Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton is the best Australian novel I’ve read in several years. I preface that by saying I don’t read many Australian novels, having been disappointed in the past and wishing to “travel” through my reading.
That said, Winton’s Western Australian setting is unique enough for me to enjoy the experience and his writing is simply superb.
The book traces the fortunes and misfortunes of two rural families who move to the big smoke of Perth after different tragedies. Chronic gambler and loser Sam Pickles lost one hand in a boating accident, while the vivacious favorite son in the Lamb family, named Fish, became retarded after nearly drowning. The time setting is over two decades from 1945.
The relevance of the timeframe is that Sam inherited a large house in Perth, with a sensible covenant that he couldn’t sell it for 20 years. Everyone expected him to sell the house when the time came to cover his gambling debts.
The Pickles need money and rent out half the house to the Lambs. It’s literally split down the middle, including the back yard.
The Lambs are industrious and teetotal. The Pickles are mostly lazy and the mother, Dolly, is an alcoholic. The Lambs convert their front room into a general store and although they live poor, accumulate money and do well for themselves in their own eccentric way.
The families gradually become closer together over time. The marriage of Rose Pickles to Quick Lamb consolidates the union.
A strength of this novel is Winton’s clever development of characters and their sensitive portrayal, including the less desirable ones. Even the minor players have personalities that become likeable. The retarded boy, Fish, commands love as much as pity.
There is much humor. Sam’s philosophy in life is to believe in the “shifting shadow” of luck. He wins rarely and becomes resigned to handing over his salary from the Mint each week to the bookies. A pig given to the Lambs for Christmas fare becomes a pet and “talks” to Fish.
Part of the appeal of this book for me was the credibility of the characters; their language and idiosyncrasies. I saw some of my father’s family from the same era in both families.
Winton writes with a tight narrative, which always flows logically and in a captivating way that teases you into turning the next page.
His use of dreams and a cameo “Blackfella” confused me a little, but didn’t distract from the overall mood. I understood the imagery of a resident ghost in the house. She represented the spirit of the home, which was initially dark and gloomy. She disappeared when Rose and Quick created a window in the library and moved in with their baby Harry, thereby bringing the families together in love and happiness.
The cover of this book describes it as a “modern Australian classic”. I have to agree.
These articles might be of interest:
Freud once said:
“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”
In a more relevant sense:
Sometimes a pig is just a pig.
End of discussion.
YOU ARE ALL MAD
I personally thought Cloudstreet was an interesting book, one that I enjoyed quite a lot. I was just wondering if anybody had an opinion on the clearly non-realistic events i.e. Quick glowing, the 'jitterbugging' spirits etc. etc. and how they relate to your reading of the text.
For me to properly make meaning I was forced to conclude that this text was not meant to be a realistic portrayal of life in 1940s/50s/60s Perth, but rather a commentary on themes such as the importance of family and place.
You have all amused me so much. Winton's "Cloudstreet" is in my personal opinion lacking many qualities a universal timeless masterpiece consists of, is such a thing is truly obtainable. William Scholl, your comments are truly hilarious. First of all, life is no adventure, it is a sickness cast upon the evil of this world by black depths who write punishment in the blood of others. Second of all, I have also experienced the misery of others in Trivandrum, India, and my conclusions are that their are no miseries at all. These people are in Heavenly bliss. "Cloudstreet" is merely a metaphor of such life in a formation were the sick of our society can relate. "Cloudstreet" frames the sickly society that you are all stuck in, even you too William. If I was a smarter man I would not have posted this.
There is no real plot to it.
So why is it called the Great Australian NOVEL?
Its just a long winding history insight.
Tim Winton,
Not The Best WA Writer.
well…i thought it was brillant
i really enjoyed reading it!
Clearly those of you who keep saying this book is shit and lacks plot cannot see past the literal levels. This book os so full of subverted plot you cant possibly catch on to it all without reading it a number of times and critically analysing it through a number of readings. It annoys me that people just say its shit when clearly they arent using their brains. Stop abusing tim winton to vent your own frustration and lacking understanding of a very deep book.
y should u have to read it more than once to get it. whats the point of that
i reckon his editor should have like cut out the first few chapters?
its so boring, there are too many trifle details that don’t build up to the plot and the magical realism in the book is stupid..
a talking pig? utterly random.
and timmy himself has said that he didnt use the pig as a technique! he claims none of the stuff in his books are literary devices!
the characters are crude and utterly lame (esp the blackfella).
too many characters! the picles family is so big i almost forgot there was a ted until the part he died..
but yeah there’e some good points such as the circular narrative which he managed SOMEHOW to pull off, the symbolism of the house and river..
thinks that abt it lol
THEY SHOULD JUST CUT THE BOOK OUT. ITS not worth studying during schools days because there’re so many pages its insane.
