Conflict between the Individual and Society in Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Abstract

Jeanette Winterson’s novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1985) illustrates the story of a young girl, Jeanette, who experiences suppressive upbringing at the hands of her mother and her surroundings. Through the portrayal of her transition into adulthood, the novel touches on numerous challenging issues such as gender, identity, and the reliability of the mainstream patriarchal discourse. The main character’s gradual transformation reveals the controversial aspects of her society juxtaposed with her sexual orientation as a lesbian and her oppositional stance against the ingrained doctrine of the Church. This study will, in this respect, discuss Jeanette’s rebellion as an individual against her oppressive society in Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit through specific references from the primary source and relevant secondary sources in an ultimate attempt to reveal how identity, gender roles, and truth are all discursive practices.