ON HER KNEES

Summary:
On Her Knees, narrated by Victor Lang, is about his mother Carol Lang, who is a house help and
has been accused of stealing a pair of earrings. It is a story about pride and dignity and respect for
you are and exposes the pitfalls of class distinction and oppression where Carol is helpless and
powerless being from a lower class which is reflective on the title of the story.

Purpose:
The purpose of the story On Her Knees is to reflect on the reality of life where people who are
honest, also face issues like being wrongly or unjustly implicated. The purpose is also to reflect the
self confidence and dignity that Carol still has in the end, showing that morals outweigh social class
divide.

Context:
On Her Knees” is a short story written by Tim Winton the year of 2004.The story is supposed to be
in New Zealand since that is where Tim Winton is from.

Structure:

The story is presented in the form of a flashback,

Written in first person, from Victor Lang’s perspective.

On Her Knees”
Themes:

Pride and Dignity

Carol takes pride in her work, her honesty, her attitude and, by extension, the good reputation that
results from these things. These things are also a part of her personal dignity. There's going to be
some overlap between them, but we'll look at them one at a time.

Work
Carol takes pride in being the best house cleaner in her area. This is related to how she views her
job, as she believes "there was more honour in scrubbing other people's floors than in having
strangers scrub your own."
She knows that her clients won't find a better worker.

Honesty
Victor views his mother as a scrupulously honest person: "For her to be called a thief was beyond
imagining." This outrageous slur on her character is the reason he doesn't want her to go back to
the accuser's home.
She uses the quality of her work to speak about her character. On the way to the woman's place
who accused her of stealing, she says they'll show her by cleaning "that flat within an inch of its
life." It's as if doing a great job in this difficult situation will prove her honesty beyond doubt.

Attitude
Carol also places value on keeping herself presentable. Regarding her tennis shoes, Victor tells us
she "scrubbed and bleached every week to keep them looking new. As if anyone but her gave a
damn." This sounds like a detail that others might notice. In any case, it's important to her
regardless.

On her last cleaning visit, Carol won't use the flat owners parking space or supplies. It's the
principle of it. "I wouldn't give her the satisfaction," she says. Carol's pride and dignity prevent her
from taking anything from a woman who insulted her.

We see another example before Carol leaves the flat. She doesn't take the money, saying "I'm
worth more." This isn't about the money as, presumably, she's being paid the amount they agreed
on. Her personal dignity is worth more than the money. She won't take anything from this woman
who falsely accused her.

The image that the flat owner will see when she comes home sums up Carol—a clean home, her
missing earrings, the key and her money. Even if she doesn't admit she was wrong, the possibility
will likely nag at her for a long time.

Reputation
Carol's reputation is sterling: "people bragged about her and passed her around like a hot tip."
She won't "force the issue," as Victor wants, because of "the talk. I'd lose the rest of my jobs." She
knows the importance of protecting her reputation. An accusation of theft, even one that was
unproven, would destroy her livelihood.

Carol doesn't maintain her standards just for others. They're a part of her personal ethics. She
wouldn't do a poor job on her last visit or just take the money and leave "Because it would look like
an admission of guilt." Remember, this client already believes she's guilty. This gesture is for
herself, not someone else.

Class Distinctions
The narrator and his mother are from the working class. Their situation is more difficult because his
father left the family. In contrast, Carol cleans the homes of rich people who either do white collar
work, or who possibly don't work at all.
Carol's cleaning job is a step down from her previous employment as a doctor's receptionist.
Victor emphasizes the difference in their neighborhoods. When they pull onto the client's street
which is by a river, he says "that constant brothy presence stank of old money, of posh schools and
yacht clubs."

Class differences also mean a power imbalance. When they find the missing earrings, Carol says,
"All she has to say is that she made me guilty enough to give them back. That I just wanted to
keep the job. To save my good name . . . they can say anything they like. You can't fight back."
Her clientele won't take her word over one of their own. Since she can't afford to lose clients, she's
in a no-win situation.

There's also a disconnect between how the upper class claims to view the working class and how
they actually treat them. The client's study has books by feminist writers and social activists. Her
paper in the typewriter is about consciousness-raising and change. This woman probably feels she's
an ally of the working class, but in practice, she takes advantage of the imbalance. She assumes
Carol, a working class woman with an excellent reputation, is a thief. This is without even doing a
proper search of her flat.

In On Her Knees by Tim Winton we have the theme of pride, dignity, honesty, struggle,
independence and class. Narrated in the first person by man called Victor the reader realises
after reading the story that Winton may be exploring the theme of pride and dignity. Victor’s
mother is a proud and dignified woman. Despite the fact that she is forced to clean other people’s
houses in order to make a living she never allows this to get the better of her. There is a sense that
Victor’s mother is honourable despite the obstacles she has had to face. If anything Victor’s mother
though she is struggling through life remains undefeated. Something that is noticeable by the fact
that she cleans the house one more time for the woman who has accused her of stealing a pair of
earrings. It is also noticeable that Victor’s mother is able to put Victor through university despite
the fact that her husband has abandoned her. This could be important as it suggests that Victor’s
mother is independent of others. The fact that Victor’s mother is also her own boss would also
further suggest that she is independent of others. Victor might be unhappy that his mother is a
cleaner but she does have her own independence.

