Napoleon. Hitler. Caesar. Briony. Like all of these historical figures, Briony takes on a God-like persona in Atonement. Throughout the novel, Briony attempts to atone for the sin she made in her youth- accusing an innocent man of raping her cousin. This specific sin, however, has grave implications on Robbie’s life. However, in the narrator’s description, one can see the God-like qualities seep into the story. At the end of the novel, McEwan reveals that Briony has been narrating the entire novel. She also reveals that she changes the ending of the story in order to keep Cecilia and Robbie alive and together. In the novel Atonement, Ian McEwan uses Briony’s character to represent a God-like figure who assumes multiple qualities of a God such as omnipresence and …show more content…
After seeing what she thought to be an attack on her sister, it completely changes her outlook on Robbie. This also shows how Briony is present in all of the scenes that affect Robbie’s life, proving that Briony is like a God and watching over his actions. The final key event in which Briony observes Robbie from above is when he is being taken away by the police for the crime Briony accused him of- raping her cousin. Looking down from her room, “She saw how his arms were forced in front of him, and from her vantage point she saw the silver glint of steel below his shirt cuff. The disgrace of it horrified her. It was further confirmation of his guilt, and the beginning of his punishment” (McEwan 173). This shows how Briony is able to witness the other key scene that sets in motion the other implications her crime has on Robbie’s life. In “The Absence of Atonement in Atonement” Charles Pastoor, who is an English professor at John Brown University, describes how “Briony is not the kind of god one wants to have governing one's universe, but on several levels, she is, unfortunately, the god who governs Robbie's” (Pastoor). This proves
External conflicts between the main characters, Cathy and Adam, reflect the idea of good versus evil in their relationship. Cathy, who is much like Satan, creates a huge fight between Adam and his brother Charles with her manipulations. Later, she ruins Adam's dreams and breaks his heart when she shoots him and leaves, sending Adam into a deep depression. After twelve years, Adam snaps out of his dream world and confronts Cathy. Cathy is now called Kate and works in a whore house called Faye's. Despite her actions, Adam realizes that he doesn't even hate Cathy for the hurt she has caused him. He finds peace with himself, renewing his once abandoned relationship with his sons.
The pastor views Kate Swift whom he is lusting after as God, and the speaker in the poem lusts after God directly. They both are in conflict with carnal lust and sexual desire for what they believe to be God in some form, which means that God is causing them to sin. God is the one who came to Earth as the flesh so that sin could be erased, but in the short story and poem, God is the one who is causing the two characters to sin. This reverse effect is the basis for the irony in both “The Strength of God” and “Batter My
Welty uses the temporary separation of Robbie, Laura’s aunt by marriage, and her husband, George, to highlight how swiftly the Fairchilds will band together and turn against those who are deemed outsiders. Towards the middle of the novel, Welty introduces Aunt Tempe who, upon hearing the news of Robbie’s departure, exclaims, “‘I’d like to see her! She’ll get no welcome from me, flighty thing . . . how can people hurt George’” (139). Even Ellen, who - like Robbie - married into the Fairchild household, strides to George’s defense; “‘I don’t know. . . . Remember Robbie’s the one among us all we don’t know very well’” (139). Because Robbie is unlike the members of the family, she is often the recipient of disapproval. Her and George’s estrangement is then able to give
entirely at home; the hostile atmosphere did not seem to register” something seemed to spark in Mary which required more burning material to flourish in this atmosphere, so she searched, she searched frantically and desperately like an addict looking for their next high, a toddler for her mother. Chris was slowly broken down, in order to be rebuilt in the eye of his superiors, to be fearless in the eye of the enemy, Chris was fearless of the enemy, but he has never been more scared of himself. Chris was put to a test, to kill or be killed when his staff SGT attempted to kill him, he could choose to kill or die, there was no option for him as there was for Mary. The killing of Chris Taylor’s Staff SGT had been a transformative moment, his metamorphosis to becoming himself, a true follower of the dark ways, much like Kylo Ren’s assasination of his father to prove his worthiness to the cause. Proving if there was not already even a thought, or a slight perceivable part of you, there is no possibility of that change
God displays his protective powers in various ways. She is shown to be in despair numerous times. So many things happen that keep chipping away at her spirit. The Indians come and ransack the town, basically burning it to the ground. She is separated from all of her children except for one and even in that moment, her daughter dies in her arms after being wounded by a gunshot. Rowlandson herself is injured and is forced to keep travelling despite her conditions. Chaos seems to surround her at every angle. She is initially given a very miniscule amount of water to sustain her on the trip along with some nuts and crumbs. Rowlandson states that “… still the Lord still upheld me...” and also that “he hurt me one hand, and proceeded to heal me with the other”. She believes that due to her people being unfaithful, the Lord is now punishing them so that they can repent. But her being puritan and a chosen one, instead of being killed off, she is preserved and is allowed to get back in God’s good standing. At one point she even thinks of attempting suicide and ending all the misery but she states that thanks to God, she came back her senses and reason to know that she couldn’t go through with such an act. God was using the Indians as agents to punish the Puritans and in doing so, whenever the opportunity for freedom arrived and for some reason the opportunity was not seen
At great personal costs to himself, John reveals Abigail’s true motivation of jealousy and desire. When he confesses to committing adultery,John knows numerous people have died or confessed to having been visited by Satan. However, the confession does not help anyone as John is being accused of
In Harry Mulisch’s novel The Assault, the author not only informs society of the variance in perception of good and evil, but also provides evidence on how important it is for an innocent person experiencing guilt to come to terms with their personal past. First, Mulisch uses the characters Takes, Coster, and Ploeg to express the differences in perspective on the night of the assault. Then he uses Anton to express how one cannot hide from the past because of their guilt. Both of these lessons are important to Mulisch and worth sharing with his readers.
