Characterization of the couple

Outer characterization

The main characters of the short story “Neighbours” by Tim Winton are the young couple. They are usually collectively referred to as “the couple” or “the young man and woman” throughout the story and are not often characterized separately. 

The man and woman are newly married and move to a new neighborhood. The wife is a medical professional who works at a hospital, most likely a doctor or a nurse. She tells her husband “stories of eccentric patients and hospital incompetence” over dinner. She arranges to go on maternity leave after the birth of her child. The husband is a student or academic professional who works from home: “the young man worked steadily at his thesis on the development of the twentieth century novel”. Judging by his thesis subject, we can assume his area of study is literature. 

Inner characterization

 It is the couple’s first time living in ...