Chapter 2

Response #1:

This chapter left a strong impression on me, as it strongly portrays the power dynamics as well as the high influence of Jeanette's religious community. The chapter also emphasizes the community's pervasive intolerance of difference and fear of it. Particularly shocking is the scene where Jeanette comes upon a "fallen woman" in the marketplace. Because of this woman's evident misconduct, the community harshly judged and rejected her, demonstrating the stubbornness and narrow-mindedness of their beliefs. The difficulties Jeanette will encounter as she explores her own identity are implied at by this event, which also serves as a reminder of the religious community's strict mindsets. "Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit"'s Chapter 2 discusses the limitations of religious devotion and how they affect people's freedom and ability to express themselves. It builds a framework for Jeanette's search for self-awareness and creates the conditions for the conflicts and difficulties she will face throughout the book. As Jeanette struggles with her identity and faces the limitations placed on her by her culture, I am anxious to read more and go further into her experiences.

Response #2:

In Chapter 2 of "Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit," the use of imagery is a recurring literary device. The reader is drawn into the oppressive atmosphere of the religious group by Jeanette Winterson's excellent descriptions, which also help them understand the experiences of the protagonist. One scenario that sticks out is when Jeanette sees a woman that the society refers to as a "fallen woman" in the marketplace. Winterson explains "I saw the fallen woman in the marketplace. She was a pitiful sight in her dirty clothes, her hair was matted and greasy. Her lipstick was smeared and her face was dirty. She was talking to herself and crying. I could see that nobody wanted to go near her because it might be catching. The adults turned away and the children ran, but I looked at her" (pg. 18). A sense of infraction is implied by the representation of the fallen woman in the marketplace. Her messy look and actions, such sobbing and mumbling to herself, are in line with cultural standards and expectations. The community's quick rejection of her suggests that they have all judged her deeds or supposed faults. The idea that "it might be catching" suggests a worry about moral and social impurity and highlights the effects of transgression within this religious group.

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