Acknowledgments I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to a host of people, without whose assistance the accomplishment of this thesis would have been impossible. In writing this paper, I have benefited a lot from my teachers and my classmates who helped me collect materials and made many invaluable suggestions.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Mrs. Liao, for her enlightening instructions, patient guidance and constant encouragement during the writing of this thesis. 20826
Besides, I also owe a special debt of gratitude to all the professors in Foreign Languages School, from whose devoted teaching and enlightening lectures I have benefited a lot and academically prepared for the thesis.
Finally, I would also like to extend my deepest gratification to my friends and my family who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.
Abstract
The majority of Chinese people are nullifidians and they have little knowledge about Christianity and the concept of Original Sin. It is necessary for people to understand different cultures and conventions in culture exchange affairs. Studying a culture through its literature is the most effective way to approach to its national characters.
Atonement, published in 2001, is widely regarded as the masterpiece of Ian McEwan, one of the most important writers in modern time. The novel was shortlisted for the 2001 Booker Prize for fiction and has attracted great attention for the theme of atonement for sins.
This paper, on the basis of close reading and character analysis, mainly discusses the sins of people represented by different characters in the novel，referring to the Seven Deadly Sins Theory of Christianity as the theoretical basis. 
The paper falls into five parts. The first part serves as an introduction. The second part aims at analyzing the novel and its writer. and .The third part studies the concept of Original Sin, including its origins and the influence of original sin in western literature. The fourth part probes into the sins reflected in main characters of the novel and the theme that sins can never be atoned. The fifth part functions as a conclusion.
Key Words: Original Sin, Atonement, Ian McEwan
摘要
大部分的中国人都是无神论者，对于基督教和它的原罪概念了解甚少。在文化交流的事务中了解对方的语言是非常有必要的。因此，了解民族特性最有效的方法就是学习它的文学。
《赎罪》是当代最重要的作家伊恩•麦克尤恩的代表作之一，曾提名2001年度布克奖。本论文以天主教的七宗原罪作为理论基础，通过 小说《赎罪》的文本细读和人物分析，来研究小说中反映的人性的罪恶。
本篇论文共分为五部分。第一部分是引言部分。第二部分主要介绍了小说主要情节、作者及其写作风格。第三部分论述了基督教原罪的由来及其在西方文学作品中的体现。第四部分探究的是原罪在小说主人公身上的体现及小说罪不可赎的主题。第五部分是总结。
关键词：原罪，赎罪，伊恩•麦克尤恩
 Contents
Acknowledgments..i
Abstract    ii
摘要.    iii
1 Introduction.    1
2 Atonement.2
2.1 Writer :Ian McEwan.    2
2.2 Main Plots    2
2.3 Writing Technique3
3 Original Sin..4
3.1 The Origin of Original Sin..    4
3.2 Seven Deadly Sins.    4
3.3 The Influence of Original Sin In Western Literature    .5
4 Sins Reflected in Main Characters in Atonement .6
4.1 Briony Tallis.    .6
4.2 Cecilia Tallis    .7
4.3 Robbie Turner..    .8
4.4 Lola Quincey..    .8 小说《赎罪》对人性原罪的探究和反思:http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_12752.html