Summary - The book takes a total shift and focuses on Robbie as he is a soldier fighting in WWII after his time was served in prison. He is with two men who are with him through the war, Nettle and Mace. They see so much morbid violence and death that they become more numb. Robbie pushes himself to survive because of his lasting love for Cecilia and his longing to spend the rest of his life with her.
While Robbie was in jail, Cecilia cut off all communication with her family. She blamed them for Robbie's false arrest and ultimately, ruining his life and their love. She leaves her family and becomes a nurse. Cecilia and Robbie's love was re-established when he was released from prison. They were hoping to spend some time together after his basic training, but he was immediately sent to the war, leaving them with no time at all and no promise of return. She wrote him often always ending with the quote, "I'll wait for you. Come back." This was Robbie's only motivation for surviving.
Robbie faced many physical and mental obstacles in his time of service. He had gotten a terrible wound in his side but continued to press on despite his pain. That's what all the soldiers had to do. Robbie, Nettle, and Mace were allies that stuck together through all of their missions. They would find shelter and food together. They spent the night in a barn where Robbie relived his short memories of her over and over again in his mind. He also contemplated his hatred for Briony and why she blamed him so adamently. He remembers a moment several summers ago when he was teaching Briony a swimming lesson. She jumped into the water and almost drowned, just so he would save her. Robbie was angry at her and demanded an explantion. She only wanted to see if he would save her because she loved him. He wondered if she still held on to this childish love and became jealous of his love for her sister. Cecilia debates on reuniting with Briony since she wants to become a nurse also, but he doesn't know if his hatred for her will allow it.
Robbie leads Nettle and Mace through some highly dangerous situations. Although, he was sometimes delusional from fever and malnutrition. Numerous planes attacked a village killing many soldiers and civilians, but they somehow survived. They kept pressing on toward the beach, but they saw so much death along the way. I do believe they even saw a march to a concentration camp, if I read that correctly.
The three men make it to a bridge where trucks were handing out luxury items for the soldiers. They realize that they were taking the healthy men to fight in the infantry, so Robbie fake an injury to avoid this fate. They make it to the beach where several soldiers were taking refuge. They all try to take advantage of the food, drink, and lodging to where it led to violence. Mace single handedly saved a RAF representative, (the company that failed to help during the bombing attack). During this rescue Mace was separated from the others. Nettle and Robbie saved a pig in exchange for food and wine. They find shelter to sleep in an abandoned cellar. A boat arrives the next morning and they are on their way back to their normal lives.
Response - So, you were right. Part 2 did make me love Robbie even more. The love between Cecilia and Robbie is precious. She had to be in deep, serious love in order to permanently exclude her family from her life. But in a way, I don't blame her. They did ruin his life, which was so promising, and they did ruin their happines, which was so beautiful.
Robbie's hatred for Briony is completely justified. I do admire him for wanting Cecilia to reunite with her family, though. This proves his love for her is true and he truly wants what's best for her, and he doesn't let his selfish wishes come inbetween that. I wouldn't know how to handle having a relationship with her either.
The stories of all the death and gore of war puts a lot of things into perspective for me. We hear about soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan all the time, but we never really stop and think of the hell they are going through daily. They see so much that people should never have to see in a life time. They also endure so much physical hardship that I know I could never handle. This just gave me a much needed reminder that we all must be more supportive of our armed forces fighting for us right now, whether we agree with the cause or not.
My heart aches for Cecilia. She's made a life of her own while waiting for her true love that may not even return. She's invested so much into an uncertainty, but that's what love does to people. I only hope that Robbie and Cecilia are reunited soon and live the typical story book happily ever after. No characters deserve it more than they do.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Atonement Part 1
Summary - The novel begins with the innocent scenario of a young girl, Briony, and her creative writing. She writes a play, "The Trials of Arabella", for her cousins to be cast as a surprise for her brother, Leon, returning home. However, her dreams of the perfect play are shattered when her ten year old cousins, Jackson and Pierrot, do not fit their parts appropriately. She is also disappointed because she unwillingly gives the role of Arabella to her 15 year old cousin, Lola, and feels like her play has lost all of its meaning and eventually cancels it.
Briony's sister, Cecilia, is home from college and is not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She ponders her identity and the possibilities of leaving home. Cecilia and the servant's son, Robbie, have grown up together around the house with an ongoing attraction to one another, even though Cecilia refuses to recognize it at first. Cecilia carries a vase of sentimental value out to the fountain where she and Robbie are fighting over it. The vase ends up broken into pieces in the fountain. Cecilia boldly strips down to her undergarments and retrieves the rest of the pieces from the fountain.
