Noah Macinante & James Jarrett


Magical Realism: is a genre where magic elements
are a natural part in an otherwise mundane,
realistic environment. Although it is most
commonly used as a literary genre, magic realism
also applies to film and the visual arts.
Magical Realism is important in Cloudsteet
because Winton is trying to show that ordinary life
is shot through with the extraordinary. The
magical parts of this book allow spirituality and
the inexplicable to become elements of everyday
life.

The Pig, represented the connection Fish had with
the spiritual world, this is of particular significance
when Lester describes the pig as Pentecostal when
Fish is talking to it and saying he can understand
it, this is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit,
which was often linked with people speaking in
tongues and others interpreting them. This idea
then continues on when Quick leaves and the pig
stops speaking which is a representation, via the
connection between the pig and Fish, of Fish’s
level of happiness with the family and Quicks
absence.



The Pig shows great importance in the novel, and has
his own chapter (p-128-131)
Lester notices that the Pig talks to Fish and calls the Pig
Pentecostal Pig. This blends the words of traditional
religion with the magic of the talking pig.
Winton's work is didactic, trying to teach us to see the
real world as more than we can usually see with our
own eyes. With Fish's eyes and ears we see and hear
the Pig. With Lester's sensitivity to spiritual things and
his love and relationship with Fish he makes the
clearest comment about the magic and miraculous
world that Winton reveals over and over in the novel:
"Always the miracles you don't need. It's not a simple
world Fish. It's not."

The Birds, they are also a significant spiritual
representation. It is biblically linked to the novel in
reference to the story of Noahs Ark, focusing on
the segment of the story when the dove returns to
Noah with the branch telling him that there is
ground, which means the birds in the story
represent spiritual freedom. This symbolises the
recovery Rose is undertaking while Dolly is going
through the ritual of feeding the birds on the back
step, allowing Rose spiritual freedom.


Like the halo in religious pictures that show holy people,
Sam arrives home "looking radiant and proud and pretty
well sober" with the bird called Stan. When Winton
describes the way the Pickles accept the bird and Dolly
predicts he will be a money box at Christmas the reader
laughs along with the Pickles'.
"Stan crapped out three pennies and a shilling . . . two days
before Christmas'. The miracle of the prediction blends in
with the magic of a bird shitting coins and because of the
way Winton uses the magic realism form everywhere in this
book - we are invited to believe in the miracle. It is a great
part of the books appeal and teaches the reader that miracles
are part of everyday. It reflects Winton's own life and faith
perspectives and beliefs.