“It was always an impossible task, and that was precisely the point. The attempt was all” (351).

“The problem these fifty-nine years has been this: how can a novelist achieve atonement when, with her absolute power of deciding outcomes, she is also God? There is no one, no entity or higher form that she can appeal to, or be reconciled with, or that can forgive her. There is nothing outside her. In her imagination she has set the limits and the terms. No atonement for God, or novelists, even if they are atheists. It was always an impossible task, and that was precisely the point. The attempt was all” (350-351).

This passage, appearing on the last pages of the novel, has always been interesting to me. It is possibly the only direct reference to the title of the book, and appears in the few pages that are not "written" by thee author Briony. McEwan shows how Briony is driven and absolutely consumed by her guilt, so the idea of atonement, or reconciliation for her sins is definitely something of high importance to her. 


The dictionary definition of atonement is the “Reparation for a wrong or injury,” and perhaps in finally telling the truth about the series of events that a younger version of herself set into motion with a lie, she hoped to make some sort of amends. However, as both Robbie and Cecilia had passed away without ever having seen each other again, true atonement for Briony was simply not possible. As she says, “It was always an impossible task, and that was precisely the point. The attempt was all” (351).

The word "Essay" or "Essai" in french, is derived from the french verb Essayer or "to try." I have always loved turning to the etymology of this word, because it reminds me that an "essay" is simply an attempt - it is not a definitive answer, because there are no definitive answers. This is exactly what Briony does in her novel; her quest for atonement has always been impossible, and yet she still tries to make amends for the wrong she committed all those years ago. In addition, there are several possible interpretations of the novel, and yet none of them are exactly correct. The significance is in finding this proliferation of meanings.