Atonement is set in England in the 1930s where in that period society was strongly influenced by very segregated social classes, in the novel both characters Cecilia and Robbie are the characters most affected by this class segregated society. Social class is one of the major themes of the novel “Atonement” and helps establish the background and foundation of the entire plot. It adds to the conflict that the characters face throughout the novel. Social class is an example of social structure; Class is concerned with the formation of a cultural group that shares many similar qualities such as race or economic position. Social class also shapes how people interact with each other, in other words how they interact with the different social groups already established. This is demonstrated by the fact that, although Cecilia and Robbie both went to Cambridge together, they never became friends due to obvious social separations. Social structure in terms of sociology means “the distinctive and stable arrangement of institutions under which human beings in a society interact and live together”. ,”(Britannica School, “social structure.”) Social structure is not a science of behavior, these structures are not formed by differences in behavior, and this is demonstrated by studies conducted by sociologists. Social structure can be thought of as the way people with different social entities interact with each other. Unlike social class where people are defined by how they interact with people with different qualities, social structure is more about how everything is structured together and how these different social classes interact with each other. All the different social classes that exist are what a social structure is made up of. The term structure was first introduced into society… middle of paper… evaluates people based on their wealth, occupation, and ethnicity. This social class has been put to work to see where someone stands in society. Atonement showed that Robbie was lower class and was convicted of a crime he did not commit. It shows that he was seen as someone inferior to everyone else. Obviously this was a wrong thing to do, but the nature of people dictates that they always want power and wealth and for someone to live a luxurious life there must be someone to do the dirty work. These people are the ones who are often stereotyped and taken advantage of. So Atonement tells us that social class in England during the 1930s was a system that only helped those who were wealthy by making them seem like the biggest, most powerful, richest person. It showed people who were at the top of the social ladder.