Date of Award
Spring 4-2024
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
English and Linguistics
Department Chair or Program Director
Levin, Jonathan
First Advisor
Haffey, Kate
Major or Concentration
English
Abstract
This paper, written for Dr. Haffey’s English 449U course on 21st Century Fiction, explores the intricate narrative structure and metafictional elements in Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement. The novel is a commentary on the power and responsibilities of storytelling, particularly how narratives shape our understanding of memory and truth. Through the lens of its protagonist, Briony Tallis, McEwan demonstrates the complexities of memory and the subjectivity of truth. Briony’s narrative, marked by guilt and a quest for forgiveness, becomes a vehicle for examining how biases and emotions influence perception. The paper delves into the novel’s use of multiple narrative perspectives and a nonlinear narrative structure, illustrating how these techniques enhance the thematic concerns of memory and truth. Additionally, this paper highlights how McEwan’s narrative drives readers to question the reliability of contemporary storytelling and contributes to the discourse in 21st Century Fiction literary studies.
Recommended Citation
Rooksby, Emily, "Unraveling the Threads: Memory and Narrative in Ian McEwan's Atonement" (2024). Student Research Submissions. 591.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/591