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Responding to change (a2 only)
Infection and response
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Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments (a-level only)
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Britain & the wider world: 1745 -1901
1l the quest for political stability: germany, 1871-1991
The cold war
Inter-war germany
Medieval period: 1066 -1509
2d religious conflict and the church in england, c1529-c1570
2o democracy and nazism: germany, 1918-1945
1f industrialisation and the people: britain, c1783-1885
1c the tudors: england, 1485-1603
2m wars and welfare: britain in transition, 1906-1957
World war two & the holocaust
2n revolution and dictatorship: russia, 1917-1953
2s the making of modern britain, 1951-2007
World war one
Britain: 1509 -1745
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63
โข
4 Dec 2025
โข
Megan ๐ง
@studi3.23
"Atonement" explores the devastating consequences of a single lie through... Show more
The story opens at the Tallis family home where 13-year-old Briony is preparing her play "The Trials of Arabella." We're introduced to key characters including her older sister Cecilia, their mother Emily, and the housekeeper's son Robbie Turner. Tension builds when Cecilia and Robbie have an encounter at the fountain where Cecilia undresses to retrieve fragments of a broken vaseโa scene Briony misinterprets.
Things escalate when Robbie writes Cecilia a letter containing an explicit sexual term, accidentally giving it to Briony to deliver. This leads to further misunderstandings when Briony later discovers Robbie and Cecilia in an intimate moment in the library. During dinner, we meet Paul Marshall, a chocolate manufacturer who takes an interest in Lola, Briony's teenage cousin.
Note: Pay special attention to the different perspectives in this sectionโthe same events viewed through different characters' eyes provide crucial clues about what really happens.
The evening takes a dark turn when Lola appears with scratches, claiming the twins attacked her, and later the twins run away. During the search, Briony witnesses Lola being sexually assaulted in the darkness and, influenced by her earlier misinterpretations, convinces herself Robbie is the attacker. Her false testimony leads to Robbie's arrest, devastating Cecilia, who knows the truth about their relationship and believes in Robbie's innocence.
Part Two shifts to 1940, following Robbie as a soldier retreating to Dunkirk with two corporals, Nettle and Mace. Despite outranking him, they rely on his leadership as they trek across the French countryside. Robbie is wounded but continues on, driven by thoughts of Cecilia and her lettersโhis means of survival during his time in prison.
Through flashbacks, we learn Robbie served only six months in prison before being offered the chance to enlist in the army. We discover Cecilia has cut ties with her family, believing in Robbie's innocence, and works as a nurse in London. Their brief reunion at a cafรฉ before his deployment reveals the depth of their commitment, though Robbie regrets not spending more time with her when he had the chance.
Remember: The contrast between Robbie's brutal war experience and his tender memories of Cecilia shows how love provides hope even in the darkest circumstances.
As they approach Dunkirk, Robbie's condition worsens, and he drifts between fever dreams and memories. The men witness the chaos of the evacuation, and Robbie falls asleep in a cellar, dreaming of a future with Cecilia that seems increasingly unlikely as his health deteriorates. This section ends with Robbie clinging to the hope of returning to his love, despite his worsening condition.
Now 18, Briony works as a nurse in London during the war, having abandoned her Cambridge education. Her hospital work is demanding under the strict Sister Drummond, with only fellow nurse Fiona as a friend. The hospital prepares for the influx of wounded soldiers from Dunkirk, and Briony cares for the injured, including a dying French soldier named Luc Cornet in a poignant scene.
Briony discovers Paul Marshall and Lola are to be married, suddenly realizing Paul was likely Lola's attacker that night. She also receives feedback from a magazine about her story "Two Figures by a Fountain," recognizing it as a fictionalized account of the fountain incident. These events prompt her to visit Cecilia, where she finds Robbie is also presentโboth survived the war and are together.
Important: This confrontation is one of the novel's most powerful moments, showing how a single lie can permanently alter multiple lives.
In the final section, set in 1999, we discover that 77-year-old Briony, now a famous novelist suffering from vascular dementia, has written the novel as her final act of atonement. She reveals the devastating truth: Robbie died at Dunkirk and Cecilia died months later in the Blitz. Their reunion never happenedโit was Briony's fictional attempt to give them the happiness her lie denied them in reality.
