The Boy Behind the Curtain

by

Tim Winton

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Boy Behind the Curtain makes teaching easy.
Winton’s wife is a nurse and the mother of their three children. She works as an oncology nurse at the hospital until the day she gives birth to their eldest son. Winton considers it strange that his wife is caring for dying patients despite being so ready to bring new life into the world. Winton’s wife represents an ironic, ever-present connection between his family and the hospital, a place that represents fear and uncertainty for him.
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Tim Winton’s Wife Character Timeline in The Boy Behind the Curtain

The timeline below shows where the character Tim Winton’s Wife appears in The Boy Behind the Curtain. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
In the Shadow of the Hospital
Danger, Violence, and Death Theme Icon
Isolation vs. Community Theme Icon
...hospital cafeteria for lunch, but he’s too distracted to be a good conversationalist. When his wife is heavily pregnant with their first child, he thinks about how strange it must be... (full context)
Danger, Violence, and Death Theme Icon
Isolation vs. Community Theme Icon
...claustrophobic, and he can’t calm down. Eventually he goes out into a courtyard with his wife, where his son finds him and shows him his new grandchild. Winton accepts the miracle... (full context)
Letter from a Strong Place
Creativity Theme Icon
Winton and his wife and small son have spent the winter in the cottage—it’s spring now, and they’re almost... (full context)
Danger, Violence, and Death Theme Icon
Creativity Theme Icon
Nature Theme Icon
Childhood and Home Theme Icon
...his hand had trouble making the shapes of words on the page. He and his wife saw their first snow and lit their first chimney fire. Meanwhile, he’s been writing about... (full context)
Chasing Giants
Nature Theme Icon
On winter nights, Winton and his wife lie in bed listening to humpback whales breach and crash near the coast. The noise... (full context)
Nature Theme Icon
...away from him, so big it could have struck him dead instantly. Winton and his wife head back in, buoyed by their good luck. As they leave the water, they see... (full context)
Lighting Out
Creativity Theme Icon
...path. The book has already been advertised—its publication date is set—which increases Tim’s dread. His wife tells him to sleep on it, but he knows he either has to give up... (full context)