Jack Tallis Character Analysis in Atonement

Briony and Cecilia’s father, and the husband of Emily Tallis. Mr. Tallis is an absent parent because his work as a high-ranking government bureaucrat consumes most of his time, particularly during the tensions leading up to World War II. Mr. Tallis appears to be a kind, principled man—he funds Robbie Turner’s education and supports his mother, Grace, who works as a housecleaner at the Tallis estate—but he abruptly ends his aid to Robbie when the boy is falsely blamed for raping Lola.

Jack Tallis Quotes in Atonement

The Atonement quotes below are all either spoken by Jack Tallis or refer to Jack Tallis. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Anchor Books edition of Atonement published in 2003.

She liked [Robbie] well enough, and was pleased for Grace Turner that he had turned out to be bright. But really, he was a hobby of Jack’s, living proof of some leveling principle he had pursued through the years. When he spoke about Robbie, which wasn’t often, it was with a touch of self-righteous vindication.

Related Characters: , ,

Page Number and Citation: 142

Explanation and Analysis:

Jack Tallis Character Timeline in Atonement

The timeline below shows where the character Jack Tallis appears in Atonement. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Robbie sits before his typewriter, a gift from Jack Tallis, and surveys the schoolbooks scattered across his desk. He gazes at a photo of... (full context)

...Grace. Grace was taken on as the Tallises’ cleaning lady after Ernest abandoned her, because Jack Tallis could not bear to turn her and six-year-old Robbie away. Grace curried favor with... (full context)

...her scene-stealing sister Hermione. She wonders if she should hold off calling the constable, since Jack will call soon to apologize for his absence. She appears to suspect that his nights... (full context)

...His chocolate business will make him enormously rich. After Emily muses for another half hour, Jack calls. Emily tells him of Robbie’s manic look at the table and asks if they... (full context)

...library where she saw Robbie committing his “attack” on Cecilia. Later on, news arrives that Jack’s car has broken down and he will not make it home in time. As everyone... (full context)

...estrangement from her family: since Robbie’s sentencing in 1935, she has not spoken to Emily, Jack, Leon, or Briony. She corresponds with Robbie through Grace, who has moved off the Tallises’... (full context)

A letter from Briony’s father reveals that Paul and Lola are to be married the following week. Briony processes this... (full context)