Briony witnesses this scene from her bedroom window and wonders what it could possibly mean. This thought leads to many mature psychological theories that enter her mind. She explores the possibilities of creativity and tries to reflect that in her writing.
Leon comes home with his creepy friend, Paul Marshall, who is in the chocolate business. Cecilia, Leon, and Paul all relax by the pool and talk of how their lives have been. Leon tells Cecilia that he has invited Robbie to dinner. This frustrates her because she is so annoyed with him about the scene from earlier that day at the fountain.
As Robbie is getting ready for dinner at the Tallis' house, he realizes his strong romantic feelings for Cecilia. He wants to express his feelings in a letter, but he can't find the words. He looks at his medical textbooks and discovers a picture of the vagina. He types, "I want to kiss your cunt. Your sweet wet cunt," with no intentions of this being seen. He writes another letter but picks up the explicit one instead. He gives the letter to Briony to deliver to Cecilia. Briony reads it out of curiosity and is mortified at the use of the word "cunt." She confides in Lola and they are both equally shocked. They both agree that he is a maniac and they must protect Cecilia from him.
Robbie confronts Cecilia about the mix-up in the letters in the Tallis' library. One thing leads to another, and they let out their sexual tension towards each other and make love. Briony walks in on the scene and her suspicions about Robbie.
The dinner was quite awkward to say the least. The twins ask to be excused from the table. After their dismisal, a letter is discovered in their seats. Lola reads that the twins are miserable in their new home and they have decided to run away. This sets everyone into a frantic search on the grounds late at night.
Briony searches the grounds with the intentions of finding the twins and protecting Cecilia from Robbie. She goes to the lake island on their property because she had a hunch Jackson and Pierrot might be there. Instead she finds Lola on the ground and her sexual assaulter running away. Briony is convinced it is Robbie, even though Lola didn't clearly see the attacker. Briony is almost positive it was Robbie because of the events from earlier, but something in her is doubtful. She ignores these doubts by steadily convincing herself.
Briony tells her family of the attack and the authorities arrive at their house. All of the family is questioned, but Cecilia is obviously disturbed by Robbie being accused of the crime. Briony shows the "cunt" letter to the police and everyone else, which frustrates Cecilia even more. Robbie finally returns with the twins, but he is arrested. Briony watches his arrest from her bedroom window and sees him and Cecilia have one last conversation. Briony admires her sister at what she believes is her forgiving heart. She still struggles with doubt into the coming years of her life.
Response - This is definitely the best book that I have ever had to read for an English class. After the slow moving 79 pages, I was intruiged. I love how McEwan shows the all of the deep layers of the main characters, especially Briony. She is a girl at her awkward stage between being a girl and a woman, and she really doesn't know how to handle her new maturity. Her creative mind is phenomenal, but I feel like she thinks she knows more than she actually does.
Paul Marshall creeped me out since he was introduced. I'm pretty sure he is the one who raped Lola instead of Robbie because of the awkward nursery scene where he is admiring her. Cecilia and Robbie remind me of Romeo and Juliet in a way. They are separated by class, but there is that undeniable chemistry between them. Robbie's arrest is tragic for Cecilia. I loved reading the scene where he is about to go off in the cop car, but they have their final loving words.
I pity Lola, Jackson, and Pierrot. They feel abandoned in a house where they don't belong because of a wreckless mother and divorce. This is something that we take lightly now because of the astronomical divorce rate, but the effect on the children is still the same throughout the ages. I'm glad McEwan reminds us of this.
I'm anxious to see how the rest of the story plays out. I am almost 100% sure that Robbie is innocent and Paul Marshall is to blame. The whole time I just want to save Robbie from his awful fate. I also want Briony to stop being so stubborn and actually investigate her self-doubt. But that's just where her naivety (sp?) is destructive and not innocent like in her writing. She doesn't understand the concepts of romance, love, and sensuality. This isn't necessarily her fault because she's only a child. However, I hope that this misunderstanding clears up and justice is served.
But then again, what if I'm wrong? What if Robbie really did do it?
I guess I'll find out later.
