can someone please read thru my essay n tell me wat i should edit out coz i think its too long...its over 1450 words....
Winton’s Cloudstreet was composed to “celebrate the ordinary things in
life”. The novel uses literary techniques such as characterisation,
language and themes to achieve Winton’s purpose. To examine the text from
one perspective would omit the value attained by the responder. Therefore,
the text can be examined from various perspectives. Completing Winton’s
purpose is the text’s textual integrity. Textual integrity can be defined
as “the unity of a text, its coherent use of form and language to produce
an integrated whole in terms of meaning and value”. Therefore, through its
textual integrity and various interpretations, Cloudstreet allows the
responders context to add meaning.
The “blackfella”, as a motif, contributes to the perceptibility of
Cloudstreet as being a spiritual text. He appears at important moments in
the novel to ‘instruct’ the characters, and according to Thomson, he is
thought to be “the guardian and conscience of the novel”. His angelic
presence signifies the importance of faith. The “blackfella” is a direct
link to the actions performed by Christ. This is shown in Earls Dory by
“The aboriginal man walks on water…waits at the seashore for Quick”. He
comes at times of need to bring messages of unity to the families such as
“You shouldn’t break a place. Places are strong, important…Too many places
busted”.
Fish Lamb is also utilized to explain spirituality throughout the novel.
When Fish first drowned "his soul [was] torn away” and “not all of Fish
Lamb had come back”. McGirr (Go Home said the Fish) thinks that “Fish is
seemingly brought back to life – not all of him comes back…there are two
Fish Lambs in the story, the one who escapes and whose voice becomes one
with that of the river, and the one who remains and becomes imprisoned in
the vacant room of the house.” This supports the idea that the physical
Fish had to stay and become the saviour of the families, where the
spiritual Fish is left to oversee the happenings of the novel, narrating it
to the reader.
In an interview with Hawley (Good Weekly), Winton provided his view on
religion. Hawley believes that “He is a Christian in a post - Christian
era”. Winton is “interested in the kind of people who want to understand
the meaning in their lives”. This is shown when Lester and Quick go fishing
and talk about the meaning of life, faith and love. Winton’s intention to
convey the theme of “faith without religiosity” is exemplified through the
Pickles and Lambs diverging beliefs. The Pickles’ attribute their pleasures
and tribulations to good and bad luck. They embody their belief of luck in
the “Shifty shadow of God”. As suggested by Cooper “the shifty shadow is,
by nature, unknowable and largely unseen. For the characters it is a means
of explaining the unfathomable forces that shape their lives”. The Pickles
believe in the “shifty shadow”, which ultimately allows the text to be
examined from a spiritual context. This is reinforced by Cooper’s statement
that “the ‘shadow’ is evidence of the spirituality that makes us human and
denies us knowledge of the intent of the world”. The Lambs’ response to
Fish’s tragedy accounts for their Christian beliefs. Lester and Oriel begin
to resent the idea of God and the encompassing beliefs, signifying their
eroding faith.
As Fish and the ‘blackfella’ unite the Pickles’ and Lambs’ faith, it is
ultimately the birth of Wax Harry that exemplifies their uniting beliefs.
Wax Harry banishes the spirits, replacing old life with pure life, and
replenishing the families’ faith. This allows the “house [to] breathe its
first painless breath in half a century”. Fish’s existence is no longer
needed so he returns to the “water”. Resembling the death of Christ, Fish’s
death is unites the spiritual and physical world. This theme of faith
allows Cloudstreet to be examined from a spiritual context.
Cloudstreet can also be read in an historical context that portrays a story
primarily about family and represents an Australia that no longer exists.
Winton examines a time when society was defining itself. The Nedlands
Monster case was a defining moment for Perth because it lowered its
‘safety’ as a big country town, and raised its profile as a city. This is
shown by “Perth is the biggest country town in the world trying to be a
city…trying desperately to hit the big time.” Winton adds in true
historical events of the 1960’s “the Nedlands Monster comes to trial but
he’s forced off the front page by the Kennedy assassination”, to show
Perth’s shock and reaction to such events which were unheard of in those
days. The characters refer to events from both World Wars and the
depression of the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. The loyalty and work ethic
that Cloudstreet portrays is reflective of the values that once existed.
The mint in particular is representative of an older set of values that
existed. This is shown by, “the men who worked on the hosco knew he wasn’t
worth his day’s pay anymore but wouldn’t see him laid off until the silly
bugger couldn’t walk through the gates of a morning”.
Winton has successfully recreated the nostalgia of Australia’s history in
his text through the use of language. At the time Winton wrote Cloudstreet
he was living overseas, and in an interview with Hawley he was quoted to
say “I found what I was missing most was the Australian voices…to me our
vernacular is poetry and music, it’s our voice.” As stated by Cooper,
Cloudstreet “examines and historical and social context that is gone and
has become part of the Australian identity.” The spirit of the people of
Australia is captured through the use of idioms such as ‘carn’ and ‘fair
dinkum’, phrases that have long disappeared from the Australian language.
