Chapter 17
Summary:
Turner is awakened by Nettle and Mace. As they sat outside the barn, smoking their first cigarettes, the discovered a clay pot. Inside the pot there is a loaf of bread and a wedge of cheese. Immediately, Robbie divides it in case the three are separated. From there, they continue to head to Dunkirk. Within one hour, bombers were flying above their heads. While trudging through various fields of turnips and wheat, they take sight of many empty bomb shells and human remains scattered. They realize they aren’t much safer when they avoid the roads. However, the trio doesn’t particularly notice it. Robbie suspects that they are near 25 miles to Dunkirk. Robbie’s wound shows to be getting worse with no signs of recovering as he digs into his own skin, picking at the pain. When the smoke of Dunkirk is within their eyesight, they notice a trail of disabled vehicles and empty British staff cars.
The three soldiers run into an evacuation of a small village where they find other retreating British soldiers. Because Robbie has an extreme case of loss of sleep, he becomes more hostile. As he attempts to steal an innocent man’s car, Mace calms him down. As they continued to Dunkirk, Turner wants to stay behind but Nettle and Mace need Turner so they can get into the gates. They meet another corporal that needed help to rescue civilians. However, a enemy fighter plane began to fire at them. Turner was barely able to speak, but exclaimed “Go!” He ran into the woods and took cover behind a turned-over lorry. As Robbie was lucky enough to remain unharmed, many others were wounded. Robbie joins Nettle and Mace as they dig a grave. Among the wounded, the only death was of a 15 year old boy. They performed a short ceremony for him, and proceeded to Dunkirk. The black smoke signaling Dunkirk grew larger and larger.
Analysis:
This chapter reveals the impact of Robbie being the leader between the group of three soldiers. Nettle and Mace need Robbie, but Robbie did not need them. Both Nettle and Mace also have a correlation between the twins Jackson and Pierrot. Robbie had to search for and rescue the twins and the two soldiers needed Robbie for their “rescue” on their way to Dunkirk. When Robbie’s walk is described to have a rhythm to it, it is implied that Briony is attempting to control the metrical beat in her words. Finally, the boy that was killed in the attack was the age of fifteen. The same age as Lola during her attack.
- The summary is great - nicely detailed and direct.
- In terms of analysis, you seem only to skim the surface. For instance, you mention that Briony is really the one writing here, but you don't really pursue what that might mean for the action of the chapter beyond the tiny example of meter. You might, in this case, engage with Briony's attempt to engage with others' minds, which is the main issues she's had and attempts to correct in writing the novel. Or you might discuss Robbie's fantasy-making about getting back to Cecilia.
Turner is awakened by Nettle and Mace. As they sat outside the barn, smoking their first cigarettes, the discovered a clay pot. Inside the pot there is a loaf of bread and a wedge of cheese. Immediately, Robbie divides it in case the three are separated. From there, they continue to head to Dunkirk. Within one hour, bombers were flying above their heads. While trudging through various fields of turnips and wheat, they take sight of many empty bomb shells and human remains scattered. They realize they aren’t much safer when they avoid the roads. However, the trio doesn’t particularly notice it. Robbie suspects that they are near 25 miles to Dunkirk. Robbie’s wound shows to be getting worse with no signs of recovering as he digs into his own skin, picking at the pain. When the smoke of Dunkirk is within their eyesight, they notice a trail of disabled vehicles and empty British staff cars.
The three soldiers run into an evacuation of a small village where they find other retreating British soldiers. Because Robbie has an extreme case of loss of sleep, he becomes more hostile. As he attempts to steal an innocent man’s car, Mace calms him down. As they continued to Dunkirk, Turner wants to stay behind but Nettle and Mace need Turner so they can get into the gates. They meet another corporal that needed help to rescue civilians. However, a enemy fighter plane began to fire at them. Turner was barely able to speak, but exclaimed “Go!” He ran into the woods and took cover behind a turned-over lorry. As Robbie was lucky enough to remain unharmed, many others were wounded. Robbie joins Nettle and Mace as they dig a grave. Among the wounded, the only death was of a 15 year old boy. They performed a short ceremony for him, and proceeded to Dunkirk. The black smoke signaling Dunkirk grew larger and larger.
Analysis:
This chapter reveals the impact of Robbie being the leader between the group of three soldiers. Nettle and Mace need Robbie, but Robbie did not need them. Both Nettle and Mace also have a correlation between the twins Jackson and Pierrot. Robbie had to search for and rescue the twins and the two soldiers needed Robbie for their “rescue” on their way to Dunkirk. When Robbie’s walk is described to have a rhythm to it, it is implied that Briony is attempting to control the metrical beat in her words. Finally, the boy that was killed in the attack was the age of fifteen. The same age as Lola during her attack.
- The summary is great - nicely detailed and direct.
- In terms of analysis, you seem only to skim the surface. For instance, you mention that Briony is really the one writing here, but you don't really pursue what that might mean for the action of the chapter beyond the tiny example of meter. You might, in this case, engage with Briony's attempt to engage with others' minds, which is the main issues she's had and attempts to correct in writing the novel. Or you might discuss Robbie's fantasy-making about getting back to Cecilia.