Traditional Ideologies :: essays research papers

Traditional IdeologiesThe texts that we, the reader, pitch to stir to most are the texts that reflect our determine or involve certain social issues of the present. Texts such as these are therefore quite an commonly found beside the beds, on the coffee tables and in the bookcases of existencey Australians. These texts, in a way act as a barometer for values, and cases in values in our society. This can be seen in many instances.For example, take the gas pictorial matter The Castle. The typical Australian family, the Kerrigans, represented in this film was not chosen by accident. No, no they were chosen because the writers of this film knew that everyday Australians could relate to the Kerrigans and in some ways see themselves in this simple family. The film endorses many Australian values and attitudes, to which the everyday Australian can not only relate to but alike understand aswell. The text acts as a medium for the witness to realise his/her own values and helps the viewer to recognise the social values that surround him/her.However, texts do not exclusively inform the reader of values present in the society. They can also reflect the current shift in values and attitudes away from the supreme ideologies. This can be seen heavily in the novel Cloudstreet by Tim Winton. In this text many characters are seen to have somewhat different roles in the family that one would expect. Lester Lamb is an excellent example of this. The traditional role of the man in the house is to go out and work hard for his property and come home to a wife who would support him and look afterwards the house and the kids. However, Lester is portrayed as a sensitive man who cooks and cleans on a regular basis aswell as helps with many of the household chores. He also seems to have no quarrel with his wife having most of the control over the household or him having to pull his own weight. This is of course a step away from the traditional ideology of what a man should act like.This clever characterisation represents the shift away from the traditional gender roles that have for so long been apply in our society. Which leaves the reader thinking, once again, about their own values and the at a time shifting values of the society.This point can be further seen in the short story Neighbours, which is also written by Tim Winton.