Cloudstreet - Class Essay

Authors often raise many issues within their novels. Tim Winton portrays this in his novel Cloudstreet. A book which tells you a story of two families forced to move to the city because of two separate catastrophes which the encounter. The Picklesfamily who, face the death of their uncle Joel and the shock of their father Sam loosing his fingers in and accident, likewise the Lamb family are challenge by the trauma of the accident when Samson (Fish) is miraculously brought back to life after a fishing incident, then the Lambs move to the city they then become the tenants of the Pickles family in their large run down mansion. From 1944 to 1964 the two families share experience and over many years they eventually form a bond and sense of belonging for everyone. In this novel Winton's representation of class is manifested to the reader through the use of narrative convention, and is revealed through the issue of spirituality of they families and the Lambs use they faith of god and the bible reward them with a good money flow, the Lambs family values of working hard especial Oriel honest proud work ethic, and how Rose Pickles values education and how it is essential to have better quality of life.

Working class people during the post World War II era often relied on faith and their spirituality to cope with life's daily struggles. Hence the class of people can be marginalising more than others. For example Sam Pickles belief in the "shifty shadow of God" (page 10) which signifies luck hand how Sam put his faith in it day to day hence "He loved to gamble' (page 11) to measure his luck, and on the other hand Sam is juxtaposed by Oriel strong faith in God and the bible, because of this oriels work ethic pays off as she and her family are always working hard running their shop keeping it in order "... lambs going at it night and day singing, working, laughing, shifting boxes..." (page 76), reward them with success as "God helps those who help themselves" (examination of class work sheet) and sense of belonging for all of their family is established as they all communicate well with each other. Conversely, the Pickles family don't help themselves and Sam the father is always out gambling and Dolly the mother is always under the influence of alcohol thus affecting the rest of her family as money is not "what you don't drink, the old man gives to the bookies." (page 162). This indicates that the Lambs are prepared to work for what they have and see that it is the only way to get ahead in life. Also Oriels believes in "stickablitiy"(page 54) and hard work which is symbolic of her faith and belief in God and the bible because the bible teaches people to make and honest living which is noticeable in Oriel character , thus the Pickles are marginalise as Rose is forced to leave school because they don't have enough money because of Sam's faith in the shifty shadow, which is symbolic of his gambling addiction, causing his family to go through many bad issues alcoholism, anorexia and bad relationship like the hate relationship between Rose and Dolly. Sandy Forbes reviewer of Cloudstreet believes "...faith was an essential," (Sandy Forbes, (13-4-1991) With love, from a time when life was simpler. Canberra Times. p.88). Thus the reader is positioned to acknowledge the ideology that working hard will benefit your family. The reader is positioned to respect the Lambs for their strength and sympathise with the Pickles for the hard ship they endure.

The ideology of the family values is represented in the society of Cloud street. The God-fearing Lambs "Lambs of God" (Sandy Forbes, With love, from a time when life was simpler. Canberra Times, 13-4-1991, p.88) make many sacrifices which is symbolic of the sacrifice of lamb for their religion mean and the name is also has religious connotation to it, thus benefits them as they have good work ethics. This ideology is epitomises by the whole family as they all are apart of the business at one stage or another, hence forming a tight family bond, hence the Lambs have family values of work ethic, respect and belonging, therefore their attitude to life is modest, assertive and hard working "They'll know there're Lambs; they know to treat others with a mixture of pity and respect. And what's more, they'll always come back with change." (page 28). Winton Represent the Lambs as being hard working as