Atonement, a film presenting an English drama is based on the publication by Ian McEwan, which follows the life of young lovers Robbie Turner, the educated son of the family’s housekeeper and Cecilia Tallis, Briony’s headstrong older sister. Through the film, the couple is torn apart by a lie constructed by Cecilia’s younger sister, Briony subjecting the three of them into consequences full of regrets, sadness and loneliness of the couple. The consequences of the deception by Cecilia’s little sister hit hard on Robbie since he ends up in imprisonment. However, Cecilia’s hope is rejuvenated after Briony confesses that the allegations were deceptive. Cecilia’s beau increases when their paths cross during World War II.
Additionally, the film revolves around the forbidden love between the couple that is challenged by Briony’s imagination motivated by her the fact that she had a crush on Robbie. The case goes further to accusing Robbie of a crime he never committed. Despite Robbie’s imprisonment, the couple still declares their love for each other (Ellam, 2009). The consequences of the force allegations change the lives of the three main characters featured in the context. Nevertheless, Briony understands the consequences of her deceptive allegations and continues to seek forgiveness for her childhood misdeed. The bond of love between the couple had been separated through Briony’s courageous act of imagination. Upon realizing the path of her uncertain atonement, she finally gets the understanding of the power of the bond of love. The chemistry demonstrated by the couple is characterized by false accusations, war wounds but Cecilia still promises to wait for her lover, Robbie who is bound in the war under imprisonment.
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The scenes presented through the film demonstrates different implications related to interpersonal communication revolving around the three characters who play the main roles in the film. The scenes identified present different instances that are in line with the theoretical concepts that characterize interpersonal communication among the characters. A lot happens in the film involving the couple who are characterized by a difference in their social background. Cecilia Tallis is from an upper-class while Robbie is from a housekeeper definitely presenting a humble background. However, their interrelationship communication between the young lovers is made strong by how they relate with each other (Koerner & Floyd, 2010). In relation to the social penetration theory, the young couple develops their closeness that progresses from being superficial to an intimate relationship. Robbie suddenly falls in love with Cecilia after she strips her underwear to retrieve the missing piece of a Meissen vase from the garden fountain. Robbie writes a secret letter for Cecilia declaring his love for her.
Nevertheless, Robbie entrusts Briony as the letter carrier and she reads the letter understanding the passionate love between the young lovers. As defined by the social penetration theory, the relationship between Robbie and Cecilia progresses into an intimate one, which is motivated by Robbie’s self-disclosure ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ). Robbie shares information through the letter that allows Cecilia to understand him better on the loved basis. However, the intimate relationship between the young lovers developed to a great extent that they were beyond their background differences. The misfortunes for the young couple begin when they passionately make love in the library. Briony was watching and misinterpreted it as rape.
Robbie falls into false accusation as insatiable after Lola had been raped and Briony suspects Robbie once more ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ). This instance is in line with the uncertainty reduction Theory where the young couple tries to reduce the uncertainty affecting their relationship through trying to obtain an understanding and knowledge behind the accusations that have been subjected to Robbie. Although the young cpouple tries to reduce the uncertainities in their reltationship, Robbie ends up in imprisonment due to false rape accusations. However, when World War II erupts, Robbie joins the army and becomes a soldier. Although Robbie was innocent, they could not learn about him following different situations that had been subjected to him including the social difference between the couple ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ).
Furthermore, the interpersonal relationship in the film applies the relational dialects theory in different scenes. Interpersonal communication is inevitable especially for individuals who share something in common. More so, the means of sharing messages between the people around means a great deal for the couple presented in the film. The secret letter used by Robbie to convey his message to Cecilia was a form of interpersonal communication. However, the media chosen induced some jealousy in Briony who had a crush on Robbie and considered the bond between the lovers to be forbidden ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ).
Different scenes in the film support the interpersonal communication principle that it is irreversible. The message presented to Cecilia could not be reversed back to the source. Moreover, the fact that Briony read the letter could not be reversed. That is the reason that she strongly supported her false allegations on Robbie. In addition, she was not aware of the mutual relationship between the two supporting the fact that she could not imagine them being in love considering the social background as well (Knapp et. al, 2005). Communication is unrepeated, although one can repeat the similar words used in a different communication, the setting, environment and the emotional environment cannot be repeated. Considering the case between the young lovers, Briony is spurred by confusion supporting her imaginations with the information written on the letter. That communication makes Briony consider Robbie as a guy who is after her sister. Seeing them make love in the library makes her relate the scene considering her sister to be sexually assaulted.