It is also possible that Winton is exploring the theme of class. Both Victor and his mother are
working class though the people who have their houses cleaned by Victor’s mother are middle or
upper class. The fact that they haggle with Victor’s mother over the rate she should be paid may
also be important as it is possible that Winton is placing a spotlight on those who belong to the
middle and upper classes. If anything Winton could be suggesting that those who are wealthy and
of a class higher than Victor’s mother may be mean and blinded by self-importance. Viewing
Victor’s mother as being beneath them. Something that annoys Victor because he knows how much
his mother struggles. How annoyed Victor actually is noticeable by the fact that he puts the
earrings in the catbox. Though Victor would like to see his mother do something else rather than
cleaning houses he still nonetheless takes great pride in his mother’s ability to persevere. Which
may be important as Winton could be highlighting just how strong a woman can be. Not only is
 Victor’s mother independent of others but she is also resilient. Despite the accusation of stealing
that have been made against her. Victor’s mother keeps looking forward.

She and Victor are on their own and she knows that she has to be there for Victor (and for herself).
Neither Victor nor his mother have anybody else to cushion the blows that life might throw at them.
Unlike those who own the houses that Victor’s mother cleans. Not only is Winton giving the reader
a strong female character but he also manages to highlight the plight of those who are working
class. Particularly the obstacles they can face when engaging with the middle or upper classes.
Individuals who appear to be driven by a belief that they are better than others. A cleaners role is
often unappreciated something that Victor is only too well aware of. Despite this Victor’s mother
does everything to the best of her ability. Regardless of what an employer may think of her. Victor
on the other hand is half-hearted when it comes to cleaning. He knows that his (or his mother’s)
work is not appreciated by those who he is cleaning for and as such he limits the effort he puts in
while cleaning. This could be important as symbolically it suggests that Victor is aware of the class
divide that exists in society. With those who are working class being under-valued.

The end of the story is also interesting as Winton appears to be highlighting to the reader just
how severe the obstacles are for those who are working class. Despite the earrings being found and
despite Victor’s wishes to report the matter to the police. Victor’s mother knows that she will not be
believed by either the police or the woman whose flat she is cleaning. This may be important as it
suggests that there are two laws in operation. One for working class people and one for those of a
higher class. Which may be the point that Winton is attempting to make. He may be suggesting
that an individual should not be judged solely by their occupation (Victor’s mother) or class. That
everybody should be treated equally. It is also interesting that Victor removes the earrings from the
catbox and places them beside the money that his mother refuses to take. It is as though both
Victor and his mother know that they are better than the woman who owns the flat. As they leave
the flat the reader is only too well aware that both Victor and his mother are leaving with their
heads held high and their dignity intact.

Theme

 Oppression/Class Discrimination
 Pride/Dignity
 Honesty
 Relationships

Tone

 Conversational
 Admiration (for mom)
 Sympathetic
 Vindication
  Frustration

Mood

 Admiration
 Sympathetic
 Vindication
 Frustration

Literary Analysis

Narrative technique: third person limited, from the perspective of Victor Lang, the son.

Title

 literal meaning: she is on her knees cleaning the floor.

 metaphorical meaning: society expects her to be on her knees, submissive, passive,
but she is dignified and proud.

Analysis

Her dignity

 'stiff-necked working class pride'

 'stickler for order.'
 'Carol Lang went through a house like a dose of salts' : shows that she cleaned the houses to
the very fullest.
 'that very rigidity set her apart'.
 'domestic benchmark.'
 'she maintained her dignity and her hourly rate.'
 'she left jobs, she did not lose them.'
 'her chin up at a silly dignified angle.'
 'she was more scrupulous, more honest than any of them.'
 'it's her loss'
 'she knows she won't find anyone better than me.'
 'no snooping, not even today.'

Her hardworking, trustworthy personality

 'passed her around like a hot tip.'

 'we'll clean that flat within an inch of its life.'
 'Veins stood out in her calves.'
 'veins livid in her legs.'
 'All the keys hung for the piece of string' : these keys are from each of the houses  she cleans.
It shows how many people trust her with their houses.
 'I brushed and wiped and waxed the long shelves of books.' : polysyndeton emphasizes
the amount of work the son is doing, and it conveys to the reader how much work Carol Lang
has to do every day.
 'I was sixteen when the old man shot through' : his father left his family, and his mother
worked every day to send him to law school. Shows her hardworking personality.

