Tim Winton's short story Neighbours

 Neighbours

[The Writer : Tim Winton]

Introduction of the story :

Tim Winton is an Australian writer. This particular story was first published in 1985, in his collection 'Scission'.

As a part of Australian literature here the writer is presenting the problems and prejudices of living in a multicultural and multilingual society, and how to overcome such problems.

It is a story of interaction of a newly married couple who have come to live in a multicultural society.

In the beginning neither do they understand each other's language, nor do they like them. 

But by the end all the prejudices melt away because of the love and  a sense of belongingness of the neighbours and the newly wed couple.

This story proves that linguistic and cultural barriers can never stop people from loving and being compassionate (feeling or showing concern for others/ caring) to each other.

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Summary :

This story is about a young new couple who have settled into an Australian neighbourhood. Lots of  European immigrants (a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country) also live there. As they (the migrants) have come from different parts and places, they have different cultures, languages and lifestyles.

This story shows how in the beginning the newly-wed couple think themselves to be superior than their neighbours, but gradually they realize that their neighbours might not have decent manners, they are friendly, helpful and nice neighbours.

In the beginning the couple was wary (alert/ cautious) of the neighbours. Before coming here they used to live in the suburbs where people didn't interact much with each other, and were not good neighbours. 

Although people in the neighbourhood were from different parts, the two immediate neighbours of the couple were a Macedonian family and an old Polish widower. 

The Macedonian family always shouted as if they quarrelling. Their little boy urinated in the street. The Polish widower used to make irritating noise by hammering nails into wood, but making nothing.

Another thing that the couple did not like about the neighbours was that they used to interfere in their (couple's) works and personal life. They used to suggest them and even help them just without being asked for. 

For example, when in the autumn the couple planted onions, cabbages and things like that in their backyard, the neighbours visited them uninvited with lots of un wanted suggestions. 

The young man and the young woman did not like their neighbours at all.

On the other side, the neighbours also took the new couple strange. They thought it to be odd that the couple used to get up so late in the morning. They also felt it strange that the husband stayed at home, and the wife used to go out for work.

In this way both the young couple and their neighbours were prejudiced against each other. 

But time never stops, and with every change of time there comes many changes in every situation.

Similarly with the passage of time, seasons changed. Gradually the prejudice of both the sides started to melt. There came a positive attitude in their relationship. They started to smile at each other, and started to exchange little gifts. 

Then there came the pregnancy. The young woman became pregnant. Very soon the news spread out in the whole neighbourhood. The neighbours expressed their pleasure in many ways. 

The neighbours smiled at them more often. They brought gifs for them (for couple), and expressed heir best wishes. They tried to be nice to them in every way.

Then came the labour pain. The actual child birth was very painful. The young man was curious to have a look of the child. His wife showed it, it was a baby boy. Their neighbours were shouting and cheering and congratulating them.

The young man was overwhelmed by behaviour of his neighbours towards. His novels had never taught this reality of life him. They were so nice and kind, and tears came out of his eyes.

Thus this is a story of transition (change). When the young couple came to stay in the neighbourhood, they had a very negative attitude towards the neighbours, but by the end, there came a change in what they thought. Their notion (opinion/ view) changed towards their neighbours. They accepted that the neighbours were really nice people.

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Pointwise Breakdown of the Story :

 1. The Couple : Moving into a New Neighbourhood :

The lead characters of this story are a newly wed couple. The young woman was perhaps a doctor or a nurse (because she talked about patients and hospital etc.). The young man was a student, writing his thesis. The topic of his thesis was the development of 20th century novel.

 The story starts when they came to live in a place which was full of different European migrants. 

They had come to settle there from an expensive outer suburb, and naturally they didn't like their new place. There were other differences too.

The neighbours in this new place were quite different than their former neighbours. There were people from different countries, with different culture and languages living there. 

