Chapter 2 Analysis

Thoughts and Reactions

    In Chapter 2 of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit titled "Exodus", Jeanette develops an understanding of life outside her religion and family. The story reveals how Jeanette starts to doubt the teachings from her past. During her first days at school she notices that students share different beliefs from those of her mother which is very new to her. School leads her to encounter different modes of thinking because her mother had always taught her that she was special with a goal in life. The one part that I found very interesting in this chapter was the way Jeanette tried to match her school education with her religious beliefs. One thing that frustrated me while reading me was her mother's strictness. Because of this, her mother denies Jeanette the right to discover new ideas while maintaining her protective desire to isolate her daughter. The mother reacts with fear to all elements that exist beyond their religious boundaries which lead me to question how Jeanette had to navigate such a situation. Judging from her perspective, it was difficult to respect her mother while being drawn to subcultures which her mother outright rejected. 

    In the chapter, I found it intriguing how the author employed storytelling techniques. In this part of the chapter, Jeanette uses mythical stories that seem to express the confusion and emotions she experiences. Through these stories, Jeanette appears to find ways to make sense of what she faces at present. The narrative in this section generated sympathy for Jeanette as well as dismay toward her controlling mother. Thinking about leaving family and religious teachings proved to be very challenging based on this experience from breaking away from childhood beliefs.

Literary Element: Characters

After reading this chapter, I believe the best literary element to discuss is the characters. Character development plays a crucial role through this chapter since Jeanette begins to challenge her understanding of the world by questioning everything around her. Her entry into school reveals her outsider status because she fails to connect with other students. When she said, "I had never heard of Charles Dickens, but I knew God and His Lamb, and was happy with that knowledge.", her isolation from outside world became even clearer. The teachings of her church alongside her religious faith make up all her knowledge so she feels different than other children who discuss unfamiliar subjects. Her mother expresses her discontentment toward education by labeling schools as areas filled with "heathens." The passage demonstrates the intense level of her mother's beliefs and her desire to determine what Jeanette knows and thinks. Jeanette struggles to fulfill her mother's demands because she now discovers unfamiliar ideas and beliefs outside her mother's influence. The intense opposition creates important conditions for her coming rebellious phase.

The theme of control versus freedom is also very prevalent in this chapter. Jeanette starts to understand that what her mother teaches only represents part of an all-encompassing reality. She continues to make an effort to please her mother yet she is joining the path of independent thinking. Through her classroom portrayals Winterson shows that Jeanette is starting to doubt the entire foundation of information she has learned. The start of her path toward freedom is established through this chapter.