The Cement Garden

Main Ideas

• Isolation and alienation: the book examines how isolation from society and the absence of parental control affect the children.
• Family relationships: the novel delves deeply into the complex and often troubling relationships between siblings.
• Psychological trauma: an exploration of the psychological consequences of losing parents and how the children deal with grief.
• Incest: the theme of incest is explored as a result of extreme circumstances and isolation.
• Transition from childhood to adulthood: the book depicts the challenges and conflicts associated with the transition from childhood to adulthood in the absence of adults.