When the couple came to live there, they didn't like the new neighbours. They were wary (alert/ cautious) of them (neighbours). 

2. Neighbours : Varied and Diversed:

All the neighbours of the newly wed man and woman were European migrants, coming from different countries, and so naturally they were from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. There was a diversity (including people from different social and ehtenic backgrounds) there.

The immediate neighbours were the Macedonian (from Macedonia, in the southeastern Europe) family, who lived on the left, and a Polish (a person from Poland) widower, who lived on the right side.

The newly wed couple neither liked their both next neighbours, nor did they like other people in the living in the neighbourhood.

3. What were the Neighbours Like ?

Since the newly married couple married couple came to live there, they could not like people living there. In fact they didn't like the mannerism (the habitual way of speaking or behaving of people) of the neighbours. They had different ways of behaving which the newly wed couple didn't like.

For example, the Macedonian family shouted and screamed all the day long. They used to speak in high tone. It was just difficult to make difference whether they were just talking or quarrelling. Their child used to urinate on the street. 

The old Polish man used to work the whole day with salvaged wood in the yard, but he didn't make any thing. He only used to make a lot of noise the whole day, and no achievements. Some neighbour would walk with his frightening dog.

The next thing that the couple didn't like of their neighbours was that they were much of interfering (taking unnecessary and unusual interest in the matters of others) nature. 

The couple felt it to be a violation of their privacy. 

4. The Prejudice and The Uncomfortable Relations :

From the very beginning the newly wed couple came to stay there, they were wary of the neighbours. Neither did they like them, nor did they like their mannerism. In short they were prejudiced against them from the beginning.

But this prejudice was not one sided. The nieghbours were also prejudices against them. For example, they felt it to be strange that the young woman used to go out for work, and the man used to stay at home. Or, they didn't like that the young couple used get up late in the morning. 

In this way, the relationship between the two sides was not friendly. There was an uncomfortable relationship between the two.

5. Changing Season, Changing Relation Relationship : Drawing Closer :

It is a story of transformation and change. So in it we find internal change : emotional change, and change in attitude of the characters. There is a gradual change in the attitudes of both the parties. 

The main conflict between the two groups was that of "life style and values".

With the change of time and season their prejudice started to fade away (slowly  disappear) gradually..

Now they started to smile back to each other, and started to exchange goods (little gifts). The newly wed couple learnt many things related to gardening from them, and the Polish person rebuilt their hen house for them.

In this way gradually they gained each other's confidence which helped them coming nearer. The initial interference of the neighbours turned to be little works of kindness for the couple.

6. The Unplanned Pregnancy :

Then comes the pregnancy, although it was unplanned. As it was natural, the news didn't remain a secret at all in the neighbourhood. All the neighbours came to know about it. 

Now they became still more careful to the young lady.

They started to give her small presents like chocolates and other things like that. The woman next door knitted baby suit for the coming child. Some Italian women began to suggest names for the coming child. The Polish man came with lots of wood-scraps for their stove. 

Such little acts and unconditional love and affection won the hearts of the young couple.

7. The Labour Pain and the Childbirth :

Then one day the labour pain started abruptly (suddenly and unexpectedly). The midwife came and started to help her. It was evening. 

As the young man went outside for more wood, he saw his neighbours were standing there. Twelve of them were there. They waved and expressed their best wishes. 

The young woman had lots of pain. The young man the and midwife helped her feel comfortable. Then came the pushing. It was extremely painful.

Finally she gave birth. He was eager to know whether it was a baby boy or girl ---- it was a baby boy. The baby was sucking milk.

Outside the young man saw on the Macedonian side his neighbours were cheering. Tears came out of the eyes of the young man at seeing the love, friendship and the affection of his neighbours, whom he had never liked since they had come to live in the new neighbourhood. 

8. The Young Man's Realization :

Here the young man realizes that although they didn't understand each other's language, although their (neighbours') manners were not sophisticated, although their (neighbour's) way of behaving was unrefined, but basically they were nice people. 

