The short story "Neighbours" by Tim Winton, produces stereotypes and assumptions that somewhat contradict his original message that multi-culturalism is a good thing. These stereotypes are that of class and culture. He subconsciously does this however, but his negative views towards European migrants and higher-class society is present, because of previous experience that he has had in his life. .
When Winton first discusses the newlyweds, he creates them as being very snobbish and looking down on everyone else, whereas this may not be true in real life. He shows that they are of an upper-class when he writes 'The young man and women had lived all their lives in the expansive other suburbs where good neighbours were seldom seen and never heard.' It tells us that they are used to quiet, upper-class neighborhoods where everyone kept to themselves, and people noticed instead of criticising. This is stereotypically a very posh area that the young couple may have lived in. In the first line, Winton writes how they feel when they enter their new, "lower" neighbourhood. 'When they first moved in the young couple were wary of the neighbourhood. The street was full of European migrants.' This shows that straightaway, without any knowledge about their neighbours other than the fact that they are European migrants, they are cautious of them as if they could do them harm, instead of being warm and inviting to them. This stereotype of upper-class people may have come from Winton's background where he grew up with people that may have acted like that. Also, how Winton creates the parents again shows the stereotype of how he thinks all upper-class people are snobs. ' their parents came to visit and to cast shocked glances across the fence.' .
Again, this class stereotype may well have come from Winton's previous experience with people such as these, when the reality is they aren't all bad people. One final case of this class stereotype is in the fifth paragraph, talking about advice that the neighbours give to the young man.
