Throughout Cloudstreet, there are numerous concepts that portray the Australian cultural identity as Winton attempts to tell a story of the "typical Australian". …show more content…
In Cloudstreet, Winton has effectively used the role of the woman and the man to express more modern attitudes and values of Australian life. Prime example of this are Lester and Oriel, the stereotypical man of the house, usually expected to go out, and work hard for money to support his family, and come home to his wife and kids, instead in Cloudstreet, he plays the complete opposite role. Lester is portrayed as a sensitive man who cooks and cleans regularly, whereas Oriel, his wife, has most of the control over the household and the one who wears the pants between both of them. Oriel is the compliment of Lester, as she has all the qualities you would expect to find in a man, she is strong, independent and determined, working hard to improve the family business. As it can be seen, Winton has effectively taken a step away from the traditional stereotypes of, "the man and woman of the house," and presented to readers the "typical Aussie household". Cloudstreet can also be observed 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 …show more content…
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. This allows readers to identify significant developments in the