How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph) or (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"What I did was terrible. I don't expect you to forgive me."
"Don't worry about that," she said soothingly, and in the second or two during which she drew deeply on her cigarette, Briony flinched as her hopes lifted unreally. "Don't worry," her sister resumed. "I won't ever forgive you." (3.359-360)
Cecilia is harsh. As a side note, the 2007 movie flubs this line. In the film, there's no pause between the "don't worry about that" and the "I won't ever forgive you." You lose the whole sting, that way.
Quote #8
But there was one thing she had not said.
She spoke slowly. "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."
It sounded so foolish and inadequate, as though she had knocked over a favorite houseplant, or forgotten a birthday.
Robbie said softly, "Just do all the things we've asked."
It was almost conciliatory, that "just," but not quite, not yet. (3.460-464)
This is the scene where Briony apologizes to Robbie and Cecilia. Remember, this scene probably never happened. Briony never saw Robbie again, and didn't have the backbone (as she says) to go and see Cecilia after he died. So it's sort of the emotional climax or center of the novel, but it never occurs. Also notice that they don't actually forgive Briony for what she did.
Quote #9
The problem these fifty-nine years has been this: how can a novelist achieve atonement when, with her absolute power of deciding outcomes, she is also God? There is no one, no entity or higher form that she can appeal to, or be reconciled with, or that can forgive her. (4.46)
This is the bit where the author of the novel (Briony and/or McEwan) tells you what it's all about. How do you atone when you're God? But… is that really what it's about? Is this only applicable to authors? Are they the only ones who have trouble atoning? Briony doesn't always exactly say what she means, remember (and when she does she sometimes wishes she didn't).