Masarykova univerzita Filozofická fakulta

Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky

Bakalářská diplomová práce

2020 Tereza Berková

i Masaryk University Faculty of Arts

Department of English and American Studies

English Language and Literature

Tereza Berková

Representation of Love in Selected Novels by Ian McEwan

Bachelor's Diploma Thesis

2 Supervisor: prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A. 2020 / declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.

Author's signature

3 I would like to thank my supervisor, prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc, M. A., for her helpful input, guidance, and a great deal of patience.

Furthermore, I would like to thank Daniel Garner and my family for their support and understanding.

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 6

ABOUT IAN MCEWAN 9

ON BEING A CONTEMPORARY WRITER 9

MCEWAN'S BIBLIOGRAPHY AND STYLE 10

REPRESENTATION OF ROMANTIC COUPLES IN THE

NOVELS 16

JACK AND JULIE IN THE CEMENT GARDEN 17

ROBBIE AND CECILIA IN ATONEMENT 25

EDWARD AND FLORENCE IN ON CHESIL BEACH 35

CONCLUSION 42

WORKS CITED 44

SUMMARY 46

RESUME 47

5 INTRODUCTION

The theme of love has been an inspiration for the works of artists and writers from the time immemorial, and its representation and depiction has been changing depending on the time period and the interpretation as both emotion and act of affection. The contemporary

British literature employs the theme of love in both major and minor roles, covering diverse concepts in which love can feature. Paradoxically, the phenomenon of love cannot be so easily defined. Various theories have been proposed to explain and define love, yet the concept of love remains too broad, biased, and reliant on subjective perception. To understand the representations and ambitions of love in literature, an individual approach of the author towards the phenomenon needs to be taken into account.

Ian McEwan, a British novelist and storyteller, is one of the most remarkable contemporary authors whose works have received both popular and critical praise.1 McEwan has been recognized as a professional writer for almost half a century and his literary technique and focus has naturally undergone changes and development over time. Although McEwan is not considered a romantic type of writer, the reoccurring theme of love in his writings plays a significant role in the complete picture of his lifetime work, and together with development of his literary style and perception, the representation of love in McEwan's publications has been altering as well.2 The purpose of this thesis is, therefore, to focus and closely analyse the phenomenon of romantic love and the dynamics of the love between the protagonists within the selected couples of McEwan's The Cement Garden (1978), Atonement (2001), and On

Chesil Beach (2007), providing an in-depth understanding of the fluctuation behind the

1 "McEwan is one of those rare writers whose works have received both popular and critical acclaim. His novels grace the bestseller lists, and he is well regarded by critics, both as a stylist and as a serious thinker about the function and capacities of narrative fiction." (Head 2). 2 "As critics have frequently noticed, love is one of McEwan's major themes. It is central in all his fiction but how he presents it varies slightly from novel to novel." (Malcolm 174).

6 construed romantic relationships of the novels as well as a reflection upon the evolution of love's representation and features in the author's works over time.

All of the novels mentioned above have been chosen for the shared trait of narrative concentrating on heteronormative romantic love, depicting the formation and termination of the love between the characters, including both emotional declarations and acts of intimacy.

To specify and to set basic boundaries for the concept of romantic love, two components are proposed: forming of the emotional attachment and the sexual appeal of the romantic relationship. Additionally, the novels have been selected for being the representations of diverse scenarios and covering McEwan's narrative style both of his early and later production.

The thesis starts with a theoretical overview of author's background in relation to the contemporary literature, furthermore, the theoretical part furnishes details about McEwan's personal life, acknowledging some of the influences that have shaped his writing, especially in relation to gender, using the evaluations of selected literary critics and works of bibliographers, primarily the publications of David Malcolm and Dominic Head. Finally, the theoretical part creates an outline mapping the development of McEwan's narration style as well as his employment of ideas and features connected to the heteronormative romantic relationships of his fiction.

The second half of the thesis is concentrated on the analysis as it classifies, illustrates, and clarifies the romantic relationships and the external and internal dynamics impacting the relationships between the romance protagonists, as the first chapter of analysis examines the relationship of Jack and Julie in The Cement Garden, analyses the progression of the sibling relationship into the partnership and the power struggle dynamics between the two, as well as comments on the manifestation of gender patterns, polarity, and attraction between the protagonists of romance.

7 The following chapter deals with similar motifs behind McEwan's fictional romance of

Atonement, divulging into the narration structure of the multi-perspective narrative, examining the contrastive features of the masculinity and femininity displayed through the main romantic couple, and further specifying and explaining the nature of the relationship between characters

Robbie and Cecilia.

The third section of the analysis interprets the notion of love and sexual intimacy of the novella On Chesil Beach as the author dedicates the whole narrative to the tension between a freshly wedded couple. The thesis provides an insight to the dynamics of the young couple as well as points out the theme of polarization and termination of the relationship. The resulting similarities obtained from the analysis will be addressed in the conclusion.

8 ABOUT IAN MCEWAN

On Being a Contemporary Writer

Writing about contemporary authors can be viewed as problematic due to the everchanging character of their technique and focus. Unlike in the confined literary movements of the past, the contemporary authors often embrace individualism instead of identifying as writers of a particular literal group, and although some authors share similar attitudes and ideas towards specific themes, they can be hardly analysed or categorized with the general properties of the literary movement because there are more authentic and specific features connected to the writers' styles and approaches.3 Ian McEwan's position in relation to literary classification remains relatively fluid, as McEwan integrates both modernist and realist aspects into the main postmodernist trend. Therefore, the examination of the works by Ian McEwan, an author who is often recognized as a significant representative of contemporary British literature, requires consideration beyond the measures of postmodernism, it calls for interpretation of McEwan's work as an authentic communication of author's perspectives in connection to the fields of

McEwan's interest, and as a product of influences imposed upon the author.

The following outline of author's life and development of his work will be focused on the external influences and the background related to the analysis of male and female characters, explaining the dynamics between the characters of the opposite sex, McEwan's narration style, and the theme of love in the author's writings.

3 "It is not particulary unified in doctrine, and even those who have most significantly contributed ideas to its manifestos sometimes indignantly deny membership - and yet the postmodernist party tends to believe that its time has come. It is certain of its uncertainty, and often claims that it has seen through the sustaining illusions of others, and so has grasped the 'real' nature of the cultural and political institutions which surround us." (Butler 2).

9 McEwan's Bibliography and Style

Ian Russel McEwan was born in 1948 in Aldershot, England, into the family of

Scotsman David McEwan, a British soldier, and Rose Lilian McEwan. In the interview with

Ian Hamilton in 1978, McEwan described his father as a "domineering" type, meanwhile, his mother was supposedly "a very gentle woman, very easily tyrannized" (Hamilton 9). Because of his father's profession, Ian McEwan spent his early childhood at military bases both in the

United Kingdom and abroad. In 1956, McEwan experienced first-hand the political tension linked to the Suez Crisis while living in Libya, which led to McEwan's awareness of political significance as he learned "that political events were real and affected people's lives" (Head

3). It was politics and its projection into reality, consequently forming the history, that has become one of the focal points for his writings.

Three years later, McEwan was sent back to the United Kingdom to attend state-run boarding school in Suffolk. His education further continued with studies of English and French at the University of Sussex and studies of English Literature at the University of East Anglia, where he picked up the course of creative writing taught by Angus Wilson, a liberal humanistic author, and Malcolm Bradbury, an expert on the modern novel. During his university studies,

McEwan "developed literary ambitions, writing plays and adapting a Thomas Mann short story for television" (Malcolm 2) and later started to work on his own short story collection, First

Love, Last Rites. His post-graduation year McEwan spent travelling, "following the hippy trail to Afghanistan" (Head 4) and experimenting with psychotropic drugs.

The publication of First Love, Last Rites in 1975 started McEwan's career of a professional writer, winning the Somerset Maugham Award in 1976. In 1978, McEwan published the novel The Cement Garden, the first out of total sixteen novels, which arose from his steady work. His novels and collections have often become bestsellers, gaining popularity among the readers as well as held in high regard of critics, which is reflected in a number of

10 prestige awards McEwan's work has received, notably the Whitbread Novel Award of 1987 for The Child in Time, and the 1998 Booker Prize for Amsterdam.

