How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Memory is a queer thing. The smell of paraffin—why would I remember that? I'd called up the fire; I wouldn't have needed paraffin. (22.287)
Here comes that smell again… Briony tries not to think about certain things, but it seems like she keeps catching whiffs of things that remind her of missing or repressed memories. Here her memory of this smell conflicts with what she thinks happened that day. What do you think happened?
Quote #8
My memories had grown distorted over time. But I had them, at least: I remembered calling up the fire, I remembered turning Mucky Face against Stepmother, I remembered turning the wind against Rose. But I don't remember turning anything against Eldric. (22.290)
When she says that her memories have grown distorted, she writes off a very real problem like it's nothing. She doesn't fool us, though—something is super off.
Quote #9
"This is where you have to forget you're Briony Larkin," says Eldric. "Forget that you're clever, that you always have the right answer. The only right memory is the one that first comes to you." (31.63)
Suspecting Briony's trouble with two wildly different memories, Eldric pushes her to tell the truth. Thankfully one of these two has some sense.