In part 1, chapter 7, of Atonement, we find Briony "slashing nettles." The act itself is cathartic, a means of releasing pent-up frustration and anger. To Briony, there "was work to do, and she set about it." Her imagination thus functions as a means of processing negative emotions.

In Briony's mind, the slender nettle stalks represent her cousins, fifteen-year-old Lola and nine-year-old twins Pierrot and Jackson. Briony "convicts" Lola in the court of her own imagination for "crimes" against her person.

In one scene, she sees the hated Lola holding court in front of a group of adoring admirers. Next, she sees Lola whispering lies about her to another. As Briony "flays" the nettle stalks, she imagines herself cutting down Lola for sins such as pride, gluttony, and avarice. Next, she turns her attention to the twins:

When Lola had died enough, three pairs of young nettles were sacrificed for the incompetence of the twins—retribution was indifferent and granted no special favours to children.

By flaying the nettles, Briony also imagines herself eradicating the challenges and complexities that typify the helplessness of her childhood years. Her playwriting skills are also "sacrificed" to this cathartic pursuit.

Finally, Briony imagines that she's a world champion in nettle-slashing. She plays up her physical dexterity in her mind and imagines that the world holds her in the highest esteem. As in her play The Trials of Arabella, Briony sets herself in the center of the action. The play is a symbol of her empowerment, her ability to influence actions, people, and events that are currently beyond her control.