Mother and son relationship

 'we kept peace at all costs for fear of driving each other away.'
 'But she must have known I'd go.'
 'she was worth twice what those silvertails paid her.' : shows the son's admiration for the
mother.
 'she was more scrupulous, more honest than any of them.' : shows son's admiration.
 'For her to be called a thief was beyond imagining.' : he cannot believe they called her that,
shows the immense respect he has for her.
 'Mum would inspect it like a sergeant-major at a barracks inspection.'
 'My mother stood silhouetted in the open doorway' : this striking image of the mother gives
a well-rounded end to the story and shows the immense admiration that the son feels about his
mother.
 'I was powerless to defend her. It was the lowest feeling.' : he loves his mother dearly and
wants to defend her. Shows their intimate bond.

Son's character:

 throughout the story he is constantly questioning himself, which shows that he lacks self-
confidence. Therefore, he sees his mother as his role-model, who completely contrasts his
personality- she is dignified, proud, confident and knows her self-worth. This helps intensify
their relationship.
 'They were pretty enough but I was no judge.'
 His tone of admiration and respect throughout the story when describing/talking to his
mother portrays the role-model image of his mother in his mind.

Oppression:

 'These people, they can say anything they like. You can't fight back.' : shows the oppression of
the lower middle class.
 The entire story revolves around the missing earrings that the mother is falsely accused of. The
owners of the house have no proof that she took them, but still decide to accuse her. This
shows the oppression.
 Throughout the story, the son constantly points out the wealth of the family. This might be a
way of showing how he is jealous of their money, or the fact that he wants to be like them. It
 can be inferred that this might be due to the constant oppression he experiences from the
upper middle class and envies them.

 'Klee productions.'
 'gold frames.'
 'Kokoschka'
 'two kinds of white wine.'
 'Andrew Wyeth.'
 'Every trinket, every souvenir, ornament and figurine.'

What is the significance of the title?

The most telling allusion to the title occurs during the final cleaning. "At one point, when the old girl
glanced up from the kitchen floor, I averted my eyes." Carol is on her knees cleaning the floor.
Victor looks away. Why?

This image disturbs him because it represents how demeaning her job is. His mother literally has to
get down on her knees for rich people to earn her living. What makes things worse for Victor is the
knowledge that she does it for him. He feels partly responsible for his mother's situation, and he's
powerless to help her.

TIm Winton uses various techniques to bring out the message he is putting forth. The story was
written in the first person, making it seem as a personal experience which further
authenticates the text. This point of view also enables the author to manupilate the reader's
feelings and judgement. For example, later in the story the reader feels a sense of antipathy
towards the owner of the house and sympathy and admiration towards the mother. This method
also helps in creating an atmosphere where the reader feels as if he or she is confided in by the
narrator which gets the reader more involved and interested in the story.

The issue of dignity is introduced in the first paragraph itself where the mother finds that there's
"more honour in scrubbing other people's floors than having strangers scrub your own", which
shows that the mother not only has pride in what she does but is also a very determined person for
she doesn't mind he "come-down" from her previous job as long as her son is well provided for. Her
son, the narrator, is portrayed from the on set as a person who thinks that his mother has been
degraded and is full of shame.

The author through this story refers to the different levels of class. Words such as "wealthy" and
"working class" are used as if to constantly ask the reader is it really class that determines your self
worth? "She left jobs, she did not lose them."- This line in itself shows how much Carol respected
herself.

"...a pair of missing earrings..."- this statement makes the reason for which his mother was sacked
seem very trivial. The author uses a lot of symbolism in the story, for example: the action of the
boy taking a shower can be translated into a wanting to escape form this situation. The mother is
said to give the boy a "lecture", which suggests that she is in control leading to another symbol of
imprisonment for the boy. The car is another clever use of symbolism where the car represents the
boy's life. It is said to be "reeking" which shows that the narrator hates his life. The cranking down
of the window represents a desire to escape. The mother is said to be driving carefully which shows
two things: a) that she is in control of his life and b) that she makes sure she takes the safest
route, protecting her son from harm.

The dialogue used in this story does not use quotation marks, making it unique (therefore
appealing to readers) and also uses a method known as the stream of consciousness.

Another contrast between classes is made in the line: "Silence, that's their idea of an apology." This
portrays those of upper class in a very bad light. The description of the house is done in such
a way to show that the owner was very rich. This enforces a feeling of inferiority in the narrator.
The odour and nausea represent resentment and shows the anger he has for the owner. The "veins
livid in her legs" represent labour, pain and strain which in contrast to the character of the house
owner is regarded as admirable. A further comparison of the narrator's and the owner's shows that
while they (of low class) have a neat clean home, those of "higher class" have a messy one full of
neglect. A sad truth is put forth in this story where the value of a pair of earrings surpasses the
value of a human being.