Tierney Race
Mr. Breaton
ENG4U
May 24, 2015
Redeemable Briony
At the beginning, I despised Briony. I know she was only a child when she made her accusations, but I was very unforgiving. The act alone completely destroyed my respect for her. Then, I finished the rest of the book. I came to an understanding of Briony’s character. Every human makes mistakes, sometimes not as colossal as hers, but it is to be expected. Through actions and thoughts, we determine if that person is forgivable. Therefore, I think Briony did redeem herself. One key feature of Briony’s redemption was her isolation. To me, this proved that she understood her consequences and then felt the need to punish herself. Briony thought, “Whatever skivvying or humble nursing she did, and however well or hard she did it, whatever illumination in tutorial she had relinquished, or lifetime moment on a college lawn, she would never undo the damage. She was unforgivable” (McEwan 269). All she wanted to do was work and avoid thinking about the wreckage she had caused, but it was useless. Her life would be a stream of the guilt she felt and reflection of the life ruins she had created. Briony knew it was necessary for her to disconnect herself to make herself suffer. Her self reflections really showed how human she was and all her regrets. Briony thought, “As everyone kept saying, the country stood alone now, and it was better that way” (McEwan 298). Like the country, Briony thought of herself that way. If she was alone, she could not hurt anyone else. She constantly thought of her remorse and what she would do to prevent it. In her reflection of the past, she wished to change her mistake of making Robbie culpable. She always thought of Cee and Robbie’s reaction if she went to them, breaking her isolation, and telling everyone of her self-known mistake. Most of what she thought might happen was quite irrational and delirious. But, it was hopeful. Briony wanted the couple back in her life again. She dreamed of seeing Robbie appear at the hospital and “...how he would turn to her with gratitude, realize who she was, and then take her hand, and in silently squeezing it, forgive her” (McEwan 281). Briony’s life now revolved around forgiveness from Cee and Robbie. She needed time to work herself in terrible conditions, to repent and punish herself, so she could finally work up the courage to see Cee and Robbie again; to ask for forgiveness and show some redemption. When she finally went to Cee’s apartment, and talked with the couple, it all unfolded in a way she had not imagined. When talking to Robbie, Briony pondered how “..she had thought about this conversation many times, like a child anticipating a beating” (McEwan 322). This confrontation emotionally hurt her, but she wanted to take it. She knew her wrongdoings would create a heated confrontation, just not in the exact way she had thought. Briony handled the conversation without defending herself because she knew she deserved it. She knew that the person she has become could not turn over who she used to be. I think her self-realizations show an improved person. Briony even said to Robbie and Cee, “‘I’m very very sorry. I’ve caused you such terrible distress. I’m very sorry’” (McEwan 329). Briony even thought she had sounded “so foolish and inadequate” (McEwan 329) apologizing in that manner for something so serious. But, I believe even her attempt at an atonement like that shows her worth for redemption. Briony has devoted her life to hard work of helping others, isolating herself, dwelling on her guilt and how she could fix it, believing herself to be unforgivable, yet still thinking about the couple she hurt and only their feelings. Nothing else seems real to her. Therefore, I think her disconnection from her old world and constant worry of Cee and Robbie credits her to be restored. In Briony’s older age, as she thought of her writing of Cee and Robbie’s story, she thought, “I like to think that it isn’t weakness or evasion, but a final act of kindness, a stand against oblivion and despair, to let my lovers live and to unite them at the end. I gave them happiness, but I was not so self-serving as to let them forgive me” (McEwan 351). Again, Briony put Cee and Robbie’s feelings before her own in an attempt for them to live together in love forever. Although Briony has a convincing craft with writing and editing, her apology did not actually happen, even though I wish it had. Briony was ready to atone in both actions and thoughts, therefore I think she is redeemable.
COMMENT:
Elcie, your argument was very well written. I share the dislike of Briony in the beginning with you. I do believe if Briony continued the attitudes she had as a child, then she would not be redeemable. Like you said, Briony’s maturity really did influence her. Like all of us, as we grow, our thoughts and actions change, often times dramatically. Therefore, it makes sense that Briony completely changed her ways. Also, I agree with you on the fact that Briony was drowning in her own guilt. This overwhelming feeling of guilt caused Briony to constantly think about her actions and of Cee and Robbie. If she did not try to grasp her actions, then she would not fully understand the consequences of her actions. I would then not find her redeemable. Furthermore, I agree with you Elcie on the apology. I know it did not actually happen, and the so what aspect of it, but it mattered to me as a reader. It created a sense of completion in the story. It caused me to appreciate the characters’ actions and feelings more in depth. I truly hated Briony in the beginning, but as we got on in the story, we realize the more human aspect of Briony. Every human has made a mistake, we are flawed. But it is the actions we do after that prove our worth as a person.
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