Chapter 2
Summary
This chapter follows Cecilia through her task to put flowers into the guest room. It starts with Cecilia picking wildflowers outside (avoiding the gardening Robbie), returning inside to get her dead uncles vase. The vase is a family heirloom that her father's brother rescued from a French museum during the First World War. Inside, she stares out at Robbie working on the hedges, longing for a cigarette and contemplating asking for one. She decides against it at first, but she talks herself into going outside to fill the vase with water in the fountain.
On the way, Robbie meets up with her and accompanies her to the fountain. They talk about literature, and Cecilia believes that he is a pompous person. She thinks about how much he has changed recently when he was at university and how a distance had come between them. She had previously thought about Robbie going to medical school, which her father would have to pay for. Cecilia becomes visibly annoyed with herself and him when he presumes she is agitated that her father is footing his schooling bills.
When Cecelia tries to dip the vase into the fountain, Robbie insists upon helping her. Cecelia resists (not wanting to give him the pleasure of helping her and standing her ground), and a section of the vase breaks of and falls to the bottom of the fountain. Robbie begins to undress to swim for it, but Cecilia stops him, strips to her underwear and retrieves the chipped portion. She then grabs her clothes from Robbie, dresses, and storms off to the house, leaving behind a confused Robbie at the fountain.
Analysis
From the beginning of this chapter, it is obvious that Cecilia is sexually frustrated. In the very first sentence, she is described as having a “Blossoming need for a cigarette;” a theme repeated throughout the remainder of the chapter.
Her views of others in this chapter were very negative compared to others, also suggesting her subconscious urges. These are pointedly at Robbie, as every time she mentions him, in end with her pegging him as condescending. In fact, his motivation for trying to act more astute and proper (Which Cecilia mistakes for condescension) is indicative of his longing for her sexually and romantically.
Throughout the chapter, Cecilia mentions punishing herself. She Suggests that the entire reason she doesn’t leave is because she feels that she should spend time with her family, but only does so masochistically.
- You might do more here to connect the action of this chapter with the novel's themes. In particular, you could note that the chapter is actually Briony's, but that she's projecting into Cecilia's consciousness here. As such, it's a crucial part of Briony's attempt at atonement. That sort of thing. You might mention more fully, too, the issues between Robbie and Cecilia.
This chapter follows Cecilia through her task to put flowers into the guest room. It starts with Cecilia picking wildflowers outside (avoiding the gardening Robbie), returning inside to get her dead uncles vase. The vase is a family heirloom that her father's brother rescued from a French museum during the First World War. Inside, she stares out at Robbie working on the hedges, longing for a cigarette and contemplating asking for one. She decides against it at first, but she talks herself into going outside to fill the vase with water in the fountain.
On the way, Robbie meets up with her and accompanies her to the fountain. They talk about literature, and Cecilia believes that he is a pompous person. She thinks about how much he has changed recently when he was at university and how a distance had come between them. She had previously thought about Robbie going to medical school, which her father would have to pay for. Cecilia becomes visibly annoyed with herself and him when he presumes she is agitated that her father is footing his schooling bills.
When Cecelia tries to dip the vase into the fountain, Robbie insists upon helping her. Cecelia resists (not wanting to give him the pleasure of helping her and standing her ground), and a section of the vase breaks of and falls to the bottom of the fountain. Robbie begins to undress to swim for it, but Cecilia stops him, strips to her underwear and retrieves the chipped portion. She then grabs her clothes from Robbie, dresses, and storms off to the house, leaving behind a confused Robbie at the fountain.
Analysis
From the beginning of this chapter, it is obvious that Cecilia is sexually frustrated. In the very first sentence, she is described as having a “Blossoming need for a cigarette;” a theme repeated throughout the remainder of the chapter.
Her views of others in this chapter were very negative compared to others, also suggesting her subconscious urges. These are pointedly at Robbie, as every time she mentions him, in end with her pegging him as condescending. In fact, his motivation for trying to act more astute and proper (Which Cecilia mistakes for condescension) is indicative of his longing for her sexually and romantically.
Throughout the chapter, Cecilia mentions punishing herself. She Suggests that the entire reason she doesn’t leave is because she feels that she should spend time with her family, but only does so masochistically.
- You might do more here to connect the action of this chapter with the novel's themes. In particular, you could note that the chapter is actually Briony's, but that she's projecting into Cecilia's consciousness here. As such, it's a crucial part of Briony's attempt at atonement. That sort of thing. You might mention more fully, too, the issues between Robbie and Cecilia.