The Death of Luc Cornet

Sister Drummond sends Briony to sit with a young French soldier, Luc Cornet, who is dying from a severe head wound. Luc is delirious and mistakes Briony for a girl he knew in his hometown. Briony plays along, holding his hand and comforting him as he slips in and out of consciousness. He dies in her arms. This intimate encounter with death is a profound experience for Briony. It strips away her remaining pretensions and forces her to confront the reality of human mortality. The death of Luc Cornet is a moment of grace and connection, but it also reinforces her sense of her own unworthiness.