Minimum of Two Suggests That Family Can Be Both a Blessing and a Curse

In Tim Wintons collection of short stories, Minimum of Two, family is a major, fall out theme. Winton displays his interest in exploring the idea of family within each story differently, containing the positive and negative influence that family has on the actions and emotions of the Nilsam family and his alternative protagonists. In Distant Lands, he deals with the feeling of obligation towards and the traditional expectations of family whilst in The Water Was grungy the focus is on a need to separate oneself from negative family completely. Laps focuses on how family can help you last on from her past. Winton has a strong belief that family shapes the kind of person one becomes, regardless of whether that is a good, or bad natured person. Within the short story Distant Lands, although it is portrayed subtly, family plays an important role. We ar told of Fat Mazs p arnts her mother, who sits in the family shop for the majority of her day, emitting dull thudding sounds from the r egister and Mazs father, who is portrayed as a hot headed, intimidating individual.As Winton goes on to display Mazs character, which contains attributes the likes of reserved, self-conscious yet quietly ambitious, we are made to create a link between Mazs persona and her parents, that of which one is silent and mysterious and the other unapproachable, and the realization that it was the preserve of her family that has built the aspects her character by failing to restore her confidence and stipendiary little to no attention of whether Maz had her own ambitions. This contributes to her overall quietness. The Water Was Dark has its protagonist, the girl, who is fight to escape from the electronegativity of her mother. The girl lists her mothers many faults bitterly and her mothers woeful decisions impact show heavily as we read in to the girls thoughts. The girl has no actual stability that she feels in her life and she is angry at her mother because her mother is to be blamed. She rattling says in many a sense that her life would collectively improve if her mother rid herself of the cruel things in her life, like drinking and being isolated.Basically, the state of the girls family is so ruined that she herself becomes destructive. in spite of the lack of encouragement, in Distant Lands Mazs parents actually follow the traditional expectations associated with family. They give Maz a cap over a head and a secure, paying job in a small town. It is non what Maz wants however it is a safe, stable environment and so Maz feels a sense of debt towards her family. Laps revolves around Queenie and her family.Queenies young woman social disease provides a great contrast in regards to some of the adolescents Winton writes. She is not only in a secure and stabile lifestyle, but she is content. It could be argued that this is because she is younger than other characters explored by Winton however given that Queenie and Cleve are in a healthy marriage and they op enly show their pride, care and love towards their daughter, it is clear that Dot will be provided with a more normal, happy life.Every Family is different from the other. Certain are working(a) and certain are falling apart at the seams. The short stories of Minimum of Two explore this through different experiences and circumstances which directly reflect on how the characters are portrayed. Family is a huge aspect of a persons identity. Throughout the stories, Winton gives us examples of how the support and love of family are required for one to be fully satisfied with life and truly be aware of their identity.The absence of this supportive, healthy family will most likely outcome in a never-ending negativity for the members within that family. In most instances, the impact of family can either act as a curse that increases ones isolation and negativity or a blessing that provides a sense of belonging and contentment, not only with the family itself but as well with the broader world. Mainly, the stories of Minimum of Two suggest that regardless of being moral or immoral, family shapes oneself.