The Cement Garden Study Guide & Notes

The Cement Garden Plot Summary

Preview of The Cement Garden Summary:

The Cement Garden is the story of a mother and father's death and the children's dysfunctional attempts to cope with their loss. The story begins with Father, Mother, and their four children, Julie, Jack, Sue and little Tom living together. Things are well, for the most part, although Jack, the narrator, is somewhat isolated from the rest of his family, feeling distant from his father and fighting with his mother and Julie, along with harassing Tom for attention from the others.

When Father dies, Mother and the children are left alone. The family is already isolated from the rest of the community; they have few friends and no one visits the house. Mother grows sick and only the children know. She tells Julie she is going to die but the two of them hide it from Jack, Sue and Tom until it is too late for her to tell them....
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