‘’Liar, liar…’’: The analysis of lies in the movie “Atonement”
The movie Atonement is based on Ian McEwan’s namesake novel. It is widely considered as one of his best novels. Atonement beautifully depicts the strength of the ‘’butterfly effect’’ by almost immediately introducing the story’s focal point which depicts 13-year-old Briony Tallis witnessing a series of events involving Robbie (son of Tallis’ housekeeper). Her poor interpretation of those innocuous events had detrimental consequences. These consequences are worthy of further analysis. However, let us first familiarize with the plotline of the film.
As it was previously mentioned, the story opens with young Briony Tallis in 1935. Briony is a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy English family. She is known to be an aspiring author, growing her talent at quite an early age, thus it is not complicated to comprehend her vivid imagination which will become her curse. On the hottest day of the year Briony sees her sister Cecilia in the garden with Robbie. She misses the moment when Cecilia walks into the garden with their precious vase with flowers, drops it because of Robbie’s chivalrous attempt to fill the vase with water from the fountain pool, and only sees Cecilia in her drenched garments emerging from the water while Robbie is facing her as she steps out from the fountain pool. Later that same day remorseful Robbie is writing an apology note…
