chapter 6 quotes/annotations

Question 1

‘Withdraw from the white glare of the afternoon heat to a cool and darkened bedroom’
page 63

Answer 1

• isolates herself from the family almost all the time

- highlights poor relationship with her family

Question 2

‘but she was retreating before it’s threat’

page 63

Answer 2

• migraine personified to be an animal that follows her around
• very self absorbed as she sees her headache as a ‘heaviness’

Question 3

‘lazy creature’

page 63

Answer 3

-Clearly not extremely liked by her family

Question 4

‘she ordered a roast dinner for this evening and it would be too stifling to eat’
page 64

Answer 4

-shows her inappropriate choices as a mother, why would you eat a roast on a hot day?

Question 5

‘the nerve of the girl to be disappointed with it! - she had no job or skill’
page 65

Answer 5

-don’t like girls in stem.

Question 6

‘the softest little thing, doing her all to entertain her hard-bitten wiry cousins with the play she had written from her heart’
page 65

Answer 6

• indulges Briony’s fancies

- we see how Emily has a soft spot for Briony

Question 7

‘Useless to ask Briony what she was thinking’

page 68

Answer 7

• strange, how is it useful to ask your child what they’re thinking.
• links back to not having a close relationship with her family

Question 8

‘she was fearful of sudden movement, and thus the creaking of the bedsprings was prolonged, and half obscured the sound of a man’s voice’
page 69

Answer 8

-This is when Lola gets the bruises on her arm

Question 9

‘There was nothing, and then, like a lamp turned on and off in total darkness, there was a little squeal of laughter abruptly smothered’
page 69

Answer 9

-could have prevented this happening if Emily was more motherly

Question 10

‘This wealthy young entrepreneur might not be such a bad sort, if he was prepared to pass the time of day entertaining children.’
page 69

Answer 10

-happy for Marshall to do her job instead of herself. The future rape could have been prevented if Emily paid more attention.

Question 11

‘Rather than risk drawing the curtains just yet, she turned on the reading light, and tentatively began the hunt for her dark glasses. She has already decided where to look first’
page 71

Answer 11

• Turning back to herself
• very self-absorbed
• We don’t sympathise for her because of this