Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Oranges play an important part in the novel. Find three instances that an orange is mentioned and analyze its purpose in the plot. What does it represent? How does it impact the characters?

The impact of religion on family is a strong theme in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. How does Jeanette’s mother’s involvement with the church impact her relationship with Jeanette in both positive and negative ways?

Jeanette has multiple different mentors in the novel. Choose two and compare and contrast their mentorship style and how they influence Jeanette as she grows.

Fairy tales are used frequently in the Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Choose one of the fairy tales about the prince searching for perfection or Winnet and discuss how it reflects the inner workings of Jeanette’s emotions and her coming of age.

The chapter titles of the novel correspond to books in the Bible. Choose two chapters and discuss how the events of those chapters connect to their respective Bible counterparts.

Women are seen as influential and powerful in Jeanette’s church until the council delivers a verdict that their roles are wrong. How does the novel tie the church’s judgment of LGBTQIA+ people to its views on women?

What is the literary effect of introducing the fairy tale genre into the novel? In what ways does the use of this genre affect the novel’s main events?

Throughout the novel, Jeanette hears a lot of judgment surrounding “Unnatural Passions.” How are these opinions influenced by the church and what impact do they have on her and her understanding of her own feelings toward women?