Entry 3: Update on Reflections

Something that has surprised me is that Briony would go so far as to denounce Robbie for raping Lola. I thought that someone like Briony would be objective about the situation, just like the police chief, but Briony has allowed her wild imagination and biased thoughts against Robbie to influence her choices. I was delighted that Cecelia and Robbie has expressed their feelings for each other. I cannot believe how quickly they have moved from friends to passionate lovers. I was disappointed in the fact that Robbie was blamed for the rape. I figure that he is innocent because it is very apparent that Briony had allowed her imagination to run wild. Even though I was upset with his denouncement and blame, it benefits the storyline very well. It frames the theme of growing up very well because you notice Briony's attempt at being grown up and adult-like, yet she is unable to rationalize like an adult. Another thing that was delightful was the amazing imagery. McEwan does a wonderful job of describing the Tallis's home and the garden, so well that it brings an air of serenity and peace. This will play a huge part for the upcoming war.
http://faculty.washington.edu/qtaylor/a_us_history/1900_2000_timeline.htm

This link describes the events leading up to the war. I find it interesting because it has a lot of tension between countries that lead up to eventually World War II, but there is barely an allusion to the war yet. The Tallis's house is peaceful, despite the chaotic time period that they live in. I thought that the setting was a good use of juxtaposition, as it shows a huge example of naivety from a small scale to a larger one. For instance, Briony is shown to be naive as a character, but the family itself is so closed off from the world at this point. I think it shows that there can be a world without chaos, but not completely with peace. The Tallis's may not be greatly affected by the war yet, but they are suffering from domestic issues. I believe that having the book set in this time period also greatly affects the feelings that the family has against Robbie. I think that they turned against him because he came from a sort of impoverished household, or he did not live up to their own standards, because of prejudices between the social classes that was common during the time. Emily expresses a sort of dislike for her husband's admiration for Robbie, and obviously does not approve of him.

Although it seems obvious to have chosen a clip from the movie, this video has done a great job of capturing other themes besides Cecelia and Robbie's love. It captures the serenity and beauty of the setting. Also, seeing the family's facial expression when seeing Robbie again after his denouncement is a great way of showing the family's ease of turning against him. Not only that, it efficiently displays Briony's resentment of Robbie. I believe the actors were a great choice, as their infliction and tone when they had professed their love for each other was exactly the way I had pictured it, obvious and simple. "I love you" can be too dramatic, but in this case, it was perfect, fitting, expected, but not overdone or cliched. The music choice also foreshadows a tragedy. This video makes me excited to read the upcoming section.