-Briony cannot take the full guilt of the crime because Lola used Brionys certainty as a way to avoid the difficulty and humiliation of accusing Marshall even when she knew it was not Robbie (at leat Briony truly believed it was Robbie). Police are also partly guilty for not countering for Brionys well noticed overactive imagination. key quote: "yes i saw him" p.181
-Robbie feels guilty for all the people he could not save in the war and for being part of such a destructive event. Robbie cannot feel total guilt because although he helped "smash the vase"(partaking in war) he was trying to do what he thought was right.
-many small acts of guilt in the novel are sins of omission. Emily is guilty of negleting Briony and not calling the police.Lola is guilty of staying silent and Robbie is almost guilty of not saving the RAF man but is redeemed by Mace. Cecilia is guilty of hiding her breaking of the vase.
"youve killed noone today, but how many did you leave to die" p.216
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