McEwan's interest in literature has started while he attended Suffolk's boarding school and his fascination has deepened during his student years at the universities, where McEwan was exhibited to authors such as Albert Camus, Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann or Leo Tolstoy.4

In the interview with Alec Ash, McEwan discusses five books that have influenced his work of a writer, including the poetry of Philip Larkin and the prose by John Updike.5 There is no denying that McEwan's work is consequentially a product of interference with writings of other authors, nevertheless, McEwan's publications do not imitate, but rather derive and expand, therefore, McEwan's writings cannot be perceived as a compound of other author's writings, but rather as a finished product of his own style. McEwan proves to be a great observer and a storyteller; his novels are based on extraordinarily elaborated narrations completed with a sense of pathos and dark humour, divulging the beauty and malignity of human nature and commenting on cultural, social, political, or historical situations.

McEwan's early works became well-known as literature of shock filled with

"obsession, hatred, violence, sadism, madness," and "obscure perversion" (Malcolm 81), often featuring the genre of family drama with a tendency to represent the love and sexuality in a dysfunctional or a deviant way. The masculinity and femininity are commonly appointed by

McEwan as polar opposites, where the male protagonists are associated with attributes such as power, violence or lust.6 Women of his early fiction, on the other hand, play less significant

4 "When I was an undergraduate I thought of the literature I was reading at the time - Kafka, Thomas Mann, Camus among many others" (McEwan).

5 Ash, Alec, and Ian McEwan. "Ian McEwan on the Books That Shaped His Novels." 2020.

6 "The Cement Garden is partly organized around a complex polarization of male and female, with emphasis on male beastliness. In The Comfort of Strangers Robert is a lurid embodiment of male arrogance and worse toward women." (Malcolm 12).

11 roles, for they are portrayed "as objects rather than as people" (Roger 11), assigned with stereotypical roles of victims, motherly-type characters and emotional characters.7 Yet,

McEwan has no intention to portray women as the weaker ones, but rather the ones lacking the aggression and malice, and so his objective is not to discredit femininity but to express disapproval of abusive disposition of men. In that case, the weak and sensible side of femininity becomes the virtue, as McEwan confirms in the memoir Mother Tongue, admitting that "my female characters became the repository of all the goodness that men fell short of (McEwan

42). Some critics, including Alina Buzarna-Tihenea Galbeaza, claim that in his early works,

"McEwan illustrates traditional male and female gender roles and unequal relationships and, by presenting extreme male attitudes of control, domination and exploitation toward women, intermingled with shocking themes of sexual deviation, he criticizes the patriarchal ideologies, which are created and encouraged by the contemporary society " (Galbeaza 478). The dynamics between male and female characters in his publications can be thus recognized as one based on tension and power struggle, with female sensitivity and emotionalism on one hand and male aggressivity and rationality on the other.

The shift regarding McEwan's interest in the female characters is usually marked by literary critics with the approach of 1980s and 1990s in connection of Women's Movement.8

With the growing author's experience in writing, women characters continuously receive more complexity and emancipation in relation to the characters' cogitation, in some cases creating strong and equal antipodes to male protagonists.9 The increasing attentiveness towards female characters can be also observed in McEwan's narrative techniques. While in his first books the

7 "many of McEwan's female figures echo very traditional feminine stereotypes. They are often victims, it should be noted, or mothers, mystics, and emotionalists" (Malcolm 14). 8 "In the early 1980s an interest in the Women's Movement clearly shaped some of the subject matter and social and moral out- look of McEwan's fiction." (Malcolm 12). 9 "On the other hand, McEwan also presents strong women who become the dominant ones within their relationship, asserting their power in front of men; such women are Julie in The Cement Garden, Mary in The Comfort of Strangers, Maria in The Innocent, Thelma and Julie in The Child in Time." (Galbeaza 478).

12 author frequently adopts the first-person linear narrative with impassive overtone, in which the story unreliably and ambiguously covers the male protagonist's point of view, his later publications utilize both first-person and third-person narrations enriched by elaborated retrospective storyline and inserted recount of omniscient narrator. Moreover, the narrative of his later work focuses on the experience of both female and male characters, indicating that

McEwan purposely includes the female perspective to reveal the dissimilarities between masculine and feminine mentality.11 However, McEwan's position towards feminism "has severe limitations in his fiction" (Malcolm 13), as the author, due to his male bias, cannot accurately capture woman way of thinking and the pattern of male dominance and usurpation rather than female fortitude remains present throughout his publications.

McEwan devoted attention in the majority of his books to one particular phenomenon emerging from the interaction of male and female characters - love. In the interview On Making

Love Work in Fiction of 2013, McEwan stated that "It's the fleetingness actually that gives them, it gives happiness, and it gives love, its precious quality". In fact, McEwan in his novels subscribes to the notion of fleetingness concerning love, as is pointed out by David Malcolm who proposes that the phenomenon of love acts as "a fragile thing here and elsewhere in

McEwan's fiction" (Malcolm 156). The emotion of love in McEwan's novels functions as a forceful motivation fuelling character's actions12, however, it also maintains the element of brittleness, as the love can be easily shattered when facing restraints. McEwan often appoints the element of love impermanence and points out in his fiction that even small imprudence can lead to love's potential termination, raising the question of how to preserve it.

10 "Even where the narrator plays the grammatical role of agent, language is still clinical and uninvolved." (Malcolm 47). 11 "focus on the complexity of gender runs throughout McEwan's later fiction and is very evident in the short stories. They present a complex picture of male-female relations and gender roles." (Malcolm 35). 12 "A summary of the stories of McEwan's novels will show that he is very concerned with the role of the irrational in his characters' lives. From the early short stories the reader sees characters driven by desires and emotions that they cannot control or really analyze themselves." (Malcolm 14).

13 Simultaneously, the phenomenon of love in McEwan's work operates on balancing the difference between detachment and intimacy, as the fictitious characters creating romantic attachment shift from distant to a more intimate relationship or the other way around, ensuing the romance termination, the characters become detached. The factor of intimacy can be further subdivided into emotional intimacy, manifested through trust, understanding, caring or emotional dependency; and physical intimacy, taking the form of bodily closeness and sexual acts.13 While physical intimacy is associated with primary impulse, usually mirroring the nature of men of McEwan's early fiction, emotional intimacy is most often the female domain.

However, the proposed ratio of physical and emotional intimacy in connection to McEwan's characters cannot be applied to all of his characters, as some male protagonists maintain the neutral and balanced position between being reliant on both emotion and touch, and some female protagonists "have a streak of nastiness in them" (Malcolm 36), deprived of their sensibility and gravitating towards the impulsive sexual intimacy. Nonetheless, the motifs of physical and emotional affection are vibrant components of McEwan's fictional romantic relationships.

McEwan does not entertain the idea of love only in theory, for he has experience of two marriages. His first marriage was with spiritual counsellor Penny Allen and together they raised two sons, however, their marriage ended in divorce in 1995. McEwan described Penny Allen as a strong woman, who greatly impacted his literary work. Two years later, McEwan married his second wife, journalist Annalena McAfee, with whom McEwan shares the love for writing.

At present, McEwan is considered to be one of the most significant British contemporary authors as in 2008 he ranked among the list of 'The 50 greatest British writers since 1945' compiled by The Times. Among his most recent awards are the 2019 Golden Plate

13 "Much of McEwan's fiction deals with the narrative and ethical complexity of erotic relationships; through depictions of sex and intimacy, he examines how people try to speak what cannot be spoken" (90, Janine Utell).

14 Award and the 2020 Goethe Medal. At the age of 72, McEwan continues to hold the interest of both critics and readers, but as David Malcolm aptly pointed out, "one cannot know what the overall picture of his fiction will be in twenty or thirty years, let alone the final verdict on it. One does not know what he will do next. All the critic can do is observe certain patterns and continuities in his work to date" (Malcolm 19).

15 REPRESENTATION OF ROMANTIC COUPLES IN

THE NOVELS

In the previous section, the central features of love phenomenon and the dynamics between the genders in McEwan's work have been pointed out, disclosing the main points of interest for the analysis. The following chapters will examine the relationship of the romantic couples figuring in the three selected novels by McEwan - Jack and Julie from The Cement

Garden, Robbie and Cecilia from Atonement, and Edward and Florence from On Chesil Beach.

Each of the sections will start with providing a brief summary of the storyline, followed by interpretation of their relationship with regard to the nature of the bond. Further, the analysis will disclose characterization of the protagonists connected to McEwan's common feature of polarization of the romantic partners and they dynamics of external and internal type that influence the progress of the relationship. The evaluation will also include an insight concerning the development or termination of intimacy. Each of chosen romantic couples will be analysed independently from one another. Eventual similarities will be addressed in the conclusion.

As for the reasons of practicality and clarity, the further parenthetical citations of the primary sources will be referred to as CG {The Cement Garden), AT {Atonement) and CB {On

Chesil Beach).

