Chapter 26
Summary
After witnessing Paul Marshall’s and Lola’s wedding, Briony takes route to her sister Cecilia’s one-bedroom apartment. Cecilia is taken by surprise by Briony’s sudden visit. Briony states that since Cecilia never answered her letter she had to drop by to talk. At first they talk about Briony’s nursing job and the family. Briony notices that the motherly tone Cecilia had always given her was gone; instead there was now hardness in her tone. Briony apologizes about her wrong accusation of Robbie being Lola’s rapist. She recognizes what she has done was horrible and is truly sorry, yet Cecilia cuts her off and says she won’t ever forgive her for what she did. Terrified of Cecilia, she tells her that she will go to Surrey and tell their parents what exactly happened.
Then Robbie appears in the kitchen unknowing of Briony’s presence. When he finally notices her, he is shocked and anger begins to grow inside him. His anger takes over and he not only attacks her verbally but also threatens to attack her physically. Seeing the tension, Cecilia comes in between the two and calms Robbie down, in a way saving her little sister.
Briony attempts to apologize to both of them but she does not expect them to forgive her after what she did. She claims that she was young and immature but now she has grown up. Robbie mocks her claim and still threatens her. He instead tells her what she needs to do step by step. Briony will first tell her parent’s exactly what happened. Then visit a solicitor and make a statement in which she says she did wrong and is retracting her evidence. Thirdly, she has to write Robbie a letter in great detail explaining what led her to believe she saw him by the lake and why she stuck to her story even though she was uncertain. He also asks Briony to include any information she knows about where Danny Hardman was that night. We see that Robbie and Cecilia believe that he was the rapist, when in reality Briony tells them it was Paul Marshall. She also tells them that Lola has married him.
Since Robbie has to return to his military base, he and Cecilia walk Briony to the subway station. Once again she apologizes about all the trouble and pain her mistake has caused them. Robbie, however, disregards her apology and directs her to do what she has been told. Both he and Cecilia give her apology little importance and begin to kiss passionately. Briony knows that her presence is neither acknowledged nor needed so she turns and leaves. That was the last time Briony sees both of them.
Analysis
Briony spends the beginning of the chapter reminiscing on her lunch with Fiona, which she says “seemed a far-off, innocent time” (309). Briony’s walk through London in search of her sister is reflective of her free-spirited youth before the crime in Part One. In visiting her sister, she is leaving the numbness of her current life and walking into the chaos of her past.
Upon meeting her sister, we notice that Briony is losing a sense of self. The more she reaches Cecilia’s home, the more she believes she is carrying a “ghostly persona” (311), and hence, losing a part of her identity. Briony has also noticed a change in Cecilia’s identity. “Her sister’s appearance added to Briony’s unease…She barely knew this woman…” (314). Briony notes that “Cecilia had always spoken to her in a motherly or condescending way…No room for that now. There was a hardness in her tone…” (313). This goes back to the idea of Cecilia developing natural maternal instincts from growing up with Briony and comforting the twins in chapter 9. This is a characteristic she no longer associates with her older sister. We also notice that Cecilia is very committed to Robbie. When he threatens Briony, Cecilia intervenes and tells Robbie to “come back.” This is a phrase that Cecilia used with Briony when she had a bad dream, making Briony feel more disconnected from her sister. At this point, she can see that the two will never forgive her.
Social class also plays a role in this chapter. Briony finds out that Robbie and Cecilia suspect that Danny Hardman had raped Lola. The two are perplexed when they discover that Paul Marshall is really the criminal. They rethink the situation and Robbie says, “He’s a greedy fool but I can’t imagine him with Lola Quincey…” (327). Here we see that the wealthier man was not suspected at all.
At the end of the chapter, the narrator writes that her atonement would “Not simply be a latter, but a new draft, and atonement, and she was ready to begin” (330). The novel is signed “BT” which are Briony’s initials and which leads the reader to imply that the entire novel was written by Briony. The fact that she uses “BT” shows that she isn’t prepared to fully embrace her identity.
- Really great pick-up on the loss of self here. In addition, I really like the points you make about the change in Briony and Cecilia's relationship. You should feel okay, though, to mention that Briony has invented this entire scene and for the purposes she talks about in the Epilogue. Great summary.
