Atonement Part 2 Flashcards
What is Robbie’s three and a half years later?
He is a British army soldier stationed in France
Who are Robbie’s companionsin the French countryside?
Corporals Nettle and Mace.
Why do Nettle and Mace look to Robbie for guidance?
Because he has countryside experience
What injury has Robbie sustained?
He was hit in the side by a piece of shrapnel.
Why do the three soldiers seek shelter in a barn?
They need a place to rest for the night.
What does the old woman warn them about?
Her sons
How do Henri and Jean-Marie actually treat the soldiers?
They bring them wine and food.
Why is the old woman hostile toward soldiers?
One of her sons died in World War I
What does Jean-Marie ask Robbie about the British army?
If the British are leaving France. He says they’ll be back
What does Robbie promise the brothers?
That the British will return and defeat the Germans.
What memory haunts Robbie as he tries to sleep?
Cecilia told him the morning he was arrested: “I’ll wait for you. Come back.”
Why couldn’t Cecilia visit Robbie in prison?
He was classified as “morbidly oversexed.”
How did Cecilia and Robbie communicate while he was in prison?
Through letters that referenced literary love stories and their library encounter. This continues through the war.
How did Cecilia do after Robbie’s arrest?
She cut her family off completely and became a nurse. This troubles Robbie
What happened during Robbie and Cecilia’s brief reunion?
They met nervously at a café
Why were Robbie and Cecilia unable to take their planned two weeks together?
The outbreak of war.
What does Robbie encourage Cecilia to do in a letter?
To contact her family again. Cecelia shares that Briony is working as a nurse and wants to change her statement about the assault.
What hope does Cecilia express about Briony’s offer?
If Robbie’s conviction isn’t overturned, at least her parents will know Robbie is not guilty and can apologise to him.
How is Cecilia coping with the war despite the horrors?
She remains hopeful due to Briony’s letter.
Where do Robbie and the corporals head?
Toward Dunkirk.
What do they see along the way that highlights the horrors of war?
Villagers evacuating and a family of dead bodies in a ditch.
Why does Robbie try to get away from the corporals?
He no longer wants to be responsible for them. Robbie is stopped from leaving the corporals by a near-collision with a car, and the corporals intervene.
Who do the soldiers meet on the road?
A major is trying to recruit people to fight a German advance. They refuse because they have orders to evacuate from Dunkirk.
What does Robbie spot while the major is talking?
A German bomber is approaching. He yells for everyone to take cover
What happens to the major during the attack?
He is shot in the hand.
What do the soldiers do after the attack?
They refuse to fight and continue walking toward Dunkirk.
Who does Robbie try to save during another bombing?
A woman and her young son. They are killed in the bombing.
What memory does the crowd at Dunkirk evoke in Robbie?
Sitting on his father’s shoulders as a child.
What does Robbie wonder about his father?
Whether he served in the Great War or was a coward. He decides to find his father and be the kind of man he could be proud of.
What do Robbie and the corporals find when they reach Dunkirk?
Chaos
Why do they go into a bar near the beach?
To wait nearby in case a boat arrives.
What conflict breaks out in the bar?
Soldiers begin attacking an RAF clerk. They blame him for not protecting them from German bombers. He fears the crowd will turn on him, too.
What does Corporal Mace suggest doing to the clerk?
Drowning him, though, as a ruse to protect him.
How do Turner and Nettle help Mace protect the clerk?
They clear a path for Mace and block the doors to hold the crowd back. They escape unnoticed and are quickly forgotten by the crowd.
What do Turner and Nettle do after leaving the bar?
Search for Mace
Where do they take shelter for the night?
In a bombed-out house with other soldiers.
What does Turner reflect on as he falls asleep?
That no one is without guilt anymore because of the war.
What choice does Turner consider while falling asleep?
Staying in France to help people. He decides to stay
What memory blurs with his war experiences?
The night of Lola’s assault.
Why does Nettle wake Turner during the night?
Because Turner was shouting “no” in his sleep.
What news does Nettle give Turner?
That boats are coming to take them back to England.
What does Turner remember after hearing this?
Cecilia’s promise to wait for him the night he was arrested.
What does Turner ask Nettle to do?
To wake him when the boats arrive.
What happens when Turner looks for Nettle again?
Nettle is no longer there.
