Saturday, March 14, 2015
In the book Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Jeanette dedication to her church and her love for god is so surprising in my eyes while reading this story everything she does for her church is incredible. Church groups, teachings etc…But they resent her so much for who she really is. They cant look past something that has nothing to do with them. They take one part of who she is and resent her for it even though it has no effect in there lives. But Jeanette’s love for god and her church stays strong though out the story though all of the resentment and emotional alienation. Even when the church agrees that demons are inside her she is still faithful to her church. When she does decide to leave it seems to be because of the tunnel vision that they all seem to have. Believing that there is only one way to be. I cant imagine how someone could be so dedicated to something that is constantly pushing them away for who they truly are on the inside.
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I think this is an interesting point. One might expect Jeannette to run completely away from everything that's connected to her upbringing---and this would mean leave all religion and belief behind. But, she not only tries for awhile to stay in her church (even after the Melanie debacle and through the Katy episode), she even seems to retain some sort of belief through the end, although not a belief that her mother might recognize. And the ending is somewhat ambivalent, no? It is a return to her home, not to stay, but to visit and observe. I think we need to spend some time on the ending of the novel this week.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't figure out how to write my own post--- so I will just add my thoughts in the comments!
ReplyDeleteI do see your point, Adam, that Jeanette strangely stays true to the church true out all of the story... but I wonder if she was brought up differently (parents, location) would she be the same way?...
Reading this novel I started to think that growing up you don't get to choose your parents and until they are old enough to become independent from that horror, they have to be raised by their parents. Jeanettes mother seems to see and think that sin and evil is everywhere but the church. Jeanette was even raised to be a missionary and to serve the church. But its crazy to think that this isn't quite what she wants, but must be religious because she lives in a religious community and is raised that way. Is it just me or is Jeanette sort of forced into this religious life?
Thanks Harley! I think this is a good way to do things until you can make your own post, (but also afterward, too!)
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting to look at this question from the end of the novel---where do things end up? She has been cast out of her community, a community which while being authoritarian and homophobic, was also a place of women's strength and women's authority (until later). Clearly she hasn't rejected everything from her past, but used it to create something different. Maybe in class we can sort these things out.