After witnessing Paul Marshall’s and Lola’s wedding, Briony takes route to her sister Cecilia’s one-bedroom apartment. Cecilia is taken by surprise by Briony’s sudden visit. Briony states that since Cecilia never answered her letter she had to drop by to talk. At first they talk about Briony’s nursing job and the family. Briony notices that the motherly tone Cecilia had always given her was gone; instead there was now hardness in her tone. Briony apologizes about her wrong accusation of Robbie being Lola’s rapist. She recognizes what she has done was horrible and is truly sorry, yet Cecilia cuts her off and says she won’t ever forgive her for what she did. Terrified of Cecilia, she tells her that she will go to Surrey and tell their parents what exactly happened.
Then Robbie appears in the kitchen unknowing of Briony’s presence. When he finally notices her, he is shocked and anger begins to grow inside him. His anger takes over and he not only attacks her verbally but also threatens to attack her physically. Seeing the tension, Cecilia comes in between the two and calms Robbie down, in a way saving her little sister.
Briony attempts to apologize to both of them but she does not expect them to forgive her after what she did. She claims that she was young and immature but now she has grown up. Robbie mocks her claim and still threatens her. He instead tells her what she needs to do step by step. Briony will first tell her parent’s exactly what happened. Then visit a solicitor and make a statement in which she says she did wrong and is retracting her evidence. Thirdly, she has to write Robbie a letter in great detail explaining what led her to believe she saw him by the lake and why she stuck to her story even though she was uncertain. He also asks Briony to include any information she knows about where Danny Hardman was that night. We see that Robbie and Cecilia believe that he was the rapist, when in reality Briony tells them it was Paul Marshall. She also tells them that Lola has married him.
Since Robbie has to return to his military base, he and Cecilia walk Briony to the subway station. Once again she apologizes about all the trouble and pain her mistake has caused them. Robbie, however, disregards her apology and directs her to do what she has been told. Both he and Cecilia give her apology little importance and begin to kiss passionately. Briony knows that her presence is neither acknowledged nor needed so she turns and leaves. That was the last time Briony sees both of them.
Analysis
Briony spends the beginning of the chapter reminiscing on her lunch with Fiona, which she says “seemed a far-off, innocent time” (309). Briony’s walk through London in search of her sister is reflective of her free-spirited youth before the crime in Part One. In visiting her sister, she is leaving the numbness of her current life and walking into the chaos of her past.
Upon meeting her sister, we notice that Briony is losing a sense of self. The more she reaches Cecilia’s home, the more she believes she is carrying a “ghostly persona” (311), and hence, losing a part of her identity. Briony has also noticed a change in Cecilia’s identity. “Her sister’s appearance added to Briony’s unease…She barely knew this woman…” (314). Briony notes that “Cecilia had always spoken to her in a motherly or condescending way…No room for that now. There was a hardness in her tone…” (313). This goes back to the idea of Cecilia developing natural maternal instincts from growing up with Briony and comforting the twins in chapter 9. This is a characteristic she no longer associates with her older sister. We also notice that Cecilia is very committed to Robbie. When he threatens Briony, Cecilia intervenes and tells Robbie to “come back.” This is a phrase that Cecilia used with Briony when she had a bad dream, making Briony feel more disconnected from her sister. At this point, she can see that the two will never forgive her.
Social class also plays a role in this chapter. Briony finds out that Robbie and Cecilia suspect that Danny Hardman had raped Lola. The two are perplexed when they discover that Paul Marshall is really the criminal. They rethink the situation and Robbie says, “He’s a greedy fool but I can’t imagine him with Lola Quincey…” (327). Here we see that the wealthier man was not suspected at all.
At the end of the chapter, the narrator writes that her atonement would “Not simply be a latter, but a new draft, and atonement, and she was ready to begin” (330). The novel is signed “BT” which are Briony’s initials and which leads the reader to imply that the entire novel was written by Briony. The fact that she uses “BT” shows that she isn’t prepared to fully embrace her identity.
- Really great pick-up on the loss of self here. In addition, I really like the points you make about the change in Briony and Cecilia's relationship. You should feel okay, though, to mention that Briony has invented this entire scene and for the purposes she talks about in the Epilogue. Great summary.