Ian McEwan presents an intriguing question in his book The Cement Garden. He posits what would happen if the children of a family survive their parents but refuse to accept help. Running with the idea, he takes his protagonist Jack and Jack's siblings through all sorts of hardships before they finally accept defeat as the police arrive. After their mom's death, the four kids bury her body in cement in their cellar in order to keep it a secret since they don't want to live in the state orphan care program and risk separation from one another. Things soon go awry, however, as they are not competent and responsible enough to provide for a healthy lifestyle for one another. Jack and Julie, the oldest two, act as "mom" and "dad" to the little ones, but they have no idea what they're doing. When Julie starts bringing her new boyfriend, Derek, around, he gets suspicious about the cellar. They tell him that they buried the dog down there. Finally the truth comes out when Derek becomes angry with Julie after catching her having sex with her brother Jack and smashes up the cement in the cellar. He immediately calls the police and turns them all in.
McEwan introduces a lot of elements which the kids struggle with on their own, some more predictable than others. After adopting the roles of "mom" and "dad" Julie and Jack start to embrace the romantic aspect of their "characters." They relate to their younger siblings as if they really are the new parents, but this also means that they kindle a romantic relationship between each other. The entire book builds to the climax when they have sex in their parents' bed. Julie's boyfriend Derek walks in on them and loses his mind. With no parental figure in place, Jack and Julie turn to one another as the objects of their subconscious sexual desire. Freud would have a field day with this relationship and its implications.
Another important aspect of this book to consider is the relationship of the children to the government. They don't even consider reporting their mother's death, confident that nothing good will come from the state programs. They don't trust the police and seem suspicious of all adults. McEwan does not explain whether these opinions formed before or after their mom's death, but he does trace the root of their fear to injustice. Having encountered orphanage/foster home/adoption stories before, the kids are afraid that they will be separated if they go to the authorities and forced to grow up in different homes. Their main concern staying together at all costs, which desire often manifests in illegal activities.
