The appearance of child within in Ian McEwan's The Child in Time

Abstract

Child within is a phenomenon that show the existence of a child inside every adults. It could be hidden all through the life of a person, but it does not mean that the child does not exist there. This paper is devoted to Ian McEwan's The Child in Time (1987). This novel is about children with rare physical existence of children. It begins while the reader be aware of the abduction of the Stephen Lewis's Daughter, Kate, two years ago. Stephen who is the narrator tries to cope with the grief and problems afterward. He never has stopped looking for Kate and insistently keeps her alive by seeing her in other children and in his mind. The child who is alive in his mind is actually Stephen's own child inside. Stephen's friend, Charles Darke, is the one whose child inside is shown itself. The child inside must be controlled, otherwise; it can cost a lot. They show different reaction toward their child inside and differently deal with it. Stephen can heal himself, but Charles cannot heal himself and dies.