briony’s decision to bring him back to life in Part Three.
Test yourself on Robbie in Part Two & Three
How is Robbie characterised in Part Two?
Which of these is NOT an example of an angry outburst from Robbie?
What do Robbie and Cecilia imagine themselves as?
How does Cecilia dissipate Robbie's anger?