I think that some of the posts on this are really unfair. The ones saying that this book is not bad are not very true. I am sure I speak on behalf on many HSC Advanced English students who possess more than 10 brain cells between them and their teachers when I say that this novel, no wait not a novel, this dead tree has some dignity.
The concept of a talking pig is as useful as windscreen wipers on a submarine. Although it adds an element of humour and bacon there is no point. I mean to say, what’s the f*%^ing point. How does your meal talking back to you enrich your life at all…
I’ve never been too fond of living in a refugee shelter, but this Oriel Lamb seems hell bent on living with the pigs in the most deplorable conditions known to man.
I’d rate this book 7 out of 10 if it weren’t for senseless strings of idiosyncrasies. But taking this into account I’d rate it roughly 3.791 out of 100.
P.S. This is a positive comment… not.
I had to read this book for English (Goddam i hate english). Pretty much everyone in my class thought it was boring and hard to follow. And so did I. But the way it was written was quite interesting though. The book is more spiritual based and the language used is unique.
But in my opinion, it’s one of those books that if i HAD to read it, i’d only read it once and get it done and over with. That doesn’t mean, however, that this book is crap. most of you people are just complaining about the book due to it’s length and confusing language. Sure it’s long and confusing sometimes, but it’s the symbolism of the book that makes it a masterpiece. if you think it’s crap, thats fair enough, but thats your opinion, not the public’s opinion.
I read the first chapter of Cloudstreet, and was so irritated by its lack of climactic tension in threw it right back to the library, but then decided to read the script instead. Let me tell you, IT WAS AMAZING. It made me cry. So do read the play if you get a chance. Much much better.
Cloudstreet is eliquent in its brevity… with little development of plot. Winton spends the entire booktrying his hardest to convince the audience he is actually a good writer… even at the basic level of buffoonery he fails miserably… whilst taking away from the small underlying themes he develops within it…..
For example… Potentially the xenophobic nature of existance as expressesd through sams narrow viewpoint could intiate stimulation of a brain cell but winton even kills this idea…..
try harder next time winton ps i liked dirt music????
this book would have to be one of the best i have ever read. my english teacher gave it to my class to read, n it was inspiring and trippy.there are bits of it that i still dont get but over all, i really loved it and plan on reading his newest one called, water? i think lol anyways a recommend it. pretty good for an aussie story.
haha this is so funny, hearing all these bitches having a bitch about each other haha but they are all from 3 years ago…does someone want 2 explain to me the symbolism of the house (cloudstreet) cheers..
everybody that says they hate this book is honestly an idiot.
if you put your heart into it it is impossible to hate. it gives you this warm feeling; its the greatest thing ever written and its such a shame some of you cant understand that.
im in year 12 i read it and im not a nerd who is like weirdo into school work. give it a chance, because what this book gives you back is amazing.
and it lacking a plot as it has been quoted is hilarious.
its underneath the words the true story lies. Fish is the story.
The gift he finally gives at the end is the perfect closure and symbolism of reconciliation.
Its awkward’ way of been written and use of language is only a facade to uncover the true story.
So i think its good not everybody truly understands the ‘true story’ its almost an exclusive story. And it takes time and analysing to truly understand it.
The house represents the union for both the families. However, it is personified to give it spiritality and mysticism which elevates the importance of ‘home’ in ones life. The house also carries with it the memories of the Aborignal girls (”Back in Time” page 35); imperatively only Fish is able to see and communicate with the dead girls whilst he plays the piano which perhaps may represent that the past still encapsulates this house and it has yet not been accepted by everyone (including both the faimiles) as their ‘home’, which in it self indicates ones search for ‘home’ in their lives. Recognise, that ones Quick and Rose are married and Fish ‘dies’ the ghosts of the dea leave, indicating that this house is a ‘home’ (note the difference between ‘house’ and ‘home’)
I hope that helped; whoever asked that question. By the way, this is a great book, even though it is gravely multiplistic in its’ structure; it can be read in many different perspectives.
I am studying Cloudstreet now in Year 12 and I love it! It’s the best text we’ve done all year, our teacher was definitely saving the best for last! 10 out of 10 for a wonderful book Tim Winton!
P.S I expect the people that are unhappy with Cloudstreet (those at the very top of this comments section) would be better off reading Winton’s childrens books, they seem to be in that reading range.
This book is drivel.
No seriously, it really is. Cloudstreet is most tedious, pathetic excuse for a book that has been my misfortune to encounter.
Go on, I dare someone to convince me otherwise.
i didnt actually study the text,
but i saw it in a production and i thought it was GREAT!!
i would love to read it though because it was so captivating, knowing that it was set in perth wa, made it all that much better, to relate.
+ in production the rauchiness becomes unbearable!
:S
i’ll let you know tho how it goes after i read it
p.s. maybe this is the same for those who hate it, but when i have to study a text in class and do an analysis i begin to hate it with a vengance!
good luck though to ppl with exams etc