Class, Money, and Power
In “On Her Knees” by Tim Winton, Victor Lang’s mother Carol works as a cleaner in the homes of wealthy clients. By having the working-class Carol and her son Victor go into the homes of wealthier clients, the story sets up an exploration of the qualities of and relationship between these two different classes. Put simply, the story portrays the working-class Carol as dignified, trustworthy, decent, and industrious, while, in contrast, presenting the upper-class people…
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Integrity and Reputation
In Tim Winton’s “On Her Knees,” Victor Lang’s mother Carol, who works as a housecleaner for wealthy homeowners, is accused by one of her clients of the theft of a pair of earrings, fired, but requested to clean the apartment for one final week as the client finds a replacement. When Carol and Victor return for the final cleaning, they find the missing earrings beneath the client’s bed. Through this situation, the story…
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Pride and Dignity
Tim Winton’s “On Her Knees” tells the story of Victor Lang and his mother Carol, who cleans houses for a living. Victor hates the idea of his mother scrubbing other people’s floors, while Carol insists that there is more honor in cleaning someone else’s house than in hiring someone to clean your own. Though Carol is beloved by her clients for her rigorous work ethic, the story focuses on the aftermath of a particular client…
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