How does McEwan use time in the first ten chapters? In Atonement McEwan uses time in various ways to explore various perspectives, relationships and try to reconstruct the events that happen in the first section of the book. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The timing of the various relationships is used by McEwan to create a dramatic turning point that ultimately leads to the downfall of the story; causing further problems following this first turning point. Emily Tallis's sister's divorce causes her children to stay at their cousin's house for the duration of the first section of the book. This moment of divorce coincides with the turning point as the breakdown of her relationship could perhaps foreshadow the breakdown of others'. For example, Cecilia and Robbie's new found love quickly ends just as Emily and Jack's love begins to deteriorate over the course of the story when the reader discovers that Jack is having an affair. Likewise, the strong sisterly bond between Cecilia and Briony quickly worsens due to Briony's mistake. Time is also used by McEwan to portray the various transitions the characters are experiencing. Briony's transition into adolescence is shown through her growing curiosity and her desire to be seen as older than she is. However, McEwan reminds the reader that she is only transitioning into adolescence and not the female role as he occasionally places her in situations such as the nursery which is associated with children or dressing her in a "white muslin dress" which makes her look even younger because she is white. portrays innocence as does her dress made of muslin which is often associated with babies and toddlers as it is used to make bibs or baby clothes; once again highlighting his young age and innocence. Likewise, Lola's transition from adolescence to adulthood is shown through her clothes and the way she dresses. Now, unlike young Briony, she wears perfume with a "feminine smell" showing that she wants to look older than she is, however this "cannot hide a childish smell of Germolene" which shows itself with all her might as she tries of appearing older than she is. not big enough yet. This is demonstrated once again when she has a very adult experience that she is not ready for, even though she considers herself almost adult. Time is also shown through relationships, as the moment when Robbie goes to university and loses Cecilia also happens at the same time as their relationship has just begun. Emily Tallis is also ending a period of her life in which she was a necessary young mother as Briony, her youngest child, is growing up and becoming less independent of her mother, giving her a sense of loss. This could also leave Emily jealous of Cecilia who has a closer bond with her sister than with her. McEwan also uses this idea of ​​time to confuse the reader as the first section of the book all takes place in one afternoon/evening, yet so much happens. While this isn't provable, the details associated with it all add up to an afternoon. In this first section the story doesn't move that fast until the first ten chapters, but speeds up considerably in the last four to show how confusing the evening was when the disaster struck. The speed of it all also allows the characters to maintain their thoughts and feelings throughout the evening without them changing; if it had happened over the course of several days, then the explanations for certain events would have changed.