Revision Cards - Atonement: A Level, Contexts

The Second World War lasted from September 1939 to September 1945, and claimed the lives of well over 50 million people.
The war had a profound effect on society: arguably weakening the class system, traditional views of women and Britain’s international influence.
Britain sent the British Expeditionary Force to France in 1939 to try and counter the invasion of the country by the better equipped German army.
The evacuation of Dunkirk took place early in 1940, and was widely considered a disaster for Britain – though it was portrayed as a great success.

Contexts

Atonement: A Level

From medieval times through to the end of the twentieth century, society in Britain was dominated by ideas of a person’s rank or ‘class’.
By definition, the class system severely limits social mobility – it is the opposite of the American Dream, which holds that anyone can better their position in society.
It requires people to fit into clearly defined social categories. Those who do not – such as Robbie Turner – are not easily accommodated in such a system.
The class system can still be felt in our society, but was greatly weakened by the events and social developments of the last century.

Contexts

Atonement: A Level

Literary Modernism emerged at the turn of the twentieth century, and defined itself in opposition to the conventions, style and morality of the Victorian era.
The Modern novel reacted against linear plot, favouring narrative dislocation, and emphasised experimentation in form, style and language.
A common feature of Modernism is the ‘stream of consciousness’, which describes a narrative told primarily through the thoughts of one or more characters.
The Modern novel is strongly associated with the Bloomsbury Group, which included authors Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster, and the critic Cyril Connolly.

Contexts

Atonement: A Level

Before the twentieth century, the role of women in society was generally confined to the domestic sphere, and was usually subject to male authority.
During the nineteenth century, there was increased discussion of women’s capabilities and rights, most obviously demonstrated in the suffrage movement (Votes for Women).
Despite significant opposition, women achieved increased legal rights, access to education, and in 1928 were granted the right to vote on the same terms as men.
The First World War began a change in attitudes towards women’s roles and capabilities as women filled traditionally male roles; the Second World War reinforced and extended this reassessment.

Contexts

Atonement: A Level

Twentieth-century psychology was dominated by the figure of Sigmund Freud, the Austrian ‘Father of Psychoanalysis’, the forerunner of modern psychology.
Psychoanalytical theory was not limited only to medicine, but was applied to all areas of human society, including art and literature.
Psychoanalysis focused on the unconscious or subconscious, and how they were affected by childhood development, sexual drive and natural impulse.
Psychoanalysis was strongly influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, and Freud’s fame and social significance was comparable to that which Darwin achieved in the previous century.

Contexts

Atonement: A Level

A Level Study Notes and Revision Guides