Miranda becomes attracted to Adam, a masculine soldier who shows his devotion to the war and traditions. He is heroic figure according to the traditional principle. Yet Miranda was able to
Since the first storytellers, religion has played an important part in developing both character and plot. From Ancient Greece to Egypt to Judaism to Christianity, the basic stories of human origins have stood the test of time. Classic books such as The Great Gatsby, The Stranger, and Lord of the Flies are full of religious parallels and imagery. Conceptually, main characters of each work--Gatsby, The Stranger’s Meursault, and Lord of the Flies’ schoolboys attempt to be Christ-like figures, but whose demise is ironically brought about by their own sins.
As the book goes on Chief Bromden begins to realize that McMurphy is not actually the monster they claim him to be. He realizes that ...
Many may contend that the novel’s main character, Grendel, is guilty of evil by virtue of his vile actions. However, Gardner’s description of Grendel’s resistance to evil impulses and capability of human emotions suggest that Grendel is simply responding to his environment. Furthermore, Gardner deftly accrues readers’ sympathies towards Grendel, making it difficult for the empathetic reader to condemn the monster ex officio. By forging connections between humanity and his protagonist, Gardner indicates that readers are equally as guilty of sin as Grendel. Through this implication, he insinuates that humans are unqualified to judge Grendel’s actions, and, perhaps, each other. After all, if Grendel can be called evil, can the same not be said of all of mankind? The novel’s ultimate truth seems to harken back to Tupac Shakur’s assertion that, “Only God can judge me,” (Tupac
Rosemary is the main character and student of Ambrose University. She visits an old friend after seeing him months ago and discovered he has a wife who is technically alive now and a grandson. She is then tempted to come to a mission that is related to her family’s past. Especially with her grandmother. Rosemary is half Irish and Italian. Student in Ambrose University. Alice is the roommate and friend of Rosemary. Student in Ambrose University. Mr. Whittier is an elderly man. He does not speak much about his origins or his family. Mostly his time at a much older age. Often cheery, witty, and the grandfather of Nick or Nicholas. Nick is as young as Rosemary and sometimes loses focus. He is nerdy, sweet, and doubts his trust of his Grandfather.
Whilst both authors put forth an opinionated view of moral issues, the opinions presented leaned more traditionally. Immorality in every instance was analyzed through an inherently negative lens. This biased exploration of moral issues leaves the reader with a conflicting mindset. One might like the characters and disagree with how they acted, or the bias put forth changes how the reader views the characters as a whole. Looking through the inner conflicts and external conflicts present in both works one can see the similar methods authors take to examine moral issues as well as the difficulty of removing a personal investment an author might
There are many ways to decide what makes a man guilty. In an ethical sense, there is more to guilt than just committing the crime. In Charles Brockden Browns’ Wieland, the reader is presented with a moral dilemma: is Theodore Wieland guilty of murdering his wife and children, even though he claims that the command came from God, or is Carwin guilty because of his history of using persuasive voices, even though his role in the Wieland family’s murder is questionable? To answer these questions, one must consider what determines guilt, such as responsibility, motives, consequences, and the act itself. No matter which view is taken on what determines a man’s guilt, it can be concluded that Wieland bears the fault in the murder of Catharine Wieland and her children.
Whatever sins man commits in his lifetime, he is punished for them. If only he repents for his sins, can he be forgiven and at least he can die in peace. God forgives them only when they repent for their sins. The story also presents another example of the Christian belief in sin and punishment, which is based on the strict principles of repentance and forgiveness. In the story, Karen is a poor but beautiful girl.