The Subversion and Unity of Reality and Fiction—The Binary Opposition in Atonement

Atonement is McEwan’s classic which hybrids truth and fiction. The space of reality distinct from history embodies truth; the reconstruction of fact, and an unexpected ending of metafiction reflects its fiction. Based on the semiotic rectangle theory of A. J. Greimas, this paper analyzes the binary opposition between Briony and Robbie to reveal the moral dilemma faced by Briony, explain the subversion of reality and fiction and the contradictory relationship between self and the Other, and present the unity of truth and fiction after the dissolution of the binary opposition.