Term Paper on "Archetypal Criticism on Ian Mcewan's Novel Atonement"

Term Paper 4 pages (1370 words) Sources: 1 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

archetypal criticism of the book, showing how the author weaves the archetypal motif of Cinderella throughout the story. "Atonement" is the story of a young girl who changes the fate of others by her accusations, and then attempts to atone for her actions throughout her life. Briony opens the novel as a 13-year-old aspiring writer, and ends it as a 77-year-old acclaimed novelist. What happens in between is the story of change and tragedy, all brought together by Briony's own fairy tale story telling that creates a story of the archetypical Cinderella for her readers.

From the beginning of this novel that spans 60 years, the heroine of the story is Briony, and young girl convinced from the beginning that she can weave together stories. She discovers early that "A crisis in a heroine's life could be made to coincide with hailstones, gales and thunder, whereas nuptials were generally blessed with good light and soft breezes" (McEwan 7), and this begins her fascination with love, romance, and happy endings. She is also a child that likes to mange and control her life and the lives of others, and this becomes clearer as the novel progresses. Even if real-life does not end in the fantasy happy endings she craves, she will mold it in her fantasy world until the ending comes out the way she had always planned. McEwan weaves the subtle and not so subtle inferences to the archetypical Cinderella throughout the novel, and they pervade Briony's thoughts. Briony wants perfection for all her characters, and at the time when the story begins (1935), perfection includes marriage, fairy-tale princes, and oh-so-pure heroines. Later, Briony thinks to herself, "Her purity of spirit would never be in doubt, though she moved through a blemished world" (McEwan 10). McEwan could not have described the fairy-tale life of Cinderella any more closely had he tried, and he continues this thread throughout this engrossing novel until the very end.

Of course, Briony cannot go through her entire life believing that everything ends happily, and she wakes up to that fact early in the novel, as well. McEwan writes, "Briony had her first, weak intimation that for her now it could no longer be fairy-tale castles and princesses" (McEwan 37). She understands there are differences between men and women, and some of them seem sinister and frightening to her. This is how she develops her distrust of Robbie that eventually leads to her false accusation and the changes that befall all their lives. She learns that life is not always a fairy-tale, but she continues to promote the fairy tale in her work and in the lives of the people around her.

Briony's own mother seemed to represent the remote princess in the ivory tower, as well, adding to the symbolism in the novel. She suffers from migraines, and often retreats to her dark bedroom on the second floor of the home, seeming like a remote princess who lives a fairy-tale life and retreats to her tower when she suffers. In addition, her mother treats her like a princess, attempting to keep her sheltered from the shattering realities of real life. Alone in her bedroom, she thinks to herself, "But how to protect her against failure" (McEwan 62). Briony lives a charmed life, and believes that is the right life for everyone, so in a way, Briony is the Cinderella of the story, compelling others to follow her dreams, on paper, or in real life.

There is a Cinderella-like quality to the one moment Cecilia and Robbie have in the library as well. They discover the strong feelings they have for each other, and discover they love each other, as well. While they consummate their love, they are interrupted, just as Cinderella was interrupted at the ball by the stroke of midnight.

Robbie really does seem like a "Prince Charming" who can handle himself in any situation, and would make a good and loyal husband. That is confirmed when Robbie returns with the boys after a long night of searching, oblivious of the charges against him. McEwan shows his… READ MORE

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