Cloudstreet illustrates the role of culture in making people feel psychologically and emotionally at home. Discuss." .
Tim Winton's Post-Colonial novel Cloudstreet adopts some techniques to illustrate the role of culture in making people feel psychologically and emotionally at home. Through the strategic use of minor characters and Indigenous culture, Winton adds depth to both the intimate and broader cultures utilised in the novel. By adopting the modern technique 'stream of consciousness,' Winton further illustrates the vitality of culture as a role in influencing the characters' well-being. .
Through the use of minor characters, Winton represents in depth the broader Suburban Perth culture and examines its impact on the character's perspectives of home. For a portion of the novel, Rose associates with women who earn their own incomes and support themselves, claiming that they don't "need men." These women represent the emergence of the rising independency of women that began to form in Australian Post-War society. Though embracing the values of the Suburban Perth culture to some degree, Rose eventually left to return to Cloudstreet where she experienced emotional peace through embracing interdependence instead of following popular cultural expectations. Through the use of these minor characters, Winton compared the culture of Cloudstreet with the broader Australia, intending to demonstrate to the audience that Rose's emotional belonging rested in the culture of Cloudstreet rather than in the booming environment of Suburban Perth. This perspective is also experienced by other characters such as Dolly, who admits that without Cloudstreet she "wouldn't know where else to go." Thus, Winton illustrates that feeling belonged and 'at home' is dependent upon the specific culture that one embraces, indicating that culture has a significant role in the development of these feelings.