16 Jack and Julie in The Cement Garden

The Cement Garden was published in 1978 as the first of the novels written by Ian

McEwan, representing a family drama of his early fiction infamous for its violent and deviant motifs14. The story revolves around four siblings - Julie, Jack, Sue, and Tom - who subsequently lose both of their parents. Scared of being put into social care, the children decide to conceal the information about their mother's death by entombing the corpse in the cellar, using the cement left behind from the garden project of their deceased father. Afterwards, the children continue with their family life deprived of parental authorities, experiencing the freedom as well as the forming of new hierarchal structures. Tension rooted in hidden family tragedy starts to spread throughout the house in the form of odour of decay. The novel culminates in the revelation that the dark family secret has been exposed to another person at the same time as the two oldest siblings take part in incestuous intercourse. The novel ends with policemen arriving to the front of the house.

The representation of love in The Cement Garden is of atypical nature, providing that the romance occurs between a brother and a sister. The novel depicts the escalation of their sibling love into the romantic love, as the siblings become closer in both emotional and physical dimensions. For the purpose of understanding the progression from sibling to romantic relationship the aspects leading to their romantic affair need to be indicated. The traumatizing incident of bereavement leaves the young protagonists socially isolated without any figure presenting authority. The social isolation is described by the narrator as a feature that has been present prior to the family tragedy: "No one ever came to visit us. Neither my mother nor my father when he was alive had any real friends outside the family" (CG 18). After the mother's

14 "As an author who has continuously analyzed within his novels issues of masculinity and femininity, by means of fictionally 'experiencing' sexuality, Ian McEwan has initially become famous as a writer obsessed with violence, crimes and sexual perversion." (Galbeaza 476).

17 death, the children stop attending school and their lives become centred around the house.

Bound by the secret and the feeling of social solitude, the characters turn their house into social microcosm15 of an anarchy, as the characters find themselves free of their responsibilities, but also of a new hierarchal structure, which tries to simulate the previous system of masculine and feminine authority of the parents as well as it dictates the distribution of power within the family microcosm. The oldest two siblings, Jack and Julie, gradually assume the roles of caretakers, assigning themselves into the position of control16; concurrently, they give into the sexual tension between them, for the environment of freedom without parental control allows them to abandon social norms and create a romantic relationship with each other. Although the incest can be recognized as deviant behaviour, in the case of Jack and Julie it is an attempt "to keep the family together" (Roger 16).

Clearly, the narrative is recounted from the perspective of Jack; the narration is of a rather biased nature, for it gives an account of events from a subjective point of view.

Moreover, Jack's narration lacks the precision because his imperfect recollections often do not match with the memories of the other characters, as displayed in the discussion about the rain:

"I said it was the first time it had rained since Mother died. Julie and Sue said it had rained several times since." (CG 98), which leaves the readers with an impression of "Jack as an unreliable narrator" (Malcolm 48). As Jack provides the reader with a vague insight into his mental processes, he reveals the sexual attraction towards his sister. Julie's perspective, on the

15 "Without any parent or caregiver, the children live by their own rules in their microcosm." ( Sistani, Roohollah Reesi, et al 451). 16 "Soon after their mother's death, Jack and Julie take over parenting responsibilities. In their world, they do not have any one else but each other. Their total isolation and loneliness together with the absence of their loved objects combined with the tantalizing secret they have and feel, bind them together tightly." (Sistani,

Roohollah Reesi, et al. 454).

18 other hand, is completely omitted from the story, but her stance towards the romance with her brother is revealed through her actions, as she is the initiator of the sexual act.

As the narration provides the full picture of the characters' description and relationship dynamics, it captures fluctuations towards the polarization of the genders as "there are permanent references to gender roles and the differences between the identity standards related to the notions of male and female" (Galbeaza 479). Jack and Julie's characters act as antipodes with regard to their appearances as well as behaviour, putting the elements of masculinity and femininity into greater contrast. The character of Jack is connected to the masculine identity, which is increasingly developed and validated throughout the novel, starting with Jack's initiation into the patriarchal world, as he takes part in and observes the masculine gender patters while his father interacts with men delivering the sacks of cement. When witnessing the interaction, Jack voices the desire for being included: "I did not wish to be placed outside this intense community of work by showing ignorance" (CG 7). Other instances of entering the sphere of masculinity are captured via Jack's first ej aculation or his participation in the concrete mixing, with both occurrences concluding with Jack's contentment. After the death of the father, Jack becomes the only representative of masculinity in the family and "to some extent, plays his father's role" (Malcolm 60), which reflects in Jack's defiance towards his mother as the other parent: "in her quiet way my mother reproved me continuously, but I now felt proudly beyond her control" (CG 17). With the growing sense of male identity and his approaching adulthood, Jack's appearance and behaviour changes, as his face, due to hormonal changes, becomes covered with "the humps and pits" (CG 17). He decides to show off his transformation into an adult by discarding habits connected to hygiene: "I no longer washed my face or hair or cut my nails or took baths" (CG 17), and caves into both frequent sexual satisfaction and aggressive outbursts: "I caught hold of Tom's bib and pulled him toward me. He gave out a little whimper and then a scream" (CG 101). The new acquired Jack's masculinity reflects the

19 generic depiction of male characters in McEwan's narratives, as they are "portrayed as destructive, insensitive, brutal and exploitative" (Roger 25).

Julie, representing the antipode to Jack, is described in her femininity as beautiful, athletic and tanned. Much like Jack, Julie undergoes the changes regarding her behaviour:

"Julie was more remote now. She wore makeup and had all kinds of secrets" (CG 24). Although the position of women in McEwan's novels usually appear unequal in comparison to the male characters, as the narratives present "extreme male attitudes of control, domination and exploitation toward women" (Galbeaza 478), Julie's position is the one of the strong female, who "dominated her group and heightened her reputation with a disruptive, intimidating quietness" (CG 16). In the case of The Cement Garden, Julie does not play the stereotypical role of a female victim crumbling underneath the male violence, but as an equal partner to the male protagonist, capable of repelling the aggression: "he's always about to hit someone, but

Julie knows how to deal with him" (CG 87). In addition, Julie's character functions as a pacifier to Jack's violence, what is more, she becomes "the antithesis of Jack, beautiful where he is ugly, athletic where he is torpid" (Malcolm 58-59), while preserving the qualities of feminine characters, such as the inclination to act in motherly way or the sensitivity, and therefore contrasting with Jack's lack of emotiveness: "I watched my sisters crying; I sensed it would seem hostile to look elsewhere. I felt excluded but I did not wish to appear so." (CG 47).

Another essential factor affecting the relationship dynamics between Jack and Julie is the one of control. Due to the everchanging dynamics within the household regarding the distribution of power, as the authorities vanish from the family picture, Jack and Julie experience a power contest.

After the father's death and with fast-approaching maturation manifesting through changes of behaviour and appearance, the relationship between the two siblings marginally declines, for Julie becomes closer with her mother, which is implied by the recount that Julie:

20 "had long conversations with Mother in the kitchen that would break off if Tom, Sue or I came in suddenly" (CG 24), and Jack's position towards his mother, on the contrary, exhibits rejection which is portrayed through "ignoring her and using her, refusing her affection"

(Malcolm 60), and rebelling against the mother's authority. The dissimilar stance towards the relationship with their mother contributes towards the tension between the siblings created by

Jack and Julie's experience of polarization manifested through Julie's dependence on her appearance, as she belongs to "one of a handful of daring girls at school who wore starched white petticoats beneath their skirts to fill them out" (CG 16), and Jack's absence of self-care, as he abandons "all the rituals of personal hygiene" (CG 17), which leads to conflict based on

Julie's temporary resentment towards Jack: '"You really do stink. Why don't you ever change your clothes?' Remarks like these made me loutish." (CG 24).

When the mother becomes indisposed and unable to manage the course of the household, Julie, as the oldest and closest child, takes over the responsibilities, simultaneously,

Julie uses her newly acquired competences to meet her preferences or to control others under the pretence of their mother's wishes: "You better clean it up. Mum said" (CG 36). As Julie abuses her authority, she meets a countermove coming from the maturing brother, for "Jack tries to rebel against Julie's authority as his mother substitute, as he wants to become her partner" (Galbeaza 481).

With progression of the disease, the mother notifies Jack of her potential absence and affirms his position of equal authority to Julie's: "It really means that Julie and you will have to be in charge" (CG 44). With the mother's sudden death, the situation transpires in favour of

Julie, leaving her in the position of the decisive authority, however, as the family members become bound by the secret and both of the siblings participate in decision-making and caretaking, the authority powers become equally distributed. Along with the stabilization of power, Jack recovers his habits regarding hygiene and follows Julie's advice of exposure to the

21 sun, which restores Julie's attraction to Jack: "Julie came and put her hand on my shoulder and admired the color in my face" (CG 114), ensuring Jack and Julie's equality on both authority and attraction level, resulting in Julie and Jack becoming recognized as the couple substituting mother and father, reaching "their most harmonious moment" (Roger 15) through means of sexual union.

