Response to Part II Question

Examine the following quote: "But what was guilt these days? It was cheap. Everyone was guilty, and no one was." What is the significance of this quote in the context of Part II? For the book as a whole?

One of the main themes in this book is the question of what makes a person guilty and how does each character define guilt. In our group discussions we talked a lot about how different people deal with situations that should feel guilty in and how sometimes people do not. For example, taking money from a parent's wallet is an action I would consider stealing while others might consider it borrowing or their right as a child. Conclusively, I have discovered that guilt is a very shaky bridge that can fall in many directions depending upon the eye of the beholder. In relation to the book, Briony does not seem to feel any guilt initially for having lied about the rape, but as she ages and sees the effects of her lies, Briony begins to understand the complexity of her lie. One tiny lie told as a child ruined a man's reputation, ruined her sister's family relationship, and arguably lead to the wedding of Lola and her true rapist. Though the guilt took a long time to manifest itself, it affected Briony even into her old age. In the final pages of the book, one opf the quotes that spoke to me the most was when Briony says, "It occurs to me that I have not traveled so far after all, since I wrote my little play" (349). Though the Trials of Arabella seems lifetimes away, that summer was the most crucial time for Briony and her one small lie turned into a lifetime of guilt and regret. I think the significance of the quote above is that it symbolizes the underlying theme of the entire book. Particularly in Part II, guilt within Briony is built up even more than before and she does weird things like having a delusional "make-up" with Robbie and Cecelia. Her lack of responsibility, even as a young woman, contributes to the theme that guilt left unchecked will eat a person alive and they will feel that void of forgiveness forever. Ultimately, I think the underlying presence of guilt within Briony throughout the book comes center stage in part two and teaches the reader that guilt is like a cancer, it can be maintained for a while, but it will eventually spread uncontrollably and there's nothing to be done about it.