They had love and friendliness in them. They knew to be happy with the happiness of their neighbours, and sad with the neighbours' sadness. They were always ready to help people in need. They were really good neighbours. 

His twentieth century novels never taught him this reality of life, and finally tears rolled down from his eyes.

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Exercises

Before reading :  

Discuss the following questions :

a. How many languages are spoken in your community? Do people in your community understand each other's mother tongue ?

Answer : I live in a multicultural and multilingual society. Three dominant languages are spoken here -- Nepali, Magar and Newari languages.

Yes, because of long association of living together, mostly people understand each other's language, although some can't speak back back all the languages.

  b. How do the neighbours help each other in your neighbourhood ?

Answer : All my neighbours are very cooperative. They help each other in every need. May it be happy occasions like marriage or threading ceremony, or it may be sad moments like death of someone in any family. That is the beauty of my neighbourhood.

Understanding the text :

Answer the following questions :

a. Describe how the young couple's house looked like ?

Answer : Their house was small. But its high ceilings and paned windows made the house look like an elegant cottage  Their study window used to give a wide outside look.

b. How did the young couple identify their neighbours in beginning of their arrival ?

Answer : In the beginning the couple had an entirely negative attitude towards their neighbours. 

They used to spit out side, some of them spoke loudly, almost as if they were quarrelling with each other, and the little boy next door used to make water on the street. 

Thus the new couple thought the neighbours to be uncivilized manner less people.

c. How did the neighbours help the young couple in the kitchen garden ?

Answer : In the autumn the young couple set up their kitchen garden, and planted several vegetables. 

As it was not properly done, the neighbours suggested them about things like spacing, hilling, mulching etc. The big woman with black eyes gave the young lady a bagful of garlic cloves to plant.

d. Why were the people in the neighbourhood surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their family ?

Answer : The couple and their neighbours had different values and lifestyles. The neighbours were habituated and followed the traditional gender roles -- that is, males going out for earning bread, and females being a typical house wife. 

On the opposite, the young lady used to go out for work, and the man remaining at home, studying and doing house chores (works as cleaning, washing, cooking etc.).

For this reason the neighbours were so surprised.

e. How did the neighbours respond to the woman's pregnancy ?

Answer : The neighbours expressed their joy and happiness at the pregnancy. They helped them in different ways. They used to smile at them very often.

 They gave them several presents from chocolates to newly knit baby suit. The Macedonian family waved and cheered at the time of labour pain, and even after the delivery, they cheered and expressed their joy.

f. Why did the young man begin to weep at the end of the story ?

Answer : From the very beginning the neighbours had been showing positive and friendly vibes towards the young couple. Although the couple was slowly recognizing the friendly gestures, but still they had some prejudices against them (neighbours). 

When the man saw the family expressing their pleasure at the baby-birth, he was overwhelmed (touched) by their genuine (real/ true) love and affection towards them, he began to weep.

g. Why do you think the author didn't characterize the persons in the story with proper names ?

Answer : The author didn't reveal the names of the characters because he wanted to generalize the issue. He wants to present the characters as a role model of how neighbours should behave with each other, particularly in such a multicultural society.

Reference to the Context :

a. The story shows that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human relationship. Cite some examples from the story where the neighbours have transcended such barriers.

Answer : The bond of relationship doesn't need factors like linguistic or cultural advantages or assistance. Even if one lives in a different culture, not understanding the language at all, human relationship develops there too.

The newly wed couple came to live in a neighbourhood full of European migrants. They had different cultures and life styles. They didn't even understand each others' language. They exchanged only in broken languages. Still finally they won each others' hearts.

May it be the neighbours helping them with their kitchen garden, or giving gifts like chocolates, or the woman next door knitting baby suit for the coming child, or at the end, the Macedonian family cheering after the baby birth -- all these are examples that they transcended (going beyond usual limits) all the linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and the new couple also started to smile back at the neighbours. 

b. The last sentence of the story reads "The twentieth century novel had not prepared him for this." In your view, what differences did the young man find between twentieth century novels and human relations ?

