Tim Winton's "Cloudstreet" is a masterpiece in the way that it is written and interpreted through different contexts. Winton's language and form creates textual integrity, conveying his messages of family, religion and life successfully on different levels relevant to a variety of readers. Religious readings, such as those by Michael Goonan, focus on the supernatural and religious meanings defining the lives of Winton's characters such as Sam, Quick and Fish who all experience paranormal and unexplainable events. A feminist perspective however reveals ideas on the role of men and women in Australia, as Winton's female characters are depicted as the steady providers that centre the unstable lives of their families.

"Cloudstreet" is written as a family saga spanning over four generations to convey its universal messages of family on multiple levels. Winton's novel, written as a flashback in Fish's memory, creates a circular structure from the death of...