Unit 1
Short Stories
Neighbours by Tim Winton
Exercise | Class 12 English
Summary
The story is about a young married couple who move into a new neighbourhood. It shows how people from different cultures can live together with understanding. It also shows how kindness and small actions help build a strong community. The couple slowly learns to accept their neighbours and begins to feel a sense of belonging. In the end, the story teaches that human connection grows through care and support.
The young couple moved into a street with many European migrants. They felt like strangers in the new place. A Macedonian family lived on one side, and a Polish widower lived on the other. Their house was small but pretty. They came from quiet suburbs, so the loud noises shocked them. They even thought the Macedonian family was fighting, but later they learned it was just normal talking.
For many months, they did not feel comfortable with the neighbours. The Macedonians did not like that the couple woke up late. They also judged the young man for staying home to write his thesis. The little boy next door behaved rudely, and the young man did not like him. Things slowly changed in autumn when the couple cleaned their backyard and planted vegetables. The neighbours gave them advice about gardening. The couple felt annoyed, but they accepted the help.
Later, the couple built a henhouse, but it fell down. The Polish widower came quietly and rebuilt it for them. After this, the couple began to smile at the neighbours. They exchanged gifts like cabbage and firewood. They kept ducks in winter. In spring, the Macedonian family taught them how to kill and clean the ducks. They all worked together and laughed. The couple finally felt like part of the community.
One day, the woman discovered she was pregnant. They were surprised because they did not expect a baby so soon. The neighbourhood heard the news and became excited. They gave gifts and advice. Some women touched her belly to guess the baby’s gender. The couple felt happy but sometimes overwhelmed. The Polish widower kept building a big garage. The noise annoyed the young man, but the widower also brought them wood.
When the woman went into labour, the young man panicked. The neighbours stood at the fences and wished them well. The labour was long and painful, but finally a baby boy was born. The young man felt amazed and emotional. When he stepped outside, he saw the neighbours cheering for them. He cried because he felt close to them. He understood that these neighbours, who were once strangers, had become like family.
Understanding the text
Answer the following questions.a. Describe how the young couple’s house looked like.
The house was small but had high ceilings and paned windows, giving it the feel of an elegant cottage.
b. How did the young couple identify their neighbours in the beginning of their arrival?
In the beginning of their arrival, the young couple identified their neighbours as people with strange behaviors. They felt uneasy because the neighbours were loud and acted differently from what they were used to.
c. How did the neighbours help the young couple in the kitchen garden?
The neighbours gave advice on spacing, hilling, and mulching, and one woman gave them garlic cloves to plant.
d. Why were the people in the neighborhood surprised at the role of the young man and his wife in their family?
They were surprised because the man stayed home to write his thesis while his wife worked, which was unusual.
e. How did the neighbours respond to the woman’s pregnancy?
The neighbours responded warmly—smiling, giving gifts like chocolates, cigarettes, and a knitted baby suit, and even feeling her belly.
f. Why did the young man begin to weep at the end of the story?
He wept because he was overwhelmed by the birth of his son and the unexpected support from the neighbours, which moved him deeply.
g. Why do you think the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names?
The author didn’t use proper names to focus on the universal experience of belonging and community, not individual identities.
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