McEwan employs the act of incest in the story as the climax of the plot as well as the apex of the relationship between siblings. The sexual undertone of the relationship is explored throughout the beginning of the novel through the body-exploration game initiated by the older siblings and caried out upon the younger sister, Sue, as Jack and Julie pretended to be "scientists examining a specimen from outer space" (CG 8). Being the ones in control of the act, neither

Jack nor Julie agree to be exploited the same way, hence Sue acts as an agent providing and allowing the shared sexual experience; without Sue's participation the sexual interaction stops:

"The games ceased not long after Father died, although it was not his death that brought them to an end. Sue became reluctant." (CG 24).

Apart from the sexually themed play, Jack and Julie demonstrate a close emotional connection, manifested though their union which culminates in a joke towards their father. The display of disrespect results in the father's desertion of plans to reconstruct the garden, which leads to Jack recognizing the impact of the actions as he states that: "the possibility that Julie and I were responsible for the disintegration filled me with horror and delight" (CG 13), pointing out the excitement from shared accomplishment.

The previously analysed changing dynamics in the household due to subsequent change of authority causes momentum of detachment between the siblings, preventing them from developing the deeper connection. However, the death of the mother secures the attachment between Jack and Julie, as "their total isolation and loneliness together with the absence of their loved objects combined with the tantalizing secret they have and feel, bind them together

22 tightly" (Roohollah Reesi Sistani et al. 454). The attraction between siblings further increases with Jack's regression to the hygiene habits, or so it is proposed by Jack: "I ran my forefinger the length of her spine and wondered what had changed between us. Had my taking baths made such a difference to her?" (CG 101). Although Jack and Julie's relationship meliorates, the progression towards romance encounters an inconvenience in form of a male competitor for

Julie's affection - Derek. Jack's reaction towards existence of Derek is a combination of suspicion and jealousy as he states that: "I had a confused notion that as Julie's brother I had a right to ask questions about her boyfriend. But there was nothing about Julie to support such an idea, and I felt more dejected than curious" (CG 70). Jack's first reaction suggests a notion of distrust towards the new individual as well as Jack's enforcement of claim over Julie, which is exposed through instances of jealousy: "She looked so beautiful as she turned to encourage

Tom that it irritated me to share the sight of her with Derek" (CG 116). Whereas Derek is accepted well by the rest of the family, Jack remains being disapproving: "I wished that Sue disliked Derek the way I did; then we would have all sorts of things to talk about" (CG 86).

Despite of Derek being Julie's partner, Jack maintains the notion of emotional and physical closeness with Julie. This reality is pointed out by their youngest brother Tom, as he and his friend pretend in their games to be a couple, impersonating the romantic couples with whom Tom is familiar: "Sometimes we were Mummy and Daddy and sometimes we were Julie and you and sometimes we were Julie and Derek." (CG 120) Another clue prompting the formation of romantic relationship between Julie and Jack seems to be Julie's effort of retaining the good terms with Jack by kissing him after announcing the existence of her new boyfriend, or by declaring that she has not been sexually involved with Derek: "Suddenly Julie said, 'You know, I haven't slept with him or anything like that'" (CG 101), which indicates Julie's attempt to sustain the acquired level of intimacy with Jack.

23 Ultimately, Julie chooses Jack over Derek to deepen her physical intimacy with, as she

"rejects Derek and becomes more and more receptive to Jack's advances, their relationship culminating with the incestuous intercourse" (Galbeaza 484). Her choice of lover reflects her evaluation of the qualities of potential partners, for Julie's withdrawal of affection towards

Derek begins when "she finds out that he is a pampered boy who still lives with his mother"

(Galbeaza 484), moreover, Julie's decision to experience the sexual intimacy with Jack represents the complete transformation and of their sibling relationship into the status of partnership.

The Cement Garden does not represent a typical love-story, however, the incestuous act functions as the pinnacle of the narrative. Granted that, the story culminates with arrival of police cars, hinting the separation of the family. Julie overstates that the sexual intercourse between her and Jack has been continuing for "ages and ages" (CG 124) to emphasize the significance as well as to admit the presence of ongoing sexual tension, for the sexual act appears in the novel only as one isolated incident, occurring at the end of the narrative. The formation of the romantic relationship including sexual intimacy is shortly followed by its termination, however, the presumed termination is ensured by external circumstances, for Jack and Julie demonstrate rather unity of bodies and feelings. The finally acquired closeness of the couple is most likely disrupted by the police patrol, implying the cogency connected to the consequences of the withheld secret, proving McEwan's nature of love to be a fragile and perishable phenomenon, which is often "destroyed by unexpected and sudden happenings"

(Galbeaza 478); in case of The Cement Garden, it is proposed that the termination of love is indirectly caused the lovers, as the final conclusion suggests a disintegration of the family, and therefore blockage of the romance continuance.

24 Robbie and Cecilia in Atonement

Atonement (2001) is acclaimed winning novel of the 2002 National Book Critics' Circle

Fiction Award and shortlisted for the 2001 Booker Prize. The story comprises of four sections dedicated to individual time periods, the first chapter depicts the interwar days of 1935, following by section describing the event of Second World War with the setting laid in France.

The third chapter recounts the World War II in the environment of London hospital. The novel ends with final section taking place on the verge of the second millennium. The beginning of the narrative is set in the Tallis' household, as the young protagonist, Briony Tallis, witnesses the intimate physical interaction between her older sister Cecilia and a close family associate,

Robbie Turner. Briony mistakenly considers the consensual act of intimacy between young couple as a physical assault17, thus when Briony's cousin Lola becomes a victim of violation,

Robbie arises as a main suspect. Briony falsely accuses Robbie of being the perpetrator, which in turn culminates in the ruining Robbie's dream of pursuing a medical education as well as threatening the newly created romance between Robbie and Cecilia. To escape the imprisonment, Robbie volunteers into the military service and experiences the horror reality of the warfare firsthand, while remaining the contact with Cecilia, who worked as a nurse.

Following the example of her sister, Briony takes up the nursing training, whilst still being able to fulfil her childhood dream of becoming a novelist. The story winds up with seventy-seven- year-old Briony as a successful novelist attending her birthday celebration, reminiscing about the fate of Robbie and her sister Cecilia.

McEwan captures the rise of intense romantic love between two young people that have been well acquainted with one another since their childhood. The novel portrays the emotion of love as abruptly discovered reasoning behind the tense nature of characters' relationship.

17 "In Atonement the virgin adult lovers are the innocents whose sexuality is perverted—made criminal— by the child." (Robinson 486).

25 When revealed, their mutual affection withstands all the inconveniences their bond encounters, embodying love as an emotion based on devotion and passion. Admittedly, the course and representation of the love-story is stirred and determined by the narrator, as the novel eventually reveals that both of the lovers have been killed during the war, and therefore, the account of the romantic couple living under one roof proves to be fabricated, as they have not managed to reunite.

In order to clarify the devised fabrication behind the romantic couple's story, the narrative structures and the role of the narrator are necessary to be examined. As mentioned above, the story is divided into four sections; the narrative of the first three sections contains diverse perspectives of four characters - Briony, Cecilia, Robbie, and Emilia Tallis, a mother of Briony and Cecilia - providing a deeper understanding of the characters' attitudes as well as more generic outlook for the reader, as the specific scenes are being recaptured by more than one character, nonetheless, the story "does not attempt to bring together a multiply-selves, common consciousness" (Robinson 478). The novel employs both third-person and first- person narrations. Meanwhile the third-person narrations are used in the first three chapters of the novel serving as recounts of the past, the first-person narration however, occurs solemnly in the last chapter, as the last chapter is connected the present time.

Moreover, the last chapter "of Atonement disclose Briony as having been the narrator all along" (Shah 45) as Briony's character in the first three chapters continuously refers to metafictional matter, being the narrator in the last section, Briony reveals her identity as an accomplish writer and an author of the narration, who "uses her authorial power to research and imagine into reality Robbie's life in prison and in France" (Seaboyer 31). The motivation behind Briony's creation of the narrative is a long-life guilt for ruining the fates of Robbie and

26 Cecilia, as she admits through the narrative in the first of the chapters18. With the position and competence of the narrator, Briony alternates the course of events in the third chapter and partially fix the past injustice that she inflicted upon the romantic couple, permitting Robbie and Cecilia to meet again, as she declares on the last page of the narrative: "I like to think that it isn't weakness or evasion, but a final act of kindness, a stand against oblivion and despair, to let my lovers live and to unite them at the end. I gave them happiness, but I was not so self- serving as to let them forgive me." (AT 303).

