For this essay, I will be discussing the language and imagery of the passage from The Child In Time by Ian McEwan, which I a have chosen. I will also comment on how I feel this particular passage that I have selected, fits in with the novel.

The passage I have chosen is the opening couple of pages, in which we discover the overall themes of the novel.

The novel begins with a quote from The Authorised Childcare Handbook which is a British government publication that McEwan has chosen to refer to, '...and for those parents, for too many years misguided by the pallid relativism of self-appointed childcare experts...' This sentence outlines what is to be expected from the novel. It often mentions political issues based on society that were, and in most cases still are of great importance in Britain today. Not only does it sketch out a theme of the novel, but it also d

The language in the opening paragraphs is key to The Child In Time as a whole. This is because it sets the tone and provides atmosphere for the novel, which is important to build up imagery for the reader.

McEwan continues the political overview of actions and themes that arise, which are related in some way to the success of the current British government.

The first impressions that may be perceived about Stephen are that he may be a paedophile. This thought comes about due to a single sentence from the beginning of the second paragraph. 'Stephen remained as always, though barely consciously, on the watch for children, for a five year-old girl.' Detailed description provides imagery used by McEwan here gives you the picture of Stephen scouring his surroundings for young children. This is quite an uncomfortable image, until Stephen's intentions are made apparent and realised by the reader.

'He strode towards Vauxhall Bridge past double and treble files of trapped, throbbing cars, each with its solitary driver.'

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Approximate Word count = 705
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)