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help โ all at your fingertips.
Quotes from every main character
English LiteratureQuotes from every main character
English LiteratureApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Megan ๐ง
@studi3.23
"Atonement" explores the devastating consequences of a single lie through the lives of Briony Tallis, her sister Cecilia, and Robbie Turner. This powerful narrative spans from a fateful summer day in 1935 through World War II and beyond, examining themes... Show more
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Join milions of students
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The story opens at the Tallis family home where 13-year-old Briony is preparing her play "The Trials of Arabella." We're introduced to key characters including her older sister Cecilia, their mother Emily, and the housekeeper's son Robbie Turner. Tension builds when Cecilia and Robbie have an encounter at the fountain where Cecilia undresses to retrieve fragments of a broken vaseโa scene Briony misinterprets.
Things escalate when Robbie writes Cecilia a letter containing an explicit sexual term, accidentally giving it to Briony to deliver. This leads to further misunderstandings when Briony later discovers Robbie and Cecilia in an intimate moment in the library. During dinner, we meet Paul Marshall, a chocolate manufacturer who takes an interest in Lola, Briony's teenage cousin.
Note: Pay special attention to the different perspectives in this sectionโthe same events viewed through different characters' eyes provide crucial clues about what really happens.
The evening takes a dark turn when Lola appears with scratches, claiming the twins attacked her, and later the twins run away. During the search, Briony witnesses Lola being sexually assaulted in the darkness and, influenced by her earlier misinterpretations, convinces herself Robbie is the attacker. Her false testimony leads to Robbie's arrest, devastating Cecilia, who knows the truth about their relationship and believes in Robbie's innocence.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Part Two shifts to 1940, following Robbie as a soldier retreating to Dunkirk with two corporals, Nettle and Mace. Despite outranking him, they rely on his leadership as they trek across the French countryside. Robbie is wounded but continues on, driven by thoughts of Cecilia and her lettersโhis means of survival during his time in prison.
Through flashbacks, we learn Robbie served only six months in prison before being offered the chance to enlist in the army. We discover Cecilia has cut ties with her family, believing in Robbie's innocence, and works as a nurse in London. Their brief reunion at a cafรฉ before his deployment reveals the depth of their commitment, though Robbie regrets not spending more time with her when he had the chance.
Remember: The contrast between Robbie's brutal war experience and his tender memories of Cecilia shows how love provides hope even in the darkest circumstances.
As they approach Dunkirk, Robbie's condition worsens, and he drifts between fever dreams and memories. The men witness the chaos of the evacuation, and Robbie falls asleep in a cellar, dreaming of a future with Cecilia that seems increasingly unlikely as his health deteriorates. This section ends with Robbie clinging to the hope of returning to his love, despite his worsening condition.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Now 18, Briony works as a nurse in London during the war, having abandoned her Cambridge education. Her hospital work is demanding under the strict Sister Drummond, with only fellow nurse Fiona as a friend. The hospital prepares for the influx of wounded soldiers from Dunkirk, and Briony cares for the injured, including a dying French soldier named Luc Cornet in a poignant scene.
Briony discovers Paul Marshall and Lola are to be married, suddenly realizing Paul was likely Lola's attacker that night. She also receives feedback from a magazine about her story "Two Figures by a Fountain," recognizing it as a fictionalized account of the fountain incident. These events prompt her to visit Cecilia, where she finds Robbie is also presentโboth survived the war and are together.
Important: This confrontation is one of the novel's most powerful moments, showing how a single lie can permanently alter multiple lives.
In the final section, set in 1999, we discover that 77-year-old Briony, now a famous novelist suffering from vascular dementia, has written the novel as her final act of atonement. She reveals the devastating truth: Robbie died at Dunkirk and Cecilia died months later in the Blitz. Their reunion never happenedโit was Briony's fictional attempt to give them the happiness her lie denied them in reality.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help โ all at your fingertips.
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Transform this note into: โ 50+ Practice Questions โ Interactive Flashcards โ Full Mock Exam โ Essay Outlines
Quotes from every main character
English LiteratureQuotes from every main character
English LiteratureApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Sociology