With the portrayal of the romantic couple being considered as one of the main focal points of the narrative, it is imperative that the story concentrates on the characterization of the romantic couple protagonists altogether with their complementary traits yet implying the polarity between masculinity and femininity through their contrasting behaviour and conducts.

Although the polarization of the genders becomes less prominent as "in Atonement the patriarchal order is more moderate" (Galbeaza 478), McEwan exemplifies distinction between masculinity and femininity through pointing out the female emotionalism and appointing the theme of war and the, entailing the violence assisted by masculinity.

Along with other female characters of McEwan's novels, Cecilia displays a tendency of becoming overwhelmed with and controlled by emotions when encountering a tense situation, as she experiences a broad range of positive and negative feelings, is implied by her rather erratic behaviour and actions: "she would show him then. She kicked off her sandals, unbuttoned her blouse and removed it, unfastened her skirt and stepped out of it and went to the basin wall" (AT 30), and her emotiveness is remarked by other characters: "Why was she crying? How could she begin to tell him when so much emotion, so many emotions, simply engulfed her?" (AT 115). Another typical femininity trait reoccurring in McEwan's publication

18 "The erroneous conviction that Robbie Turner has committed a criminal act will recur obsessively to Briony's mind for the rest of her life because it corresponds to a missed encounter with the outside world." (Letissier 218).

27 is the sense of motherliness. Cecilia exercises her empathy and mother-like sensitivity towards her sister, Briony, as Celia "had always loved to cuddle the baby of the family" (AT 42), furthermore, Celia uses her motherly affection while comforting her wistful cousins: "As she went along the corridor with the boys to their room, first one then the other put his hand in hers and she was surprised to find herself so gratified." (AT 87).

Even though the male protagonist Robbie expresses emotional states as well, his character does not surrender to the emotions, as the recount of his perspective shows a lack of empathy: "he discovered that he had never hated anyone until now. It was a feeling as pure as love, but dispassionate and icily rational." (AT 119). However, Robbie is not the traditional

"destructive, insensitive, brutal and exploitative" (Roger 25) male protagonist typical of early

McEwan's fiction; rather he represents a complex masculine character who is affected by both his innate male aggression and "his generous spirit" (AT 190). This reality is manifested through Robbie's behaviour whilst stationed in France during the war, as he deliberately decides to aid unnamed woman with a child in leading them towards safety: "As he dropped to the grass he pulled the woman with him and shoved her head down. He was half lying across the child as the ground shook to the unbelievable roar" (AT 196). On the other hand, the tense environment of the war impels Robbie to give into the impulse of violence: "Turner grabbed the man by his tie and was ready to smack his stupid face with an open right hand, but another hand, one of some great strength, closed about his wrist." (AT 181).

Although McEwan does not directly utilize the character of Robbie as an archetype of destructive behaviour, he does nonetheless, the author attributes the destructive quality to the war situation dominated by male elements:

"A great battle had been fought for the town but they had no idea who was

taking it, who was defending it or who had the upper hand. They drove on the back

roads to avoid the chaos of refugees. They saw farmhouses burning, and then they came

28 across a dozen or so dead English soldiers in the road. They had to get out and drag the

men aside to avoid running over them." (AT 166).

The brutality of war is highlighted by Robbie's imagination of a burial of the boy perishing in the bomb assault or by the unfortunate fate of the nameless mother and child

Robbie fail to safe: "There were no human signs, not a shred of clothing or shoe leather. Mother and child had been vaporised." (AT 199).

Undisputedly, the closest reflection of the masculinity, which is appointed in

McEwan's early novel - signified by violence, sexual deviation, and crimes - is illustrated through the perspective of Briony as she forms the wrong assumptions about Robbie and falsely accuses him of violation, for she considers Robbie to be the perpetrator of her sister and her cousin19. After Briony knowingly invades Cecilia's privacy by reading a letter with a delicate confession addressed by Robbie to Cecilia, Briony decides to "cast herself as her sister's protector" (AT 106). From a viewpoint of young and immature Briony, Robbie is "a maniac"

(AT 103) obsessed with explicit sexual matters. Briony witnesses the consensual sexual intimacy between her sister and Robbie, and incorrectly interprets the innocent act for an attempt of violation.20 When Briony becomes a witness of her cousin being assaulted by a

"vertical mass was a figure" (AT 140), she does not hesitate to identify the perpetrator as

Robbie because of her previous experience: '"It was Robbie, wasn't it?' The maniac. She wanted to say the word. Lola said nothing and did not move. Briony said it again, this time without the trace of a question. It was a statement of fact. 'It was Robbie.'" (AT 141) The incident culminates into defiling of Robbie's honour and creating a fabricated version of

19 "there was just sufficient light for her to recognise a familiar face; when he shrank away from her and circled the clearing, his movements and height were familiar to her as well. 'You saw him then.' 'I know it was him.'". (AT 153). 20 "He had pushed his body against hers, pushing her dress right up above her knee and had trapped her where the shelves met at right angles. His left hand was behind her neck, gripping her hair, and with his right he held her forearm which was raised in protest, or self-defence.". (AT 152).

29 Robbie portraying him as a violent and lust-driven male, further resulting in Robbie's imprisonment and the breaking ties with the Tallis' family.

Having previously analysed the idea of the masculine and feminine polarity, the additional dynamics function on the background of Robbie and Cecilia's romance, and that is dynamics of the ambition and family relations before and after the incident of Robbie's criminalization, as Briony's false accusation has changed the expected course of events for both of the lovers and altered their fates. Before the incident, the Tallis's family acknowledges

Robbie Turner as a close acquaintance as he "had spent his childhood moving freely between the bungalow and the main house. Jack Tallis was his patron, Ixon and Cecilia were his best friends, at least until grammar school" (AT 76), to which Robbie has won a scholarship, allowing Robbie to acquire education despite of being the "cleaning lady's son" (AT 71).

Robbie's student aspirations are financially supported by Jack Tallis, father of Cecilia, whereas

Cecilia's mother disagrees with "paying for the boy's education, which smacked of meddling to her, and unfair on Leon and the girls" (AT 129). Meanwhile Robbie turns into an excellent

Cambridge student21 and he forms a new ambition of becoming a doctor, Cecilia finishes her

Cambridge studies without further expectancy, experiencing boredom22 and feeling of redundance, as "no one would care particularly if she left" (AT 24). Cecilia appears to have no ambitions in further education as there are not "awarded degrees to women anyway" (AT 29).

As her mother concluded, Cecilia "had no job or skill and still had a husband to find and motherhood to confront" (AT 59). Although the narrative furnishes a perspective of Cecilia on several occasions prior to Briony's assault statement, the narrator omits to mention Cecilia's intentions for her future life. Robbie, on the contrary, addresses the ambition in his mind as he

21 "Robbie had come away from Cambridge with a first". (AT 129). 22 "But she also felt reproved for her homebound boredom. She had returned from Cambridge with a vague notion that her family was owed an uninterrupted stretch of her company. But her father remained in town, and her mother, when she wasn't nurturing her migraines, seemed distant, even unfriendly." (AT 23).

30 thinks "of himself in 1962, at fifty, when he would be old, but not quite old enough to be useless, and of the weathered, knowing doctor he would be by then." (AT 81).

However, the situation changes with Briony's allegation, for besides of the assaults,

Robbie is also accused of "a fantastic abuse of hospitality" (AT 134) of Tallis' family. With

Robbie's imprisonment, the roles of the lovers switch, as Robbie loses both his freedom and the chance of fulfilling his ambition and his days turn into "the stupidity and claustrophobia".

(AT 169) Cecilia, on the other hand, severs the ties with family: "Cecilia had not spoken to her parents, brother or sister since November 1935 when Robbie was sentenced" (AT 174), as she breaks away from the life of luxury and initiates her training "towards her nurse's qualification"

(AT 171), remarkedly similar to previous Robbie's ambition of becoming a doctor and consequently fulfilling Robbie's dream.

As is indicated in the previously discussed section, the relationship of Robbie and

Cecilia is initially characterized as a childhood friendship. As the protagonists mature, their relationship becomes filled with tension, as Cecilia describes their encounter as: "There was no ease, no stability in the course of their conversations, no chance to relax. Instead, it was spikes, traps, and awkward turns" (AT 29). Cecilia considers the instance of detachment to be caused by Robbie's actions, as the narrative states that: "there was Robbie, who exasperated her with his affectation of distance, and his grand plans which he would only discuss with her father. They had known each other since they were seven, she and Robbie, and it bothered her that they were awkward when they talked" (AT 24). The estimation of the course of detachment in relationship is mutual, however, Robbie understands the change as Cecilia's embarrassment of being associated with a person of his social standing: "She always seemed to find it awkward

- That's our cleaning lady's son, she might have been whispering to her friends as she walked on." (AT 71).

