Neighbours by Tim Winton

Summary for Class 12 NEB Students

Tim Winton’s short story Neighbours presents the experience of a newly married young couple who move from an isolated outer suburb into a densely populated inner-city area of Australia. In their new surroundings, they are immediately confronted with cultural diversity, as most of their neighbours are European migrants, including a Macedonian family and a Polish widower. At the beginning, the couple feels uncomfortable and even irritated by their neighbours’ habits, lifestyles, and ways of working. Their reactions reflect a sense of prejudice, fear of difference, and emotional distance. They prefer to remain isolated, believing that their neighbours are strange, untidy, and incompatible with their own values. This initial phase highlights how unfamiliar cultures often create misunderstanding when viewed through limited experience.

As time passes, the couple slowly becomes involved in the life of the neighbourhood. Practical needs, such as maintaining a vegetable garden and a henhouse, bring them into regular contact with their neighbours. Through everyday interactions, they begin to observe the kindness, cooperation, and practical wisdom of the migrant families. The neighbours offer help without expectation, share advice, and include the couple in communal life. Gradually, the young couple’s attitude changes from suspicion to acceptance. They begin to communicate despite language barriers and discover that shared human concerns—work, food, family, and survival—are stronger than cultural differences. This transformation marks a significant transition in their understanding of community and belonging.

The turning point of the story occurs when the young woman becomes pregnant. The news spreads quickly through the neighbourhood, and the response is immediate and heartfelt. The neighbours celebrate the pregnancy, provide gifts, and offer guidance based on their own experiences. When the baby is born, the entire community rejoices, expressing collective happiness and emotional support. The young man, deeply moved, realises that his earlier assumptions about migrants were flawed. The story concludes with the recognition that compassion, cooperation, and shared humanity can overcome prejudice and isolation. Neighbours ultimately conveys the message that cultural diversity enriches society and that peaceful coexistence depends on understanding, openness, and mutual respect.

Glossary

• Macedonian: Related to Macedonia, a country in south-eastern Europe; used here to show cultural background.

• Moreton Bay: A coastal area in eastern Australia, representing the story’s physical setting.

• Moulting: The natural process of shedding feathers or hair as new growth appears.

• Grappa: A strong alcoholic drink made from grapes, common in parts of Europe.

• Eccentric: Behaving in ways that seem unusual or different from the norm.

• Muscovy: A large type of duck, often raised for domestic purposes.

• Claustrophobic: Feeling uncomfortable or anxious in small or crowded places.

• Liverwurst: A type of sausage made from liver and meat, common in European cuisine.

• Croon: To sing or speak softly in a gentle, soothing manner.

• Vernix: A white, protective layer on a newborn baby’s skin at birth.

Several languages are spoken in my community, such as Nepali, Tharu, and Newari. People generally understand one another’s mother tongue to some extent, especially the intended meaning of daily communication. When people belong to different linguistic backgrounds, Nepali is commonly used as a linking language.

Neighbours in my neighbourhood help one another in various ways during difficult times. People face different kinds of problems in everyday life, and neighbours often provide emotional support, practical help, and cooperation whenever needed.

👉 View All Chapter Notes of Class 12 English

The young couple’s house looked like a small cottage with a high ceiling and paned windows. Its structure gave them a sense of comfort and elegance, making it a pleasant place to live.

At the beginning of their arrival, the young couple perceived themselves as strangers and felt like sojourners in a foreign land while observing their neighbours.

The neighbours helped the young couple in the kitchen garden by advising them on spacing, hilling, and mulching. The Polish widower rebuilt their henhouse, and a strong woman with black eyes gave them a bagful of garlic cloves to plant.

The people in the neighbourhood were surprised to learn that the young couple was expecting a baby so early, as many of their friends had not had children until several years after marriage.

The neighbours responded very positively to the woman's pregnancy. They were happy for the couple and offered small gifts to express their joy and support.

The young man began to weep when he saw a small group of neighbours standing behind a fence, cheering joyfully at the birth of his baby. Their genuine happiness deeply moved him.

The author did not use proper names to present the characters as universal figures who represent common human relationships and social values rather than individual identities.

The story Neighbours clearly shows that linguistic and cultural differences do not prevent meaningful human relationships. Although the young couple initially lived in a multicultural society, they gradually developed close bonds with their neighbours. Several examples illustrate this idea:

The sentence, "The twentieth-century novel had not prepared him for this," suggests that the young man had not expected such kindness and cooperation from his neighbours. In many twentieth-century novels, human relationships are portrayed as distant, selfish, and fragmented. However, in real life, he experienced warmth, generosity, and strong community support, which challenged his earlier assumptions.

Yes, the proverb perfectly applies to the story. The neighbours stood by the couple during both ordinary and significant moments in life. They helped them with farming, supported them during pregnancy, and celebrated the birth of the child. This shows that neighbours can be as supportive as family members in both joyful and difficult times.

Multiculturalism has become a major issue due to globalization, migration, and advancements in communication technology. People from different cultural backgrounds now live together in many societies while maintaining their unique identities. Multiculturalism promotes mutual respect, cultural exchange, and social harmony. Countries like the United States and Australia are examples of multicultural societies where diverse cultures coexist.

Pregnancy and childbirth are culturally significant events in Nepali society. Customs, rituals, and strong family involvement surround them. Pregnant women receive care, guidance, and emotional support from family members. After childbirth, ceremonies such as naming rituals, baby showers, and religious rites are organized to celebrate the arrival of the child.

In rural areas, people respond warmly and sincerely to pregnancy and childbirth, much like in the story. Neighbours offer advice, help during delivery, and celebrate together. However, in urban areas, such responses are less common because people are often busy with their personal lives. Only close relatives and neighbours actively participate in such celebrations. Despite this difference, childbirth continues to bring joy and vitality to society.