Narration, Time and the Figure of the Child in Ian McEwan's The Child in Time

Abstract

This essay aims to analyse the connection of time, narration and the figure of the child in Ian McEwan's The Child in Time. Since the abduction of the protagonist's daughter, Stephen has to learn to accept the loss of Kate. This mourning process, and his sense of mind is represented through the treatment of time. After the abduction, time becomes disordered and it is reflected on the narration. The other aspect I analyse is the appearance of the ever-present child. As Kate is abducted, there is no children in the novel present as an active character, however, this figure appears through several motifs, and other characters as well.