31 In the course of character's awkward exchange, the narrative hints that the tension between Robbie and Cecilia is of sexual nature, for it affirms that: "There was something between them, and even she had to acknowledge that a tame remark about the weather sounded perverse." (AT 27). The erotic undertone of the conversation23 is reinforced by a reference to the novel Clarissa by Samuel Richardson, as Cecilia perceives a potential inuendo of the conversation as "talking to him in code, suggestively conveying her taste for the full-blooded and sensual" (27). The purposeful mention of the novel also serves to compel the "readers to consider the lurking threat of sexual violation that surrounds these young women" (Angelo 95).

Meanwhile the awkward nature of their relationship leads to Cecilia experiencing frustration and aggravation, as she is unable to identify the true merit behind the tension and she proceeds to "dislike herself almost as much as she disliked him" (AT 29). Robbie, on the other hand, is aware of the admiration he feels towards Cecilia, as he reminisces about her wet body24 and the details of Cecilia's skin complexion: "a strawberry mark, a scar. Not blemishes.

Adornments." (AT 71). Further, his attraction to Cecilia is confirmed through his confession of a fantasy while writing an apology letter: "In my thoughts I make love to you all day long."

(AT 76), leading the reader into the conclusion of "Robbie recognizing his attraction to Cecilia, but not knowing how to proceed; and Cecilia, in denial, losing patience with him" (Head 170).

The situation alters as Robbie, unaware of his error, hands Briony the letter containing the confession of his attraction towards Cecilia, exposing the true nature of his feelings. The letter functions as a catalyst of the consequential course of events as the relationship between

Robbie and Cecilia develops in the romantic realm, as Cecilia realizes her own attraction towards Robbie: "Of course, of course. How had she not seen it? Everything was explained.

23 "Beneath Robbie's words lies a deeper question, a secret lover's curiosity that wants to discover how Cecilia views the world through the window of her literary tastes". (Mathews 15).

24 "When she climbed out of the pond, a glimpse of the triangular darkness her knickers were supposed to conceal. Wet. He saw it, he made himself see it again.". (AT 70-71).

32 The whole day, the weeks before, her childhood. A lifetime." (AT 96). Simultaneously, the letter becomes the cause of Briony's suspicion towards Robbie, appointing him as a primal suspect of the assault.

The reciprocity of Robbie and Cecilia's attraction results in progression of their romantic relationship, as the two lovers succumb to the sexual tension: "Daringly, they touched the tips of their tongues" (AT 116). The strengthening of their physical intimacy provides the romantic couple with realization of a "transformation" (AT 116) of their relationship, as they explore a new dimension of familiarity described by sensation likened to being "watched by their bemused childhood selves" (AT 116). The act of their first sexual encounter is interrupted by Briony's approach, which evokes a frustration in both of the lovers, forced to suspend their sexual union. With the escalation of the events, Robbie is arrested as a supposed perpetrator, with Cecilia being the only one to believe in Robbie's innocence due to the newly acquired attachment and level of familiarity as she "believed him, she trusted him, she loved him." (AT

219).

In spite of partition of the two, the romantic bond of Robbie and Cecilia prevails as they admit that "had been making love for years - by post" (AT 171), demonstrating the fortitude of their attachment as well as implying the need for intimacy, however, because of the circumstances of Robbie's incarceration, the letters exchanged between the romantic couple

"could never be sensual, or even emotional" (170). The intimacy is therefore encoded and supplied through literary references, as both of the characters are former students of English literature. The narration uses inter-metafictional references, to both expand reader's knowledge as well as to create parallels with other famous pieces of literature: "At Cambridge, Robbie played Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (1602), and there are further references to that play, as well as Troilus and Cressida (1602), in the list of doomed lovers to which Robbie and

33 Cecilia compare their plight" (Mathews 21). The attachment and intimacy of the couple is enriched by their shared love for literature.

Rather interesting feature is the one of narrator's employment of her own character in relation to the recount of the romantic couple's intimacy, as the young version of Briony, after inflicting couple's partition, acts as a supporter and admirer of Robbie and Cecilia's love25, following Cecilia's path as a nurse. The implication of Briony being captivated by the couple's romance as well as her own feeling of guilt supports the confession of the narrator as she admits fabricating the life of her deceased sister and her partner.26 The character of young Briony therefore allows the narrator to bid the last farewell to her sister as well as express the adoration and regret, simultaneously, by revealing the actual fate of the two protagonists, she debunks the bitter reality behind the romance.

As is typical of McEwan's novels, the "endings are the least satisfying aspect of his work. Intentional and absolute hopelessness can be wry or even comic, but never beautiful"

(Shah 45). Although McEwan portrays Robbie and Cecilia's love as dedicate, loyal, and passionate, the love cannot resist the outer effects, as both lovers die before being able to reunite. By sabotaging the happy end on account of the ruthless nature of war, the author emphasizes the momentariness of the romantic love as it interferes with and faces destruction by the global political event of Second World War. Furthermore, the tragic death of the protagonists adds to the novel's sense of realism and rawness, as the information of the true characters is included, subverting and reversing the profession about their happiness.

25 "It was her sister she missed - or more precisely, it was her sister with Robbie. Their love. Neither Briony nor the war had destroyed it." (AT 285). 26 "But what really happened? The answer is simple: the lovers survive and flourish. As long as there is a single copy, a solitary typescript of my final draft, then my spontaneous, fortuitous sister and her medical prince survive to love." (AT 302).

34 Edward and Florence in On Chesil Beach

The novella On Chesil Beach of 2007 represents one of McEwan's publications directly addressing the motifs of love, as it captures the interaction of a freshly married young couple settled in the hotel room on the Dorset coast and their forthcoming wedding night of June 1962.

Whilst the two lovers, Edward and Florence, dine in their wedding suite, the tension caused by the idea of their marital duties grows, inspiring both an excitement and fear as their unexplored physical union approaches. When the husband and wife fail to consummate the marriage, due to Florence's concealed revulsion to sex and Edward's embarrassing premature ejaculation, the couple winds up arguing and discovering the discrepancies of which Edward and Florence have not been made aware of before, damaging and resulting in the disintegration of their marriage.

McEwan depicts the first marital struggles of the young couple based around their first sexual encounter during the era of sexual confinement; as Edward and Florence proceed with their relationship into unknown territory of marriage and thus sexual intimacy, their so far perfect romance transforms into an affair filled with disappointment, culminating in termination of both their marriage and romance. The phenomenon of love in On Chesil Beach is presented as a mutual emotional affection, however, the relationship of the lovers - as is typical of McEwan's representations of romantic bonds - cannot remain stagnant, therefore, it requires either a progression or regression. In the case of relationship between Edward and

Florence, both development and decline are implemented, as the characters advance in the dimension of the sexual sphere with the consequence of their relationship degradation and the eventual termination.

As for the narration scheme, the Edward and Florence's story is divided into five chapters, covering "the events of their entire lives although focusing primarily on their diverging perceptions" (Nayebpour 628), as the reader is furnished with insights to the separated mind-flow of both Edward and Florence, for the narrative switches between the

35 perspectives with high frequency but clear separation, preventing the narrative from merging the perspectives into a shared one. Furthermore, the perspectives of the protagonists differ in the conveyed information, for the characters deviate from each other in regard to the experience over the course of events, but their perspectives of one another remain dissimilar as the protagonists fail or avoid the communication of setting the record straight, which is amplified by the minimal occurrence of the direct speech in form of dialogues, as a major part of the narrative is voiced through the mind-flow of the protagonists. Moreover, McEwan employs the third-person narration, which is guided by the authority of omniscient narrator for the purpose of consistency and continuous flow of the narrative: "This was not a good moment in the history of English cuisine, but no one much minded at the time, except visitors from abroad"

(CB 8). Another function of the narrative voice is foreshadowing over the course of the plot, as "the narrator also prefigures a sexual catastrophe" (Utell 95), for the omniscient voice remarks the statement: "a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible" (CB

7).

