Respect One’s Privacy

Chelsea GividenCourtney ChadwickAmanda Addair

Why respecting one’s

privacy is an important

factor in this novel?

The character Briony Tallis on numerous occasions disrespected and invaded Cecilia Tallis and Robbie Turners privacy.

This caused a great deal of distress and agony in everyone’s lives preceding that night.

“Will you run ahead and give this note to Cee?”(Robbie Turner)…. “A savage and thoughtless curiosity prompted her to rip the letter from its envelope---she read it in the hall”…

This first action chosen by Briony pressed the boundaries of privacy since the letter was not meant for her to read.

By reading the letter Briony invaded the privacy of both Robbie and Cecilia.

After reading this in her mind she found Robbie to be something as a dangerous maniac that would try to hurt again. Not only through words but by an action.

Making assumptions lead her to make other decisions.

Video Example

When Robbie asks Briony to give the letter to Cecilia, to where Briony rips the letter open.

“It was these thoughts of him that made her slow as she passed the library door which, unusually, was closed. She stopped to listen…..At first, when she pushed open the door and stepped in…”

After reading the letter Briony’s mindset was weary, creating a suspicion for everything.

This made her curious enough to enter the library.

Video Example

When Briony walks into the library and catches Robbie and Cecilia in the act….

“Cecilia moved round him, into Briony’s view.“Briony? Briony, did you read this?” … “Where’s the envelope?”Briony turned her face away again and laughed wildly at something Leon was telling her.”

This angers Cecilia and leads her away from her sister because she is disgusted by her choice.

This shows that Briony must have known that she was invading Robbie and Cecilia’s privacy without any disregard since she removed the letter from an enclosed envelope.

Video Example

When Cecilia asked Briony if she read the letter and Briony ignored her and talked with Leon

“She ran along the second floor corridor to Cecilia’s room … The first drawer she tried … she pulled open another drawer … she reentered the drawing room in triumph” … “How dare you! How dare you all!”“It belongs to me,” she shouted. “You have absolutely no right!”

Briony invaded Cecilia’s privacy by ransacking through her room and wardrobe to find Robbie’s letter.

Once she finds the letter she disrespected Robbie and Cecilia’s privacy even more by giving the letter to the investigators, Leon , and her mother Emily to read.

Video Example

When Briony goes through Cecilia's dresser to retrieve the letter to give it to the investigators.

“I’m very very sorry. I’ve caused you such terrible distress.” They continued to stare at her, and she repeated herself. “I’m very sorry.”

This quote is to mainly show that Briony’s actions of disrespecting and invading Cecilia and Robbie’s privacy destroyed their lives.

Now Briony is very regretful for the choices she had made when she was a child.

Video Example

The confrontation scene when Robbie yells at Briony, which she eventually apologizes.

ConclusionIt is important to respect people’s privacy because if you do not it may cause trouble like it did for Briony.

If Briony would have respected Robbie and Cecilia’s privacy and had never opened the letter none of the preceding events would have happened.

Robbie and Cecilia would be alive and together, Paul Marshall would most likely be in jail, and the Tallis family would have never fallen apart.