Atonement Part 2

Robbie was separated from his unit in their retreat out of France and is working his way toward Dunkirk. He was joined by Corporal Nettles and Corporal Mace who even though they outrank him, still follow his lead and suggestions. Robbie was in prison for six years. He and Cecilia communicated through letters during that time, yet these were censored by his psychiatrist. Cecilia severed all contact with her family and went to nursing school. When Robbie was released he and Cecilia were able to meet once in public before he had to report to basic training. The meeting was awkward until the end when they kiss and remember they live for the one purpose of being together. They were suppose to have two weeks together after his basic training but the beginnig of the war changed all that. The kept in contact and Cecilia's constant message of"I'll wait for you. Come back." is Robbie's will to live. She also said that she had contacted her family and Briony was feeling she was mistaken and might want to legally change her testimony. On their trek toward Dunkirk, Robbie sees the leg of a young boy in a tree and it haunts him. He and the corporals avoid the roads as long as possible and then join the multitudes of people on the road out of the country. They are bombed on and a woman and child Robbie tries to save are killed. When they finally arrive where the boats are leaving Robbie has a moment that he forgets why he must survive and feels he must rush back and save the boy's leg. Robbie feels it won't matter if Briony changes her testimony since war makes all guilty. However Corporal Nettles calms him down and he remembers he must live. He must "come back" to Cecilia.
This section was written much differently from the first one. It was almost boring to be limited to Robbie's perspective after moving between three in the previous section. This definitely was the "boyly" section with all the war and violence. I didn't know that Robbie and Cecilia were going to be able to communicate while he was in prison so that was a pleasant surprise. I don't know why I was assuming they weren't going to be able to contact each other. I liked how theirmeeting was awkward. That made it more realistic. Now kissing at the bus stop seemed kind of cheesy in my head, but I was picturing it at a train station which would make it more cheesy. The war setting really works. You really learn more about Robbie even after having the in depth chapter on him in section one. The reader can see a lot in Robbie's character from the way the corporals respect him. By learning about their civilian jobs you can infer a lot more about the corporals. Their lower education might account for the fact that they seem less effected than Robbie. Or it might just be that the reader isn't inside their mind like he/her is in Robbie's. Their helping the man that was being beaten up shows them as different from many of the other men. Maybe this developed from their time with Robbie. I'm getting too far off topic. The main center of this section was Robbie of course. However, you are left to contemplate about the changes that have taken place in Briony's life. By mentioning that she is willing to change her story, but not giving details builds suspense. The "war makes all guilty" is an interesting concept. When Robbie considers going staying and going back to all the death and horror he has seen, you see the torture he has gone through. You see the strength of their love by his remembering that she is the reason he must survive and escape.