Essay Questions

How is the title of this novel significant?

The title of this novel is "The Cement Garden", which is a reference to the fact that the children bury their mother in cement. After her death, Jack and his siblings bury her in the cellar, pouring cement over her in an attempt to hide her. The buried corpse in the cellar becomes a key plot point in the thriller novel, as Julie's boyfriend Derek becomes suspicious, and tries to get access to the cellar.

The idea of the pile of cement in the cellar as being a "garden" is interesting. This is because a garden is associated with life and growth, while the pile of cement in this text is hiding their mother's corpse. The title, therefore, has a sinister and disturbing meaning.

How does the death of his parents influence Jack?

Jack is presented as being a highly troubled character. Not only has Jack witnessed the death of his parents, but he has also helped to bury and hide the corpse of his mother. This traumatizing experience affects Jack as he is constantly stressed through the novel. In the following passage, he describes feeling trapped: "I felt stifled. Everything I looked at reminded me of myself." He begins to associate his family home with the traumatic events that have taken place there, which unsettles him. Jack also begins to develop an incestuous crush on his older sister, which may be due to the disruption caused by his parent's death.