Atonement Part 1

So I would much rather keep reading the book, than stopping to do this assignment. Just saying...
Briony Tallis is writing a play for her cousins, Lola and the twins, Jack and Peirrot, to perform in when they come to stay with the Tallis's due to domestic issues. The play is for Briony's brother Leon who is coming home and bringing a friend, Paul Marshall. Rehearsals for the play fall through. The day Leon is to arrive Briony witnesses her sister Cecilia take off her clothes and retrieve a piece of a broken vase from a fountain in front of their housekeeper's son, Robbie. Cecilia and Robbie's relationship has been tense for years, but Robbie realizes he loves her. He writes two versions of a letter and has the wrong one sent to her by Briony. Briony reads the letter before delivering it and feels that Robbie is a "maniac." The letter, however, causes Cecilia to realize her love for Robbie. Before the dinner that night, of which Robbie was invited to, he and Cecilia make love in the library. Their time together is interrupted by Briony who believes Robbie was assaulting her sister. After a tense dinner it is discovered that the twins have run away. Everyone goes out searching. Briony comes on Lola who has just been attacked and sees a male figure leaving, making her feel certain it was Robbie. She turns him in and steals Cecilia's letter to prove he is crazy. Robbie is arrested and taken away. Cecilia and Robbie's mother are the only ones to express any doubt in his guilt.
Let me just say here that I read Vanessa's summary before I did mine so it was stuck in my head and they sound similar. However, I promise I actually read the book.
I love how McEwan writes. The way he uses the different views definitely adds suspense. I love the way he doesn't write in a straight timeline, but overlaps the time from different characters' perspectives. Briony's character is extremely interesting. The way McEwan looks at the concept of the writer hacing complete control is very interesting. I loved the part when Briony was thinking about the connection between her mind and her finger. Of course I had to put my book down and move my finger up and down at that part. I relate with Lola and Briony's relationship in that I have had older cousins that felt necessary to remind me they were older than me and therefore more mature. I have probably been guilty of it myself. I think this connection is important in seeing Briony's reasoning. At the moment she found Lola she was the mature one with all the answers. She held the upper hand and took her opportunity at responsibility. Paul Marshall is the bad guy, right? Lola's burns and scartch came fron him when he was with her in the nursery and he attacked her. That's my theory anyway. Now there is the question of Cecilia's and Robbie's "love." Is it real? Is it simply a need they share to do something different and unpredictable? When Robbie is writing the letter it does seem genuine. However maybe I am old fashion but I see love as something deeper than just wanting to have sex with each other. By writing from the different perspectives McEwan introduces all the variables that led to Briony's "crime." If only Robbie had sent the right letter. If only Briony hadn't witnessed the scene by the fountain. If Briony hadn't been sitting on the bridge Robbie coun'dt have given her the letter. If only the twins hadn't ran away. If only Briony had went into her mom instead of going to the island temple. I could go on and on. It's very frustrating.