Author Study
Laura 
Annotated Passage from pages 350-351 of Atonement by Ian McEwan
Reaffirmation that no matter what she does she can never atone for her past sins.
Only she can forgive herself since she is the only one still alive who knows what truly happened.
They do not need forgiveness because they are the ones who are in control of things. God controls life and novelists control the story.
The "crime" did occur because of her imagination and it was her imagination she used as an attempt to atone, but she views it as a failled attempt.
Her imagination gives her the full control over the story.
She does not believe that God or any other hierpower can even forgive her.
Refers to Robbie's death.
She never forgives herself, which is why she does not end up atoning for her "crime."
It is not an impossible dream because of her power as an author.
She realizes her life is coming to an end.
She is starting to pass on and it is inferred that she can see the "light" and a sense of peace is washing over her.
Reference back to Robbie falling "asleep" as a soldier at the end of part two... The audience can infer that she knows it is her time to go.
She longs for better times where could they could have all been together. It all began in the library and her fisrt play symbolized her creativity and imagination. She wishes she could have balanced their love with her imagination then things would have been different...
She wishes to immortalize their love so that their love will "survive and fluorish."