Topic > Infidelity and Betrayal in Urban Life

Through their respective texts, Atonement and Lantana, authors Ian McEwan and Ray Lawrence deftly convey the ideas of betrayal, atonement, loss, and class. Within Atonement, McEwan uses repeated stylistic elements, motifs, symbolism, and characterization to explore the idea of ​​betraying a loved one, the effort required to atone for this transgression, and the influence of class in pre-war British society. In contrast, Lawrence uses the mise en scene, score, shots, and dialogue within Lantana to express his concerns not only about infidelity and betrayal in contemporary urban life and the importance of redeeming oneself, but also to the influence of socioeconomic status on the achievement of happiness. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Atonement, McEwan portrays the idea of ​​betrayal through the technique of repetition. child protagonist Briony believes Robbie is the rapist and often repeats Yes, I saw him. I saw him, in the end, betray his family friend and his sister Cecelia. Through repetition, McEwan conveys the intensity of Briony's conviction and the far-reaching scope of her betrayal, as he never considers the possibility of false understandings. In contrast, Lawrence conveys betrayal through the relationship between John and Valerie, in John's ignorance of Valerie's pleas to help her, ultimately leading to her death. Mise-en-scène and editing are used through the image of the telephone and answering machine, surrounded by family photos, to convey the harsh betrayal with which John ignores the voiceover of his pleas for help. The stark contrast between the lighting of Valerie's phone booth and the cut to the warm lighting of their home highlights the intensity of John's betrayal. Indeed, in contrasting ways, both McEwan and Lawrence convey the idea of ​​betrayal through techniques of repetition and staging respectively. Likewise, McEwan and Lawrence showcase atonement, a concept that goes hand in hand with betrayal, through techniques such as motifs and soundtrack respectively. Within Atonement, Briony's awareness of her wrongdoings leads her to work for redemption well into old age. By writing Atonement, the novel itself, not simply a letter, but a new draft, an atonement, Briony recreates the story so that Cecilia and Robbie can have the life they deserved, punishing herself for her wrongdoings. Through this, McEwen conveys to the reader how significantly his transgressions have affected his life and the importance of correcting his mistake. Alternatively, Lawrence conveys the idea of ​​atonement using the soundtrack. When Sonia and Leon dance, Leon begins to atone for his affair by actively trying to repair his relationship. The music that accompanies this scene, What Do You Know About Love?, provides an upbeat and romantic atmosphere, suggesting to the audience that through atonement, damage can be repaired. Certainly, through the use of McEwan's motifs and Lawrence's score, both authors are able to convey ideas on the theme of atonement within their lyrics. The idea of ​​loss is also quite prevalent throughout McEwan's text, Atonement, made clear through foreshadowing. and symbolism. McEwan uses foreshadowing when Robbie and Cecelia break the vase, symbolizing their relationship and its inevitable ruin due to Robbie's actions. This vase, of which... has split into two triangular pieces [...] and lies there, several centimeters apart, foreshadows how they will separate, eventually losing each other.