The novel Cloudstreet by Tim Winton is the epic story of two Australian families" whose lives come together. We share the experiences of these two fictional families through the duration of their lives on Cloud Street. Through the construction of setting, plot and character the families" lives proved powerfully real. The themes conveyed and the authors use of language also adds to the realist feel bringing across ideals of family, love and Australian culture. .
The setting in which the novel takes place proved to be the first construction Winton used in order to convey a realistic narrative. We first meet the families in two small towns in Western Australia, the Lambs in Margaret River and the Pickles in Geraldton. This acknowledgement of these towns appeals to Australian readers as they are able to relate to them, as they are places they know. " through Nedlands, Shenton Park, and Subiaco." The Australian bush is portrayed strongly throughout the text, establishing to the audience the fact the family also shares the Australian culture and surroundings thus producing a very real environment. Readers are able to visualize the novels setting making it easier to label the character and their situations as real. " past the dusty red bushland- The joining of the two families also produced a very real scenario. Readers relate to Perth in Western Australia because it is a capital city; however the smaller detail such as the name and number of the families" house proves to be effective as it personalizes their surrounding. " .There it is number one Cloud Street." The river also proves to be a realistic effect as the Swan River in Perth is the heart of the city; it also seemed to be held close to the hearts of both the Pickles" and the Lambs". "But here, here by the river, the beautiful, the beautiful the river, the Lambs and the Pickleses are lighting up the morning like a dream- Historical events mentioned in the text such as Lester Lamb's involvement in World War Two, expressed the ideal that he was a true Australian fighting for his country.