49 pages • 1 hour read
Jeanette WintersonOranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1985A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Jeanette Winterson
Content Warning: This section discusses anti-LGBTQIA+ bias and abuse.
Winterson was born in Manchester, England in 1959 and is best known for her debut novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. She is often credited with the ability to combine and weave multiple genres of writing and storytelling together to write creative and original works, whether they be memoir-style or historical fiction. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is her first novel, and it acts as a semi-autobiographical memoir: “She was adopted and brought up in Accrington, Lancashire, in the north of England. Her strict Pentecostal Evangelist upbringing provides the background to her acclaimed first novel” (“Jeanette Winterson.” British Council). Jeanette uses elements of her own life in her fiction and uses her experiences growing up in a religious community unaccepting of her lesbian identity to craft the narrative of her fictional counterpart, Jeanette. The uniqueness of Winterson’s works lies in the “formal indeterminacy and genre-bending of her individual works” (“Jeanette Winterson.” British Council). It is Winterson’s tendency to use multiple genres to craft a story that make them so individually creative. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is not only a great example of how she does so but is also her first attempt at using many genres and allusions in fiction: “Somewhere between autobiography and novel, her debut combines gritty realism, the bible, and elements of fantasy, fable and fairy tale in a composite narrative that Winterson has called ‘fiction masquerading as memoir’” (“Jeanette Winterson”). In Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Winterson interjects the plot with the stories of a prince seeking perfection, Sir Perceval regretting his decision to leave King Arthur, and the brave Winnet, who, after being banished from the kingdom of a sorcerer, finds herself in her journey to the city. All of these reflect the plot and character of Jeanette in the novel and help show her conflicts and emotions.
Religious Context: Pentecostal Evangelism in Northern England
Jeanette Winterson grew up in a Pentecostal Evangelist home in Northern England, and her childhood and adolescence are the inspiration behind Jeanette in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Pentecostal Evangelism is a spiritual movement that originated in the United States and quickly spread across the world. Pentecostalism is defined as a “charismatic religious movement that gave rise to a number of Protestant churches in the United States in the 20th century and that is unique in its belief that all Christians should see a post-conversion religious experience called ‘baptism with the Holy Spirit’” (Melton, J. Gordon. “Pentecostalism.” Britannica). The movement depends on charismatic preaching, a quality explored in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, as the pastors often speak fervently and call for participation. Congregations are keen on spreading their message and reviving religious feelings, seen in the many campaigns Jeanette and her mother help plan and support to earn new converts. The movement quickly spreads out of the US due to its revivalist nature: “[M]any Pentecostals believe that their revival is a sign of the End Times, and, hence, a call to bring the world to salvation before Christ’s Second Coming” (Melton). Jeanette’s mother spends much of her time in the book supporting Pastor Spratt, who travels the world seeking new converts and saving souls, demonstrating the international character of the movement. Europe, in fact, was one of the first places Pentecostal Evangelism spread (Melton). The religious fervor of Pentecostal Evangelism is strong, and it is certainly felt by Jeanette as she is swept up in it and then confronted with it as a teenager because of her lesbian identity.
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