Blog #3 Atonement

"She spoke through a sign of sadness or resignation. "I suppose that because you're the one who wrote it you'll be Arabella..."
"Oh no," Briony said. "No. Not at all."
"She said no, but she meant yes. Of course she was taking the part or Arabella. What she was objecting to was Lola's "because". She was not playing Arabella because she wrote the play, she was taking the part because no other possibilities had crossed her mind, because that was how Leon was to see her, because she was Arabella." (pg. 13)

This particular passage caught my eye because it and the surrounding passages are just dripping with passive aggression and manipulation. Lola and Briony seem like they are totally aware of each other's intentions. They each know that the other wants the part of Arabella. Lola acts as if she is sad in order to manipulate Briony into giving her the part while Briony makes it seem like she is saying no to taking the part of Arabella (and she is perfectly aware of what she is implying when she says "No. Not at all.") just to get Lola to yield so she can take the part of Arabella. They are both in the midst of an argument but they do not make it obvious entirely obvious to the reader. In the following passage, Lola tries to make her case as to why she should be Arabella and almost straight up comes out and says she is simply a better fit when she says, "I think I could do it very well. In fact, of the two of us...". Briony is unable to suppress her horror at this as she feels her grasp on the situation slipping. The same reaction could come from someone who was in an actual heated argument, which goes to show that are each engaged in a battle of passive aggression and manipulation. As this is towards the beginning of the book, this argument affected my first impressions of both of the girls, as they come off as snarky smart asses and manipulators. It makes me wonder if there will be some sort of awakening in Briony later in the book where she sheds her control-freak side.