Savannah Bunch
English II
Lisa Copeland
March 24, 2023
In the story Atonement by Ian Mcewan, Briony, one of the characters, carries and sense of justice with her throughout the novel. She shows compassion and confession along with reflection and apology. She comforts the people around her and cares for everyone including the people that do her wrong. Justice is found in her, and she shows it to the people around her. Justice is fairness in the way that people are treated. It means giving each person what they deserve or their due. Briony spreads these characteristics throughout the book, and it shows in her personality.
Choices and goodwill are two feelings that Briony uses in her acts of justice. Briony has written a play to preform for her brother Leon’s visit home, which is her act of goodwill. Ian Mcewan writes, “The play she had written for Leon’s homecoming was her first excursion into drama, and
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The text states “And Cecilia, whom she ought to protect, she dared not go near. Robbie, obviously, she should avoid for safety’s sake” (Mcewan 155). Briony was trying to protect Cecilia, but she did not actually know what was happening. She did not like Robbie anymore because of what she read in the letter that she did not understand, all she knew in her mind was that she had to protect her sister from him. According to the text “When she pushed past Briony there was no sign of in Cecilia of gratitude or relief. Her face was expressionless, almost composed, and she looked right ahead to the door she was about to leave by. Then she was gone, and Briony was left alone with him” (Mcewan 158). Briony was innocent and thought she was saving Cecilia from an attack by Robbie, but she walked in on something, and Cecilia was upset with her, which is why there was not any gratitude. Briony on the other hand believed she was doing an act of