How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph) or (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The very complexity of her feeling confirmed Briony in her view that she was entering an arena of adult emotion and dissembling from which her writing was bound to benefit. (1.10.1)
Again with the irony. This quote is right after Briony reads the note with the dirty words from Robbie to her sister, and decides he's a bad guy, leading her to accuse him of rape later on. This ruins his life, and gives her the subject for her novel. So her writing does benefit. Joy to her.
Quote #5
Robbie stared at the woman, the girl he had always known, thinking the change was entirely in himself, and was as fundamental, as fundamentally biological, as birth. She returned his gaze, struck by the sense of her own transformation, and overwhelmed by the beauty in a face which a lifetime's habit had taught her to ignore. She whispered his name with the deliberation of a child trying out the distinct sounds. (1.11.66)
Sex as coming-of-age ritual. Not exactly original, but tried and true. Plus, Robbie and Cecilia are cute together. There's no denying that.
Quote #6
Briony spoke with adult calm. "That's pretty strong, coming from you."
"Meaning what?"
That, Robbie knew, was not the question to ask. At this stage in her life Briony inhabited an ill-defined transitional space between the nursery and adult worlds which she crossed and recrossed unpredictably. In the present situation she was less dangerous as an indignant little girl. (1.11, 1.84-86)
And one more time with the irony. Robbie doesn't know just how dangerous Briony is as a semi-adult person who knows whatever happened in the library wasn't right but doesn't quite know why. Incidentally, it's Cecilia who says, "Meaning what?" For full effect, read it out loud as sneeringly as possible, as if your little sister just interrupted the most important moment of your life but you're at the dinner table and aren't allowed to throttle her.