The subjunctive mood approach to Ian MacEwan's atonement



The third element presupposes that the tragic protagonist achieves recognition of his error; here some change from the state of ignorance to awareness of guilt that should be atoned happens to him. Tragedy aims to depict how that very tragic hero achieves atonement of its guilt by the end of his story.

It seems to me that McEwan's tragedy can't be called for sure a classical one, because of its “hanging end”. It means that the question of Briony's atonement remains unanswered.

Briony understands that it was she, but not the war, who killed happiness of Cecilia and Robbie, that's why she decides to make them happy at least in her fiction. Here we come to the confrontation of memory of true events that fall into oblivion with the death of its witness and a novel that always remains alive as a masterpiece of a great author.

Briony resolves this confrontation in favour of immortal fiction in order to achieve her atonement before readers, to deserve forgiveness of tragic victims. But the question of atonement is still unanswered, because Briony would never forgive herself even in her novel.

Here we come to the idea that this classical plot but “hanging end” make the novel of Ian McEwan be a Classical-Tragedy-in-a-Modern-View.

*

A.V.Mayboroda 5^th-year student Belgorod State University

The Subjunctive Mood approach to Ian MacEwan’s Atonement

Atonement by Ian McEwan is a very ambiguous novel which gives a very profound space for readers to deliberate about. This is one of most thought- provoking features of the post-modern literature. The author leaves a lot to think up and complete. To be precise, this is so called 'Subjunctive mood' in post-modern literature. What could happen if many other things hadn't happened? And why do we consider Briony the only guilty one?

These two questions are closely connected and interwoven with each other.

It is already said a lot about the consciousness and atonement of Briony Tallis. But she is not the only one who made a mistake. The first part of the novel, almost half of the book, is devoted to making those mistakes, mistakes which cause serious consequences. Taking into consideration the 'Subjunctive mood' approach it's possible to give each mistake one name “If only”. And there are several “If onlys” in this novel.

If only the vase hadn't fallen in fountain...

If only Robbie hadn't given Briony a wrong variant of letter...

If only Robbie and Cecilia had explained Briony about their relationship...

If only twins hadn't run away...

If only Lola hadn't kept silent ant told Briony the truth...

If only Leon hadn't invited Paul Marshall to their place ...

Here you are. There would be other possible outcomes if those “if onlys” hadn't happened. It's obvious, that Briony (of 13 years old) is a very precocious girl, even too fanciful. She is a dreamer and inventor and future writer who lives in her imaginary world. But Briony is not the only person who should feel guilty.

Where is Lola's guilt for not saying anything? It is she who underwent the raping. Lola could be the most reliable witness whose testimony could save Robbie. What about Paul Marshall, the real rapist, who stands silent while an innocent man goes to prison? He is the only one who committed a real crime. But he stands in shade. And on top of all that, there are a lot of adults who might at least doubt a thirteen-year-old girl's testimony. Then it should have been done more in the investigation. Reading these events you cannot but become indignant at them.

Briony committed her crime, the crime of accusing an innocent person. She accused Robbie of attacking Lola. She was also angry with him for ignoring her, and jealous that he was attracted and involved with Cecilia. She had also seen the 'note' that Robbie had written, which shocked her, but also fascinated her and made her more jealous. That was the guilt of a girl what causes the torture for herself and for two lovers. But her crime is the consequence of already made mistakes.

The result of those mistakes and misunderstandings is revealed in the second half of the book. The war began. Briony understands 'how the war might compound her crime'. She herself thinks of what could happen:

If Cecilia and Robbie were never to be together...

Many mistakes had been already done and what should have followed them happened. The war indeed appears to be an aggravating circumstance of her crime.

Briony later in her last novel presents the version of events which could have happened and she wished them to if the worst hadn't happened. Briony in her fiction work gives Robbie and Cecilia the happiness they might have. But in reality she dreams: “If I had the power to conjure them at my birthday celebration...”

Subjunctive mood springs up in mind of a devoted reader all the time while reading this story. “If only” underlies the book Briony wrote about happy reunion of sweethearts. Due to that, Atonement by Ian McEwan is a novel which can be viewed within the 'Subjunctive mood' approach. Just that provides much food for thought about what could happen or not in case other circumstances took place.

*

On MacLaverty's Grace Notes

On having read Grace Notes, a novel by Bernard MacLaverty, I can't say it has left an extremely strong impression on me, but I can't help admitting that it is worthy of attention. A few only can boast of being familiar with a composer. Bernard MacLaverty gives his readers a wonderful opportunity to observe the process of creating music, maturing music and giving birth to it. Also Grace Notes gives an idea of some national conflicts in Northern Ireland, makes a reader acquaintance with some realities of British life (such