Answer : His (research on the) 20th century novels had only presented with an untruthful picture about Europe. He had developed a negative attitude of Europe or European people. 

But after living in the neighbourhood with different European migrants, gradually he changed his idea about them.  

Finally, the cheering faces of the his neighbours made him understand and accept the reality that they were not as bad as presented in the novels. 

This was the difference he found between the two.

c. A Nepali proverb says "Neighbours are companions for wedding procession as well as for funeral procession." Does this proverb apply in the story ?

Answer : The simple meaning of this proverb is that our neighbours always stand beside us in all our happinesses  and sorrowful days.  We share both our successes, pleasures and griefs with our neighbours. Our relatives may or may not be present at the time of our need, but our neighbours are always there.    

This proverb exactly applies in this story. The newly wed couple didn't have any experience of life. The neighbours taught them many things. Later when they knew about the pregnancy, they shared their happinesses, and were also with the couple at the difficult time of the child birth.

d. The author has dealt with an issue of multiculturalism in the story. Why do you think multiculturalism has become a major issue in the present world ?

Answer : 

What is Multiculturalism : 

Multiculturalism is the presence of several cultural and ethnic  groups within a society. In such a situation all the cultural, racial and ethnic groups have equal rights and opportunities. 

The major problem in such a society is learning about these various groups, and building trust and respect for each other. It needs a broad understanding among the society. 

Multiculralism has both challenges and opportunities. Apart from political issues, sometimes people with different cultural identities fail to understand each other. Misunderstanding can lead to fear and this leads to different prejudices, intolerance and mistreatment. 

Reference beyond the text :

a. Write an essay on Celebration of childbirth in my Community.

Answer : A new born baby brings a pleasure to every family and society. There is no culture where there is no birth ceremony is observed. The same is in my culture too. The only difference is the way of celebration which depends upon geography, cast and culture.

There are several childbirth celebrations observed in our society. Some of them are prenatal (during the pregnancy and before childbirth) and some of them are post natal (after the birth of the baby) celebrations. 

Leaving aside all the other celebrations, I shall mention only three of the celebrations :  Chhathi, Nwaran and Barahi . Chatti is obsrved on the 6th day, Nwaran is celebrated on the 8th day of birth for girls and 9th for boys, and Barahi is celebrated 12th day of the child birth.

Chhathi is celebrated on the sixth day after a child is born. Relatives and neighbours gather together on this occasion. This celebration is also known as 'Pasni'. This celebration is primarily for women and is timed to take place late at night.

It is believed that Vidata (God of destiny) enters quietly in the house, and writes the destiny of the new baby. So, on this day a new pen and paper is kept under the child's pillow, so that Vidata would write the baby's luck.

The next important celebration is Nwaran. Basically, it is naming celebration. A priest is invited to give the child a name according to the birth details and horoscope of the child. This celebration is celebrated with lots feast and pleasure.

[Nwaran Ceremony]

Barahi is another very important birth-celebration. This celebration falls on the 12th day of the baby's birth. After several rituals, in the evening guests arrive and are served with food and drinks. The participation of relatives from sides emphasizes the ritual.

These are only a few celebrations observed in my community after child birth.

b. Do people in your community respond with similar reactions upon the pregnancy and childbirth as depicted (presented) in the story ? 

Answer : Yes, people in my community also respond with similar reactions upon the pregnancy and child-birth. 

Typically the first response is congratulating. Mostly agemates (people of about the same age) tease the would be mother. Elderly ladies come up with several advices based on their experiences. Some close friends sometimes offer some dishes to the would be mother. 

Depending upon how close one is to the person, people respond in several ways. All pregnancies are occasions for joy and happiness.

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