How is guilt a driving factor in Atonement? A driven factor of the book Atonement, is guilt is a huge part of the story. After Briony’s testimony, she does not feel the guilt and thinks that she has done the right thing for herself, her sister and especially Lola. Briony’s guilt does not occur until part two of the book when she does not go to college and becomes a nurse. As a nurse she is saving many men from the war, hoping that she can forgive herself by saving soldiers, like Robbie. Briony is hoping that maybe Robbie would be at the military hospital she was currently working at, yet he never showed up. Moreover the guilt inside Briony grows as the book goes on explaining how she caused the break between her sister and Robbie. The guilt
