The drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit tells the story of a young lesbian girl, Jeanette/Jess, who is raised in a repressive Pentecostal home by an overpowering mother. Jess tries to find her sexual identity in the context of the fanatical Pentecostal church. Although Jess herself does not have any problems with her sexuality combined with her religiosity at all, she gets into a conflict with the Christian community and into a deep inner conflict because the church regards her sexuality as a sin and herself as possessed by demons. This paper discusses how the different conflicts in the story arise and which impact the film’s way of representing religion and lesbianism has on the viewer. It demonstrates how the ways in which the novel and the film version ofOrangespresent lesbianism work to naturalize and normalize it. By its representation of lesbian love and the church as its enemy Oranges challenges normative values and conventional standards.Oranges makes an attempt to reverse the viewer’s former attitudes towards these opponents.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Representation of religion
2.1 Religion as fanaticism
2.2 Stylistic devices in the film
3 Representation of homosexuality
3.1 The Title of the film
3.2 Naturalization of lesbianism
3.3 Stylistic devices in the film
4 Conflicts between religion and lesbianism
4.1 Community vs. Jeanette/Jess
4.2 Mother-Daughter-Relationship
4.3 Jeanette’s/Jess’ inner conflict
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the conflicts between religious fanaticism and lesbian identity are represented in Jeanette Winterson's Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. It analyzes how both the novel and its film adaptation work to normalize lesbianism while simultaneously critiquing repressive religious and domestic institutions.
- The role of fanatical Pentecostalism in shaping identity.
- The use of stylistic devices in film to contrast with literature.
- The symbolic meaning of the "oranges" metaphor in relation to social norms.
- The dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship as a site of conflict and betrayal.
- The integration of religious faith and personal sexuality.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Mother-Daughter-Relationship
Very early in the novel as well as in the film version the reader/viewer gets the impression that the mother programs her child. Some readers/viewers might ask themselves if the mother’s reasons for adopting the baby really were motherly feelings or only the will to educate a missionary, devoted and dedicated to the Lord. The question is: what significance does Jeanette/Jess have for her mother? Does she really love her daughter or does she only have the purpose to fulfil her mother’s plan? The mother never hugs her daughter in affection but whereas in the novel she never kisses her in the film version she gives her at least one kiss, that is before her first day in school (film script Oranges 106). Nevertheless many viewers are convinced that “[s]he [the mother] really loves the kid” (Hallam/Marshment 1995: 7) and it is mainly this kissing scene, in which the mother is “giving out a feeling of security to the kid” (Hallam/Marshment 1995: 7), that gives them this impression. Other reviewers, however, argue that the mother is unfeeling by relating to her behaviour in hospital. There she leaves her seven-year old, frightened daughter one day before her operation already after a few minutes (Gutenberg 2000: 271). She does not see the need to calm her daughter down but simply writes her a letter which says that she will have an operation the other day and disappears.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the protagonist Jeanette/Jess and outlines the paper's focus on the conflicts between her sexual identity and her fanatical Pentecostal upbringing.
2 Representation of religion: This section explores how the Pentecostal community is portrayed as fanatical, using specific stylistic devices to control its members and suppress non-conformity.
3 Representation of homosexuality: This chapter analyzes the symbolism behind the film's title and discusses how the narrative seeks to naturalize lesbian relationships as ordinary rather than exceptional.
4 Conflicts between religion and lesbianism: This section details the interpersonal and internal struggles faced by the protagonist, specifically focusing on the repressive community environment and the strained relationship with her mother.
5 Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the work's assertion that Oranges successfully challenges conventional norms by positioning the lesbian protagonist as a healthy individual against a damaging institution.
Keywords
Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Pentecostalism, lesbian identity, religious fanaticism, mother-daughter relationship, narrative realism, film adaptation, betrayal, sexuality, heteronormativity, stylistic devices, identity formation, British cinema, social norms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
This paper explores the conflict between a young girl's lesbian identity and her upbringing within a repressive, fanatical Pentecostal religious community.
What are the central themes discussed?
The core themes include the power of religious institutions, the nature of mother-daughter relationships, the search for sexual identity, and the subversion of heteronormative social standards.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how the story represents religion and lesbianism to normalize the latter and expose the damaging nature of rigid religious fanaticism.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The paper uses a comparative analytical approach, looking at both the novel and the film version of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit to evaluate character portrayals and narrative strategies.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the representation of religion, the symbolic nature of the film's title, the naturalization of lesbianism, and the specific conflicts arising from the protagonist's family and religious background.
What defines the core of this academic work?
The work is defined by the tension between individual autonomy and institutional control, characterized by keywords such as fanaticism, betrayal, and identity politics.
How does the author interpret the symbol of "oranges"?
The author interprets the "oranges" as a metaphor for the mother's rigid, single-minded worldview that rejects diversity in favor of a narrow, absolutist definition of normalcy.
Why is the exorcism scene considered crucial?
The exorcism scene is highlighted as a moment where the "misinterpretation of religiosity" manifests into physical and emotional cruelty, demonstrating the church's power over family bonds.
- Quote paper
- Stephanie Schmitz (Author), 2004, The depiction of religion and homosexuality in "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/57878