Briony's sister, Cecilia, is home from college and is not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She ponders her identity and the possibilities of leaving home. Cecilia and the servant's son, Robbie, have grown up together around the house with an ongoing attraction to one another, even though Cecilia refuses to recognize it at first. Cecilia carries a vase of sentimental value out to the fountain where she and Robbie are fighting over it. The vase ends up broken into pieces in the fountain. Cecilia boldly strips down to her undergarments and retrieves the rest of the pieces from the fountain.
Briony witnesses this scene from her bedroom window and wonders what it could possibly mean. This thought leads to many mature psychological theories that enter her mind. She explores the possibilities of creativity and tries to reflect that in her writing.
Leon comes home with his creepy friend, Paul Marshall, who is in the chocolate business. Cecilia, Leon, and Paul all relax by the pool and talk of how their lives have been. Leon tells Cecilia that he has invited Robbie to dinner. This frustrates her because she is so annoyed with him about the scene from earlier that day at the fountain.
As Robbie is getting ready for dinner at the Tallis' house, he realizes his strong romantic feelings for Cecilia. He wants to express his feelings in a letter, but he can't find the words. He looks at his medical textbooks and discovers a picture of the vagina. He types, "I want to kiss your cunt. Your sweet wet cunt," with no intentions of this being seen. He writes another letter but picks up the explicit one instead. He gives the letter to Briony to deliver to Cecilia. Briony reads it out of curiosity and is mortified at the use of the word "cunt." She confides in Lola and they are both equally shocked. They both agree that he is a maniac and they must protect Cecilia from him.
Robbie confronts Cecilia about the mix-up in the letters in the Tallis' library. One thing leads to another, and they let out their sexual tension towards each other and make love. Briony walks in on the scene and her suspicions about Robbie.
The dinner was quite awkward to say the least. The twins ask to be excused from the table. After their dismisal, a letter is discovered in their seats. Lola reads that the twins are miserable in their new home and they have decided to run away. This sets everyone into a frantic search on the grounds late at night.
Briony searches the grounds with the intentions of finding the twins and protecting Cecilia from Robbie. She goes to the lake island on their property because she had a hunch Jackson and Pierrot might be there. Instead she finds Lola on the ground and her sexual assaulter running away. Briony is convinced it is Robbie, even though Lola didn't clearly see the attacker. Briony is almost positive it was Robbie because of the events from earlier, but something in her is doubtful. She ignores these doubts by steadily convincing herself.
Briony tells her family of the attack and the authorities arrive at their house. All of the family is questioned, but Cecilia is obviously disturbed by Robbie being accused of the crime. Briony shows the "cunt" letter to the police and everyone else, which frustrates Cecilia even more. Robbie finally returns with the twins, but he is arrested. Briony watches his arrest from her bedroom window and sees him and Cecilia have one last conversation. Briony admires her sister at what she believes is her forgiving heart. She still struggles with doubt into the coming years of her life.
Response - This is definitely the best book that I have ever had to read for an English class. After the slow moving 79 pages, I was intruiged. I love how McEwan shows the all of the deep layers of the main characters, especially Briony. She is a girl at her awkward stage between being a girl and a woman, and she really doesn't know how to handle her new maturity. Her creative mind is phenomenal, but I feel like she thinks she knows more than she actually does.
Paul Marshall creeped me out since he was introduced. I'm pretty sure he is the one who raped Lola instead of Robbie because of the awkward nursery scene where he is admiring her. Cecilia and Robbie remind me of Romeo and Juliet in a way. They are separated by class, but there is that undeniable chemistry between them. Robbie's arrest is tragic for Cecilia. I loved reading the scene where he is about to go off in the cop car, but they have their final loving words.
I pity Lola, Jackson, and Pierrot. They feel abandoned in a house where they don't belong because of a wreckless mother and divorce. This is something that we take lightly now because of the astronomical divorce rate, but the effect on the children is still the same throughout the ages. I'm glad McEwan reminds us of this.
I'm anxious to see how the rest of the story plays out. I am almost 100% sure that Robbie is innocent and Paul Marshall is to blame. The whole time I just want to save Robbie from his awful fate. I also want Briony to stop being so stubborn and actually investigate her self-doubt. But that's just where her naivety (sp?) is destructive and not innocent like in her writing. She doesn't understand the concepts of romance, love, and sensuality. This isn't necessarily her fault because she's only a child. However, I hope that this misunderstanding clears up and justice is served.
But then again, what if I'm wrong? What if Robbie really did do it?
I guess I'll find out later.
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