The use of language in Cloudstreet allows the text to be interpreted from a
historical perspective. The texts integrity is accentuated through the
vernacular as it captures the spirit of Australia and criticises a modern
society. Cooper believes that the language “allows a reader to identify
significant developments in the…development of the nation.”
Cloudstreet can also be read from a feminist perspective which reveals the
cultural context of women and the gender-based nature of Australian society
in post World War 2 Perth. Australia was a male centred society as was much
of the industrialised world and the value of women was restricted by their
sexuality and their role as nurturers. Winton provides an insight into the
feminist idea by reflecting it in the lives of the female characters: Rose,
Dolly and Oriel.
While Rose grows ‘steel’ inside of her at such an early age as she feels
resentful towards her mother, Dolly falls into the situation she is in
because of the attention of men. She was robbed of a stable family
existence by it, she is married to Sam because of it and she is miserable
because of the attention she receives by men. The promise of men amounts to
very little for Dolly. This is shown by “She just got to be good-looking
and cheeky and by sixteen she found herself out on her back under the night
sky with a long procession of hatted men, one of whom was sleeping up there
on her pillow.”
Oriel's position is comparable in a sense. She battles though life despite
men. Her sons fight against her, her husband is a clumsy embarrassment and
her brother and father deserted her for others. Nevertheless, she shapes
her existence around them and her pain. This is shown by “she loved Lester,
but a lot of loving him was making up for him, compensating”.
The women of the novel are the steel in the ‘shapeless’ lives of the
families. They shape the world of Cloudstreet and make the lives of the
family’s function, whereas the men create dilemmas and problems. There is
not much escape for the female characters, only acceptance of their roles
in another place. The women of the novel are expected to take lead in such
situations but men are the ones that create them. Men rule the world and
don’t understand it. It becomes known and ironic that they are the rulers
in Cloudstreet, even today, yet they are the ones that don’t understand it.
This is shown when Oriel says “there was something wrong with men. They
lacked some basic thing.”
Cloudstreet composed to “celebrate the ordinary things in life”. To examine
the text from one perspective would omit the value attained by the
responder. Therefore, the text can be examined from various perspectives
such as spiritual, historical and feminist. Ultimately, through its textual
integrity and range of interpretations Cloudstreet completes Winton’s
purpose to “celebrate the ordinary things in life”.
Winton’s Cloudstreet was composed to “celebrate the ordinary things in
life”. The novel uses literary techniques such as characterisation,
language and themes to achieve Winton’s purpose. To examine the text from
one perspective would omit the value attained by the responder. Therefore,
the text can be examined from various perspectives. Completing Winton’s
purpose is the text’s textual integrity. Textual integrity can be defined
as “the unity of a text, its coherent use of form and language to produce
an integrated whole in terms of meaning and value”. Therefore, through its
textual integrity and various interpretations, Cloudstreet allows the
responders context to add meaning.
The “blackfella”, as a motif, contributes to the perceptibility of
Cloudstreet as being a spiritual text. He appears at important moments in
the novel to ‘instruct’ the characters, and according to Thomson, he is
thought to be “the guardian and conscience of the novel”. His angelic
presence signifies the importance of faith. The “blackfella” is a direct
link to the actions performed by Christ. This is shown in Earls Dory by
“The aboriginal man walks on water…waits at the seashore for Quick”. He
comes at times of need to bring messages of unity to the families such as
“You shouldn’t break a place. Places are strong, important…Too many places
busted”.
Fish Lamb is also utilized to explain spirituality throughout the novel.
When Fish first drowned "his soul [was] torn away” and “not all of Fish
Lamb had come back”. McGirr (Go Home said the Fish) thinks that “Fish is
seemingly brought back to life – not all of him comes back…there are two
Fish Lambs in the story, the one who escapes and whose voice becomes one
with that of the river, and the one who remains and becomes imprisoned in
the vacant room of the house.” This supports the idea that the physical
Fish had to stay and become the saviour of the families, where the
spiritual Fish is left to oversee the happenings of the novel, narrating it
to the reader.
In an interview with Hawley (Good Weekly), Winton provided his view on
religion. Hawley believes that “He is a Christian in a post - Christian
era”. Winton is “interested in the kind of people who want to understand
the meaning in their lives”. This is shown when Lester and Quick go fishing
and talk about the meaning of life, faith and love. Winton’s intention to
convey the theme of “faith without religiosity” is exemplified through the
Pickles and Lambs diverging beliefs. The Pickles’ attribute their pleasures
and tribulations to good and bad luck. They embody their belief of luck in
the “Shifty shadow of God”. As suggested by Cooper “the shifty shadow is,
by nature, unknowable and largely unseen. For the characters it is a means
of explaining the unfathomable forces that shape their lives”. The Pickles
believe in the “shifty shadow”, which ultimately allows the text to be
examined from a spiritual context. This is reinforced by Cooper’s statement
that “the ‘shadow’ is evidence of the spirituality that makes us human and
denies us knowledge of the intent of the world”. The Lambs’ response to
Fish’s tragedy accounts for their Christian beliefs. Lester and Oriel begin
to resent the idea of God and the encompassing beliefs, signifying their
eroding faith.