Moreover, the unrepeated nature of interpersonal communication makes false allegations by Briony towards Robbie irreversible ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ). Although at the end of the film Briony wishes to share the truth of the matter and declare every accusation was false, the previous interpersonal communication was irreversible. The relationship between Robbie and Cecilia is only sustained through letters where Cecilia lives with hopes that they will spend their future together. As per the relational dialects theory, the relationship between the young lovers suffers from separateness motivated by different incidences that took place in the past. According to the uncertainty reduction theory, the young coupe wants predictability in their relationship such that they predict that they will spend their future together despite the difference existing between them.
Additionally, openness is observed in the interpersonal relationship between the young couple. Robbie is open when he expresses his feelings towards Cecilia through a letter. In addition, their intimate relationship is governed by great extents of openness such that when Robbie is away, Cecilia openly promises to wait for him and anticipates that they will have a great future together (Ellam, 2009). In contrast, Briony still holds some closeness since she read the letter and remained secretive only to make imaginations out of what the couple considered part of their relationship. Relational Dialectics theory supports that people want a certain amount of spontaneity in a relationship. This would involve some activities that would spice up the relationship making it more attractive. Consequently, the couple would do anything to spice up their relationship, which in return drew a contradicting thought in Cecilia’s young imaginative sister.
Elements of deceptive communication are evident in the film as depicted by Briony’s case. The false allegations make the love bonding the couple be termed forbidden. The love bond was torn apart by betrayal from Briony who understood the feelings Robbie had towards Cecilia. In return, false accusations were elements of deceptive communication. In addition, the child’s imaginations facilitated deceptive communication that separated and torn the relationship of the young couple affecting the self-concept defining the main characters in the setting. Interpersonal perception between Briony and Robbie made her create imaginations believing that Robbie was responsible for the rape of Lola, her cousin. These occasions make the relationship between Robbie and Cecilia a mystery caused by Briony as the whole story is narrated on the perspective presented by Briony (Koerner & Floyd, 2010).
Love plays a significant role in the film presenting different instances where the love of the young couple is victimized by prejudice and false accusations. However, the identified aspects tend to motivate self-disclosure especially involving Briony that makes her reciprocate her allegations trying to reduce uncertainty in the relationship involving her sister. In addition, interpersonal communication is all about the meaning portrayed. Moreover, the fact that interpersonal communication is inescapable is evident in this case. Briony, after developing an understanding of true love and defining the consequences of false allegations that she made on Robbie, is convicted to communicate the truth of which she begs for forgiveness and tries all she can to ensure that the truth reaches the young couple ( Tim & Wright, 2007 ). This presents the inescapable principle of interpersonal communication. Moreover, despite the distance separating Cecilia, a nurse in London and Robbie, who had become a soldier the communication would still continue regardless of the separating distance. Several instances ion the film present Robbie flashbacking on the romance case they had in the library but still reminds him of the false accusations from Briony. Therefore, interpersonal communication remains unescapable, irreversible, complicated and contextual.
The theoretical concepts identified in the context are significantly employed in our daily lives. For instance, the social penetration theory defines the closeness that develops between individuals through self-disclosure. In our day-to-day lives, several instances happen where interpersonal communication is established when an individual shares his information with another one to make him/her understand you. Moreover, the theory supports self-disclosure which is integrated with self- concept. In order for an individual to disclose himself/herself to another party for a better understanding, the person needs to first develop self-concept that entails examining oneself to define different aspects that can be presented to the other party.
Additionally, uncertainty reduction theory is evident in our daily intercommunication relationships. This reflects the contradictions and allegations presented through communication, which takes place daily in our lives. The basis of interpersonal communications involves sending messages that improve our social life and other activities that are necessary for the development of the relationships between individuals. In return, this theory presents a platform where individuals learn about others. The theory presents three ways through which we learn about each other. Uncertainty reduction theory is also significant regarding interpersonal communication (Knapp et. al, 2005). This theory presumes that establishment of interpersonal communication is based on uncertainties that make communication necessary in order to solve the way out of the identified uncertainties. Therefore, these theories are applicable in our day-to-day lives especially in development of interpersonal relationships. Therefore, the learning of different interpersonal communication principles reflecting on the film summarized in the context is crucial since it facilitates the analysis of different aspects that are necessary for interpersonal communication. Moreover, the concept presented through the film on different cases of interpersonal communication supports the principles defining the definition presented in the theories. In conclusion, the application of the theoretical concepts in the film supports the suitability of interpersonal communication in different settings.
References
Ellam, J. (2009). Ian McEwan's Atonement . Bloomsbury Publishing.
Knapp, M. L., Vangelisti, A. L., & Caughlin, J. P. (2005). Interpersonal communication and human relationships.
Koerner, A. F., & Floyd, K. (2010). Evolutionary perspectives on interpersonal relationships. New directions in interpersonal communication research , 27-47.
Tim, B. (Producer), & Wright, J. (Director). (2007). Atonement [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Pictures.
