...beauty, she had discovered occupied a narrow band. Ugliness, on the hand, had infinite variation.
The idea expressed in Ian McEwan's "Atonement" is that beauty is limited in its forms and manifestations. The protagonist realizes that while beauty can be categorized into a small range, ugliness is far more complex and diverse, presenting countless variations. This observation reflects a deeper philosophical thought about aesthetics and human perception.
This contrast between beauty and ugliness suggests that our understanding of these concepts is often simplistic. Ugliness, being multifaceted, represents a wider spectrum of experiences and interpretations, while beauty is confined to a narrow definition. This insight invites readers to reflect on how they perceive the world around them, questioning the societal constructs of beauty and the richness found in imperfection.
