Cloud Busting and Saucepans: A Story of Childhood and Resilience

The story settings play a significant role in shaping our understanding of the two childhoods in the frame story and the inner story. In the frame story, the setting is the beach, which is portrayed as a place of joy, freedom, and innocence. The children, Billy and the narrator, engage in imaginative activities such as 'cloud busting' and collecting seashells. The beach setting represents a carefree and idyllic childhood, where the children are unburdened by fear or worries.

In contrast, the inner story takes place in Goulburn, a town where the narrator and her mother were sent to live in small flats. The inner story portrays a much harsher reality, as the narrator's siblings have been taken away and placed in missions, and the women in the flats are struggling with their own hardships. The setting of Goulburn symbolizes the challenges and difficulties faced by the Indigenous community during that time, including the loss of children and the impact of colonization.

By juxtaposing these two settings, the author highlights the contrast between the carefree innocence of childhood and the harsh realities of the world. The beach setting represents a temporary escape from the hardships of life, while the Goulburn setting serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by Indigenous communities. This contrast deepens our understanding of the inner story and the resilience of the narrator's mother, who finds solace and hope in the friendship with Samuel and the promise of the saucepans.