Atonement: Character Profiles

Briony Tallis: Briony is a young, imaginative protagonist whose false testimony leads to Robbie’s imprisonment and later tries to atone for her mistake.
Robbie Turner: Wrongly accused of a crime because of Briony, Robbie is an innocent victim who falls in love with Cecilia.
Cecilia Tallis: The eldest Tallis sister, Cecilia is a strong, independent woman who shares a forbidden love with Robbie.
Lola Quincey: Lola is Briony’s cousin who becomes the unintended victim of Paul Marshall’s predatory act.
Paul Marshall: The wealthy chocolate magnate who is the true culprit behind the crime Robbie is accused of, ends up marrying Lola.
Emily Tallis: Emily is the sickly mother of the Tallis children who remains distant and disengaged from her children’s lives.
Jack Tallis: The absent father figure who is frequently away on business.
Leon Tallis: The eldest Tallis sibling, largely oblivious to the family dynamics.
Jackson Quincey: Despite often being overlooked, Jackson is one of Lola’s younger twin brothers, who suffers during the events of the story.
Pierrot Quincey: Pierrot is Lola’s other young twin brother who, being shy and introverted, faces his own struggles with the family’s troubles.
Charles Quincey: Not a character in the novel, Charles Quincey doesn’t require a summary.
Hermione Quincey: There is no character named Hermione Quincey in Atonement.
Betty: Betty is the Tallis family’s housemaid, who plays a key role in the events that unravel the day of Robbie’s accusation.
Mr Hardman: He is not a character in Atonement, so no summary is needed.
Danny Hardman: The Tallis family’s gardener who is suspected then exonerated of Lola’s attack.
Grace Turner: Robbie’s mother whose faith in her son’s innocence never waivers.
Ernest Turner: Robbie’s father is absent from the novel and doesn’t require a summary.
Corporal Mace: A comrade of Robbie’s during the second world war, Mace contributes to Robbie’s emotional journey.
Corporal Nettle: Another one of Robbie’s comrades, Nettle adds to the wartime narrative and Robbie’s emotional turmoil.
Sister Marjorie Drummond: A strict nurse who attempts to impose discipline on Briony when she trains as a wartime nurse.
Fiona: Not a feature character in Atonement, so no summary is required.
Luc: He doesn’t exist in the Atonement novel, hence no summary can be provided.