Atonement: Key Quotes

Plot: Atonement primarily follows the narrative of a complex and consequential misunderstanding by a thirteen-year-old girl, Briony Tallis, that drastically changes the lives of her older sister Cecilia and their family friend Robbie Turner.
Characters: Ranging from the imaginative yet naive Briony, the misunderstood and wronged Robbie, to the strong yet vulnerable Cecilia, the characters in Atonement all play significant roles in weaving together a story of transgression and redemption.
Quotes: Essential quotes from Atonement highlight the themes of guilt, forgiveness, love and war, including Briony’s cathartic confession “it was always an impossible task… and that was precisely the point. The attempt was all,” or Cecilia’s emblematic declaration, “I will wait for you. Come back.”