Although the narration remains in the case of On Chesil Beach neutral as both male and female perspectives are included, the narrative displays a great deal of contrasting features associated with masculine and feminine realms, maintaining the polarity feature appointment since McEwan's early fiction. The novella's plot is based on the contrast of attitude towards the matrimonial sexual act, for the female protagonists admits repulsion towards the act of intercourse, meanwhile the male character prematurely caves into the idea of it. Via the mind- flow of Florence, the reader learns about her deviation, as she deliberately puts herself into the queer position: "there was something profoundly wrong with her, that she had always been different" (CB 10) and admits that the notion of sexual intimacy repels her: "she experienced a visceral dread, a helpless disgust as palpable as seasickness" (CB 9). The narrative insinuates that Florence's repulsion of the sexual intimacy is a result of childhood trauma as "she was

36 abused by her father as a child" (Locatelli 236). Although the character of Florence states a deep affection for Edward: "She adored his curious mind, his mild country accent, the huge strength in his hands" (CB 10-11), she cannot defy the sensation of the anguish she experiences during physical intimacy: "She felt pinioned and smothered, she was suffocating, she was nauseous." (CB 23), which constitutes the central contrast with the sensation reported by

Edward: "It brought him to a point of unfamiliar ecstasy, cold and sharp just below the ribs, the way her tongue gently enveloped his as he pushed against it" (CB 22). Her distress caused by the intimate engagements remains undetected until the wedding night, as Edward interprets

"her turmoil for eagerness" (CB 52) and even mistakes Florence's continence "for a form of coyness, a conventional veil for a richly sexual nature" (CB 17). Florence's condition of sexual disinterest is portrayed as a deviation from the usual character pattern, however, the character of Florence represent some of the stereotypically feminine qualities, such as her sense of motherhood: "her squeamishness did not extend to babies. She liked them; she had looked after her cousin's little boys on occasions and enjoyed herself. She thought she would love being pregnant by Edward" (CB 10) or her seductive demeanour she uses to please Edward as the act flirting helps to make "her feel less than entirely useless" (CB ll).27

Edward, on the other hand, embodies a male character of high sexual drive, as confirmed by Edward's premature ej aculation or frequent masturbation: "Like most young men of his time, or any time, without an easy manner, or means to sexual expression, he indulged constantly in what one enlightened authority was now calling 'self-pleasuring'" (CB 16), however, his sexual appetence is relatively normalized through the collective masculine identity: "the blues he had heard at the Hundred Club suggested to Edward that all round him, just out of sight, men of his age were leading explosive, untiring sex lives, rich with

27 "traditional feminine stereotypes. They are often victims, it should be noted, or mothers, mystics, and emotionalists" (Malcolm 14).

37 gratifications of every kind" (CB 27). Another trait of Edward's masculinity contrasting with

Florence's character is his "occasional violent eruption" (CB 55). Same as Florence, Edward conceals this undesirable trait from his partner.

The common explanation behind the lack of communication and secretive behaviour is the impact of the cultural convention, as the omniscient narrator implies with the opening line:

"they were young, educated, and both virgins on this, their wedding night, and they lived in a time when a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible" (CB 7). The cultural connotation of 1962, in which the narrative is set, as a time period right before the dawn of sexual liberation movement28, can be understood as an era of cultural constrictions, affecting the verbal and non-verbal interaction of the protagonists, dictating the dynamics of their relationship, especially since the "decisions and agreements come before, and even instead of personal needs and desires" (Locatelli 239). The character of Edward perceived the marriage as a way towards "a boundless sensual freedom" (CB 58), however, the concept of marriage is simultaneously a culturally imposed criterium for receiving the means of sexual pleasure as

Edward recognizes that "to have sex with any one of these girls, you would have to marry her."

(CB 27) The cultural limitation seems to control all aspects of Edward and Florence's fresh marital life: "Even when Edward and Florence were alone, a thousand unacknowledged rules still applied." (CB 15), pointing out the reality that even though the wedding ceremony promises "a new pinnacle of existence" (CB 8), in reality the marriage has provided no exceptional liberation for the couple, even further, the established cultural protocol continues imposing the rules of appropriateness, as neither Florence nor Edward are able to set free. The closest the couple comes to the liberation is during the final argument, as they freely voice their frustration, causing the relationship to deteriorate.

28 " This was still the era-it would end later in that famous decade-when to be young was a social encumbrance, a mark of irrelevance, a faintly embarrassing condition for which marriage was the beginning of a cure."(CB8).

38 In indisputable instance of a cultural constraint is reflected through the concept of the sexual inexperience and ignorance of the characters, as the conversation regarding topics of intimacy or sexuality are considered to be inappropriate: "Their courtship had been a pavane, a stately unfolding, bound by protocols never agreed or voiced, but generally observed.

Nothing was ever discussed-nor did they feel the lack of intimate talk." (CB 17), preventing the romantic couple and the society in general to speak about the sexual experience; the necessary information Florence was required to know about the first sexual experience was contained in "a modern, forward-looking handbook that was supposed to be helpful to young brides" (CB 9). Although Florence acquires all the crucial knowledge through reading, the pages do not contain a personal touch nor provide any comfort, as they are written in a rather clinical language: "mucous membrane, and the sinister and glistening glans" (CB 9). In relation to Florence's personal issues, the cultural limitations prevent her to speak up about the complications she faces during the intimacy acts or childhood trauma as "sex-related trauma was tabooed as much as any open discussion of sexual matters" (Locatelli 236). The written form appears to be the only source of obtainable knowledge29, however, after Florence experiences her first sexual involvement, she concludes that "she should never have believed the manual" (CB 63), which implies that the written form proves to be ineffective in preparing

Florence for real sexual conduct.

The novella gives full recount of the romantic involvement of Edward and Florence, including the characters' lives prior to their first encounter until their separation and beyond.

The author, therefore, provides an overview of the characters' lives, describing both moments of happiness and instances of turmoil, as the novella culminates towards the pivotal scenes of the first sexual experience of the couple, followed by the second apex of the story - the

29 " Whenever she confronted an intimate problem, she tended to adopt the public manner of the lecture hall, and use longer and longer words, and make references to books she thought everyone should have read." (CB 11).

39 marriage termination. The author appoints the perspectives of both Edward and Florence so that the reader can understand the stances of the romantic protagonists as well as for the purpose of the reader taking notice of the deficient impression one has of the other as simultaneously each takes part in deceiving the other partner as they "demonstrate an inability to narrate each other to each other" (Utell 96). The epiphany comes forth in the moment of their failed marital consummation, as they become unable to keep up the pretences and both protagonists reveal their true selves, for Florence is not a woman that has "knowledge of the path to pleasure" (CB

13), but is rather "unsensual, utterly without desire" (CB 78), and Edward abandons the image of being "kind, sensitive" (CB 21) and transforms into a male controlled by primal impulses, an animal "with a bewildered look" (CB 63). The protagonists must face their defection, for

"their failure is depicted as a sexual failure in order to remark upon a greater failure to recognize otherness" (Utell 91). Simultaneously, with their transformation, they destroy the quality their antipode loves.

Furthermore, the incompatibility is foreshadowed by the employment of the character's music tastes, as music is for both protagonists an important component. Meanwhile Edward prefers blues and rock and roll, which affects his future self: "the nights at the club represented the peak of his cultural experience, and for years to come he considered that this was the music that formed his tastes, and even shaped his life" (CB 27), Florence takes a serious ambition in classical music: "practised five hours a day and went to concerts with her girlfriends" (CB 27), hoping and managing to become "the first violinist" (CB 94). However, when introducing their music to one another, it is met with misunderstanding, as Florence cannot find joy in in rock and roll: "she could not stand was the drumming" (CB 74), and Edward feels indifferent towards the classical music: "classical music meant nothing to him" (CB 73). The taste for music is appointed as a symbolism for their personalities, for Florence is "the squarest person in all of Western civilisation" (CB 74) and Edward enjoys more free-spirited kind of music.

40 Subsequently, the romantic relationship of protagonists terminates, as the change the environment - for Edward follows Florence to the beach - symbolizes the change of the perceptions. Both protagonists are agitated with anger as they feel deceived. Edward is infuriated as Florence takes away from him the mutual sexual experience: "the promise of marriage was his only relief. And then what pleasures she had denied them both" (CB 78) and

Florence feels used by Edward, as his ejaculation reminds her of being abused by her father:

"And there was another element, far worse in its way and quite beyond her control, summoning memories she had long ago decided were not really hers." (CB 63) Traumatized from the newly acquired experience, yet feeling deep affection for Edward, Florence comes up with a proposal of Edward having a lover: "I want you to be happy and free. I'd never be jealous, as long as I knew that you loved me. I would love you and play music, that's all I want to do in life." (CB

90), as a means of preserving the marriage. However, as marriage for Edward means an access for sexual intimacy, he refuses Florence's proposal: "With my body I thee worship! That's what you promised today. In front of everybody. Don't you realise how disgusting and ridiculous your idea is?" (CB 90) Florence's words of apology is the last exchange between the former lovers.

