Repression,Alienation And Remodeling—A Study Of Atonement From The Perspective Of Spatial Criticism

In Atonement, Ian Mc Ewan, a contemporary British writer, describes the atonement experience of Briony, the protagonist, by using the switch-over of four types of space of Britain around World War II. By applying the spatial criticism theory of Henri Lefebvre and Michel Foucault, this thesis chooses “individual space”, “psychological space” and “social space” to analyze how space shapes Briony’s psychology and behavior and switches her from making mistakes to completing atonement.Firstly, this thesis analyzes how Briony’s cognition of the world is distorted by her individual space. This space makes itself an actor with its feature of repression, and inflicts discipline on both Briony’s body and mind. This results in Briony’s closed character and drives her to perceive the objective world with her subjective imagination. Secondly, this thesis analyzes Briony’s psychological space. The repression in the individual space has an influence on Briony’s psychological space. Her imagination and desire to control that develop in the individual space distort her psychological space constantly. Eventually, she becomes completely alienated under the effect of conspiracy with adults, accusing an innocent man to be a rapist. Finally, this thesis analyzes Briony’s self-remodeling in the social space. Briony walks away from the repressive individual space and enters the real social space. Under the active role of social space, she gradually realizes her fault and breaks away from the alienating psychological space. By means of introspection, empathy and contending with the real space in the art space, Briony remodels herself and completes the atonement of herself.With an analysis of these three spaces that Briony once experienced, this thesis discusses the impact of space on cognition and its influence on people’s characters. It also manifests the significance of space writing in the literary works. At the same time, this thesis argues that Briony’s way of self-atonement gives modern people an inspiration. When faced with moral crisis, modern people can walk out of their individual space, and attempt to seek their liberation in the social space.