Chapter 7 Reaction and Analysis

Thoughts and Reactions

In Chapter 7 of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit which carries the title "Judges" readers gain insight into Jeanette's life path and how her past decisions shaped her current condition. This chapter presented conflicting emotions for me because it demonstrates Jeanette reviewing her past experiences and attempting to interpret the events of her life. She feels empty but powerful at the same time as she keeps advancing toward the future. The revelation hits Jeanette that life contains complexities beyond what the church had presented to her. The lack of basic moral guidelines makes her understand that humans must discover their directions in life independently. Leaving behind something that offered security challenges my ability to see how difficult it might be even though the experience was damaging. Developing maturity reveals that existence consists of complexities which exceed early expectations.

    Jeanette reached a point of self-empowerment when she discovered her power to be an independent person. Standing proudly as her mother and church reject her despite their rejections. She defies the traditional norms of adjusting to their standards of behavior which serves as an inspiration to viewers. The loss of what she had means that she feels both disappointed and sad. The nature of personal growth articulated in this section shows how necessary sacrifice becomes to develop as our authentic selves.

Literary Element: Setting

    Upon reading "Judges" I believe, the setting functions as a notable device throughout this Chapter 7. Winterson utilizes descriptions of the places where Jeanette lives together with the church along with the streets she traverses to display her emotional transformation. The defining moment appears when Jeanette visits her hometown to discover both a familiar and distant feeling. The town appeared unchanged to her but she experienced a total transformation. The statement marks an important development since Jeanette holds an entirely new outlook on the world compared to before.

    In this section the physical house where she lives becomes a central motif. The home of Jeanette served earlier in the plot as an environment of strict rules and religious devotion but it appears now as a bleak and unfriendly space. She becomes aware through her visit that she has outgrown her former identity within that place. Her new perspective on the surroundings demonstrates her maturation because she has become too big for her childhood environment and desires fresh beginning. The church originally gave purpose to Jeanette until the place began imposing restrictive conditions. The description of dark stagnation in Winterson's depiction of the church matches how Jeanette currently perceives her place of worship. The church has ceased to give her any solace because she has parted ways with everything she lived in this place.

    Through the use of setting this chapter demonstrates how Jeanette evolves as a person. The physical locations in her life remain untouched while her perspective about them has evolved. The novel emphasizes personal development through abandoning the past at all costs even when this process becomes challenging.