Finally, the novel is closing with the pages recounting the rest of Edward's life, as he leads a solitary life of a bachelor, reminiscing about taking up Florence's proposal: "And then what unborn children might have had their chances, what young girl with an Alice band might have become his loved familiar?" The notion of fleetingness is amplified by disclosing the entire love narrative to the readers, including the tragic ending. The author's resolution to include Edward's recount of regret warns the readers before their own imprudent decisions, pointing out through the evidence that "In love, the potential to be wrong is great, the stakes for misperception and misreading, painfully high." (Utell 95).

41 CONCLUSION

McEwan's novels represent both contemporary viewpoints of showcasing a unique way of characters' thought process as well as authentic depiction of love throughout varying storylines and in their own way, connected through McEwan's mutual narrative style.

Throughout this thesis, the commonality connecting the stories is often observed to be that of the prerogative toward McEwan's idea of the fleetingness towards love, causation, and how it represents the happiness of growth with the eventual pain of loss, as the love is understood to be everchanging force. The narratives express the model of polarization toward the commonly accepted ideas of masculinity and femininity and how they feature throughout the narrative, usually expressing their intrinsic values in each protagonist and the polar opposite characteristics between male protagonists, connected directly or obliquely to the carnal and violent nature, and sensitive affectionate female characters within the narrative. Moreover, the polarity of genders in McEwan's novels implies the old rule of opposite attraction, as the protagonists choose their better halves for the qualities they seldom have.

The thesis attempted to outline the core features and values linking the features

McEwan frequently employs in his publications. Although the novels of "The Cement

Garden", "Atonement" and "On Chesil Beach" seem to have not much in common at the first sight, McEwan provides in his narratives analogical patterns and motifs, creating diverse characters obeying the very same rules of his impressive simulation of reality. McEwan keenly applies the extent at which human perception eludes his young and inexperienced protagonists into falling into and out of love, as both the internal influences in form of their curiosity and disappointment, as in the instance of On Chesil Beach, and external impact constituted from the consequences of character's actions as well as the social-historical events, pertaining to The

Cement Garden and Atonement, guide the narrative towards the cataclysmic ending. Although the McEwan's fiction is known for its rather tragic and abominable qualities, his novels are as

42 well driven by well-crafted moments of happiness, beauty and love, pointing out their immense value as they are ruled by the principle of fleetingness, as the state of positive feeling is not sustainable; the short intense moments of love in McEwan's fiction play a pinnacle role in narrative plots as well as reader's interest.

While this paper has reflected on the temporariness and dynamics impacting the relationship, all of the couples bear another the similarity that has not been addressed and could be expanded, and that is the one in the aspect of youth and the first experience of intimacy, as the characters pass the realm of childhood and innocence and are initiated into the world of adulthood and experience.

43 WORKS CITED

Primary sources

McEwan, Ian. The Cement Garden. Rosetta Books, 1978.

McEwan, Ian. On Chesil Beach. Vintage Canada, 2008.

McEwan, Ian. Atonement. Vintage Canada, 2002.

Secondary sources

Ash, Alec, and Ian McEwan. "Ian McEwan on the Books That Shaped His Novels." 2020.

Butler, Christopher. Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2002.

Colebrook, Claire. "The Innocent as Anti-Oedipal Critique of Cultural Pornography." Ian McEwan Contemporary Critical Perspectives, edited by Sebastian Groes, Continuum, 2009, pp. 43-56.

DAngelo, Kathleen. '"To Make a Novel': The Construction of a Critical Readership in Ian McEwan's Atonement.'" Studies in the Novel, vol. 41, no. 1, 2009, pp. 88-105.

Galbeaza, Alina Buzarna-Tihenea. "Patriarchally and Incestuously Defined Gender Roles in Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden" Journal of Research in Gender Studies, vol. 4, no. 2, 2014, pp. 476-486.

Groes, Sebastian. Ian McEwan: Contemporary Critical Perspectives. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013.

Guignery, Vanessa. "An Interview with Ian McEwan." Landscapes/Cityscapes Situational Identity in British Literature and Visual Arts (20th-21st Centuries), 22 May 2018.

Hamilton, Ian. "Points of Departure." New Review 5, 1978.

Head, Dominic. Ian McEwan. Manchester University Press, 2014.

Letissier, Georges. '"The Eternal Loop of Self-Torture': Ethics and Trauma in Ian McEwan's Atonement." Ethics and Trauma in Contemporary British Fiction, vol. 48, Jan. 2011, pp. 209-226.

Locatelli, Angela. "Conjunctures of Uneasiness: Trauma in Fay Weldon's The Heart of The Country and In Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach." Ethics and Trauma in Contemporary British Fiction, 2011, pp. 227-239.

44 Lodge, David. Consciousness and the Novel. London: Seeker and Warburg, 2002.

Malcolm, David. Understanding Ian McEwan. Univ. of South Carolina Press, 2002.

Margaronis, Maria. "The Anxiety of Authenticity: Writing Historical Fiction at the End of the Twentieth Century." History Workshop Journal, vol. 65, no. 1, 2008, pp. 138-160.,

Mathews, Peter David. "'What Are Novelists For?" Atonement and the British Novel." 39, no. 2, Dec. 2017, pp. 11-28.

Nayebpour, Karam. "Intramental Fictional Minds in Ian McEwan's Amsterdam and On Chesil Beach." Forum for World Literature Studies, vol. 6, no. 4, Dec. 2014, pp. 618— 635.

Robinson, Richard. "The Modernism of Ian McEwan's 'Atonement.'" Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 56, no. 3, 2010, pp. 473-495.

Roger, A. "Ian McEwan's Portrayal of Women." Forum for Modern Language Studies, XXXII, no. 1, 1996, pp. 11-26.

Seaboyer, Judith. "Ian McEwan: Contemporary Realism and the Novel of Ideas." The Contemporary British Novel Since 1980, 2005, pp. 23-34.

Shah, Bruno M. "The Sin of Ian McEwan's Fictive Atonement: Reading His Later Novels." New Blackfriars, vol. 90, no. 1025, Jan. 2009, pp. 38^19.

Simon, Scott, and Ian McEwan. "'On Chesil Beach': Story of an Unconsummated Love and Marriage." 19 May 2018.

Sistani, Roohollah Reesi, et al. "Psychoanalytical Tensions and Conflicts of Characters' Interactions in Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden." Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 118, 2014, pp. 450^56.

Utell, Janine. "On Chesil Beach and Fordian Technique: Intertextuality, Intimacy, Ethical Reading." Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 39, no. 2, 2016, pp. 89-104.

45 SUMMARY

This thesis analyses the representation of romantic love and polarity of masculinity and femininity in three selected novels, namely The Cement Garden (1978), Atonement (2001), and

On the Chesil Beach (2007) written by the British author Ian McEwan, appointing the literary criticism and the in-text evidence.

The first part of the thesis specifies McEwan's classification among the authors and defines his narrative method together with the design of a concept featuring recurring themes, including differences addressing male and female differences. The first section also divulges into

McEwan's theme of temporality and variability of the love phenomenon, and the author's narrative patterns. Furthermore, the thesis includes the author's life and the possible influences that may have impacted his work.

The second part contains a detailed textual analysis of his works, which reveals the author's recurring structures and themes implied in his novels, especially the polarity of romantic couples, and the fragility and impermanence of passionate love, his narration style, and appointing and debunking of stereotypical perceptions of women and men.

46 RESUMÉ

Tato práce pojednává o vyobrazení romantické lásky a polarity mužnosti a ženskosti ve třech vybraných novelách z tvorby britského autora lana McEwana, přesněji jde o Betonovou zahradu (1978), Pokání (2001) a Na Chesilské pláži (2007), za využití posudků literárních kritiků a evidence z vybraných děl.

První část práce specifikuje McEwanovo zařazení mezi autory a definuje jeho narativní metodu spolu s návrhem konceptu vyznačující opakující se témata, mezi která patří rozdílnosti vlastností mužských a ženských charakterů, dočasnost a proměnlivost fenoménu lásky, a autorovy narativní vzorce. Dále část pojednává o autorově životě a možných vlivech, které změnily jeho tvorbu.

Druhá část obsahuje podrobnou textovou analýzu jeho děl, která odhaluje autorovy opakující se struktury a témata přímo ve vybraných novelách, zejména pak polaritu romantických párů, a křehkost či krátkodobost vášnivé lásky, metody vyprávění, a vytváření stejně jako hanění stereotypního vnímání žen a mužů.

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