As Fish and the ‘blackfella’ unite the Pickles’ and Lambs’ faith, it is
ultimately the birth of Wax Harry that exemplifies their uniting beliefs.
Wax Harry banishes the spirits, replacing old life with pure life, and
replenishing the families’ faith. This allows the “house [to] breathe its
first painless breath in half a century”. Fish’s existence is no longer
needed so he returns to the “water”. Resembling the death of Christ, Fish’s
death is unites the spiritual and physical world. This theme of faith
allows Cloudstreet to be examined from a spiritual context.
Cloudstreet can also be read in an historical context that portrays a story
primarily about family and represents an Australia that no longer exists.
Winton examines a time when society was defining itself. The Nedlands
Monster case was a defining moment for Perth because it lowered its
‘safety’ as a big country town, and raised its profile as a city. This is
shown by “Perth is the biggest country town in the world trying to be a
city…trying desperately to hit the big time.” Winton adds in true
historical events of the 1960’s “the Nedlands Monster comes to trial but
he’s forced off the front page by the Kennedy assassination”, to show
Perth’s shock and reaction to such events which were unheard of in those
days. The characters refer to events from both World Wars and the
depression of the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. The loyalty and work ethic
that Cloudstreet portrays is reflective of the values that once existed.
The mint in particular is representative of an older set of values that
existed. This is shown by, “the men who worked on the hosco knew he wasn’t
worth his day’s pay anymore but wouldn’t see him laid off until the silly
bugger couldn’t walk through the gates of a morning”.
Winton has successfully recreated the nostalgia of Australia’s history in
his text through the use of language. At the time Winton wrote Cloudstreet
he was living overseas, and in an interview with Hawley he was quoted to
say “I found what I was missing most was the Australian voices…to me our
vernacular is poetry and music, it’s our voice.” As stated by Cooper,
Cloudstreet “examines and historical and social context that is gone and
has become part of the Australian identity.” The spirit of the people of
Australia is captured through the use of idioms such as ‘carn’ and ‘fair
dinkum’, phrases that have long disappeared from the Australian language.
The use of language in Cloudstreet allows the text to be interpreted from a
historical perspective. The texts integrity is accentuated through the
vernacular as it captures the spirit of Australia and criticises a modern
society. Cooper believes that the language “allows a reader to identify
significant developments in the…development of the nation.”
Cloudstreet can also be read from a feminist perspective which reveals the
cultural context of women and the gender-based nature of Australian society
in post World War 2 Perth. Australia was a male centred society as was much
of the industrialised world and the value of women was restricted by their
sexuality and their role as nurturers. Winton provides an insight into the
feminist idea by reflecting it in the lives of the female characters: Rose,
Dolly and Oriel.
While Rose grows ‘steel’ inside of her at such an early age as she feels
resentful towards her mother, Dolly falls into the situation she is in
because of the attention of men. She was robbed of a stable family
existence by it, she is married to Sam because of it and she is miserable
because of the attention she receives by men. The promise of men amounts to
very little for Dolly. This is shown by “She just got to be good-looking
and cheeky and by sixteen she found herself out on her back under the night
sky with a long procession of hatted men, one of whom was sleeping up there
on her pillow.”
Oriel's position is comparable in a sense. She battles though life despite
men. Her sons fight against her, her husband is a clumsy embarrassment and
her brother and father deserted her for others. Nevertheless, she shapes
her existence around them and her pain. This is shown by “she loved Lester,
but a lot of loving him was making up for him, compensating”.
The women of the novel are the steel in the ‘shapeless’ lives of the
families. They shape the world of Cloudstreet and make the lives of the
family’s function, whereas the men create dilemmas and problems. There is
not much escape for the female characters, only acceptance of their roles
in another place. The women of the novel are expected to take lead in such
situations but men are the ones that create them. Men rule the world and
don’t understand it. It becomes known and ironic that they are the rulers
in Cloudstreet, even today, yet they are the ones that don’t understand it.
This is shown when Oriel says “there was something wrong with men. They
lacked some basic thing.”
Cloudstreet composed to “celebrate the ordinary things in life”. To examine
the text from one perspective would omit the value attained by the
responder. Therefore, the text can be examined from various perspectives
such as spiritual, historical and feminist. Ultimately, through its textual
integrity and range of interpretations Cloudstreet completes Winton’s
purpose to “celebrate the ordinary things in life”.
