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27The result of those mistakes and misunderstandings is revealed in the second half of the book. The war began. Briony understands 'how the war might compound her crime'. She herself thinks of what could happen:
If Cecilia and Robbie were never to be together...
If he didn't come back...She longed to have someone else's past, to be someone else...
Many mistakes had been already done and what should have followed them happened. The war indeed appears to be an aggravating circumstance of her crime.
Briony later in her last novel presents the version of events which could have happened and she wished them to if the worst hadn't happened. Briony in her fiction work gives Robbie and Cecilia the happiness they might have. But in reality she dreams: "If I had the power to conjure them at my birthday celebration...”
Subjunctive mood springs up in mind of a devoted reader all the time while reading this story. "If only” underlies the book Briony wrote about happy reunion of sweethearts. Due to that, Atonement by Ian McEwan is a novel which can be viewed within the 'Subjunctive mood' approach. Just that provides much food for thought about what could happen or not in case other circumstances took place.
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Albina Mukhametshina Third-year student Naberezhnochelninski Institute of Social-Pedagogical Technologies and Resources On MacLaverty's Grace Notes
On having read Grace Notes, a novel by Bernard MacLaverty, I can't say it has left an extremely strong impression on me, but I can't help admitting that it is worthy of attention. A few only can boast of being familiar with a composer. Bernard MacLaverty gives his readers a wonderful opportunity to observe the process of creating music, maturing music and giving birth to it. Also Grace Notes gives an idea of some national conflicts in Northern Ireland, makes a reader acquaintance with some realities of British life [such
information is undoubtedly useful for students of Foreign Languages Faculty and curious for those who are interested in the culture of Great Britain) and simply tells about life of an unusual person, an Irish young composer Catherine McKenna. Life of every, in common understanding ordinary person is a unique story, so the life of a composer is interesting in a highest degree.
There are rather many things which seemed to be prominent and giving food for thought. The first and the most exciting one is the structure of the novel. My point of view coincided with the verdict of critics - it is in some way brilliant to say nothing about its originality. The events of the second part took place earlier than the events of the first one. So the question stands: what for did the author use such a trick? I'm inclined to think that such composition of the novel is the best to show the sources and the consequences of Catherine's actions together, their mutual connections and influence on each other. For example, Catherine's childish unpleasant recollections described in Part One are closely tied with the unwillingness to cone back home after graduating (that took place in Part Two), which in its turn underlines the power of her grief which overcomes all serious conflicts of Catherine and elder McKennas. Punishment for her first lie (Part One, compulsory confession) leads to Catherine's disdainful attitude to the religion ("When she startled to lose her belief she had preface her prayers with "If you exist, God...”, but even this had disappeared”). Having grown up in the family of zealous Catholics, she finds religion useless and Catherine isn't shy to sound her opinion out ("...religion is a trick”, Part Two). But... why does the intention to write mess music appear (Part One)? Everyone who has happened to lose somebody who was dear to him knows that such a loss is unbearable without a consolation. After the stage of desperation the majority of people find it in God, in religion or some occult studies. What concerns Catherine - the words of her "brother-an-arms”, Ukrainian composer Anatoli Melnichuck hit the point: 'For us music was a way of praying, music was a way of receiving God's grace'. Grace Notes helped Catherine not to dissolve in grief. She saw and heard God in music.
Also such a kind of structure brightly demonstrates, explicitly shows Catherine's moral and creative development. Her enmity to religion - intention to write music for mess, as I've already
mentioned. Thoughts that her life could have been better without a baby (even "I stuck the penknife in the babby's head!”) - suffering without little Anna being in Northern Ireland. Estrangement from mother - clumsy tryings to make a contact with Mrs. McKenna...
Another thing which made me think a lot is Catherine's communication and work experience with a Chinese composer Huang Xiao Gang and to see a Ukrainian one Anatoli Melnichuck. Composers of different countries, different parts of the world -Catherine found common language with both of them, though Gang's pronunciation sometimes left her confused and Melnichuck didn't speak English at all. Music was their common language. Those Catherine's experiences show the importance of music as the intermediary between cultures, between one's feelings and other people consciousness. Words rarely contain all that you feel, that you want to say, but music can do it. A transmitter.
Such a theme can't help provoking interest. Modern life is full of international and interreligious conflicts. The news make everyone shocked - numerous explosions, terrorists' attacks and other disaster are the consequences of incapability to find compromises and common language. So the aspect of that problem's decision implied (I suppose) by the author should be considered...
But let's return to the transmitter - there was a question discussed between Catherine and Huang Xiao Gang. The main point discussed was "Do you compose music or does the music compose you?” Do composers create music themselves or do they catch some signals of the Universe? Judging by Catherine's behavior described and the words "pre-hearing”, “hearing", "inner hearing" the second variant is about her. She hears music in all events of life - beginning with the noise of the sea and finishing with her own giving birth to a child... she hears and brilliantly transmits. To tell you the truth, I envy to such kind of people. It's wonderful - to let something pass through you and to transmit losing no one sound, highlight or piece of shadow. Bernard MacLaverty is a talented transmitter - using great variety of stylistic devices (epithets, metaphors, special way of building sentences - parceling) he has managed to transmit all Catherine's thoughts, feelings and consciousness inclining. It is seen especially in describing Catherine's performance for BBC concert to which last pages of the book are devoted to. The author was perfect
in picturing young composer's excitement before the concert and the spirit which seized Catherine during it. It seemed to me that if I closed my eyes I would find myself in a great concert-hall and the music would sound in my breast. Such episodes are perceived not with brains but with soul and that's all I can say.
One more thing important for understanding the book has much to do with the modern life. It is Catherine's relationships with Dave. It should be noticed - there wasn't a word about love. It was said about slight sympathy, about wish, about sex, but love wasn't mentioned. What was the result of such "relationships”? Anna, a daughter, was the only good one. Another results - drunken brawls, constant beating and total absence of aspiration. The greyness and blackness of life. And again - music saved her. Pre-hearing and hearing the beach, the sea, the nature, the music of being a mother, music of the calm day at the seaside...
The next unusual line of the novel is the theme of international (to be more strict - interreligious) struggle within Northern Ireland. Catherine and her countrymen observe it and suffer from it all their lives. Grace Notes made me look for the historical references about the conflict and that "Twelfth”. When a book makes you interested in another country's history, it says something about a book, isn't it?
My review may seem to be abrupt and inconsequent, but I've just tried myself in transmitting the spirit of this unusual book. Whether I've managed in it or not - I can't judge, but I suppose that sincere thoughts and feelings are rarely put in absolute order and succession.
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Darya Pestova Fifth Year student Tver State University Hangman
Is it always possible to avoid a powerful stroke with the fist, being a professional boxer? Yes, if you are able to foresee your adversary's treacherous attacks thinking ahead and elaborating counter strikes, own strategies and techniques. To defeat your enemy you should know him by sight.
