Oranges are Not The Only Fruit
...as a hearty system of values with which to evaluate the world. Although Winterson's values have changed, her method of communication retains a bit of the old pentecostal fervor. No matter how far a child distances his or herself from their childhood environment, they will still retain many mannerisms from that period. The scene which illustrates Winterson's use of contrast most clearly is when the church confronts Jeanette for the first time about her homosexuality. Jeanette is content and oblivious before she is confronted: "The church was very full as usual, and every time I caught someone's eye they smiled or nodded. It made me happy" (104). In this passage, she mistakenly interprets the parishoners' smiles as a sign of acceptance within her community. Ironically, they are lavishing her with attention because she is about to be singled out as a sinner. Within the space of a few sentences, Jeanette's world is completely different: "I realised that something disturbing was happening. The church had gone very quiet and the pastor was standing on the lower platform, with my mother next to him. She was weeping..."These children of God, began the pastor, have fallen under satan's spell." (104). Admittedly, there is a lot of forshadowing for this scene, but this does not detract from the fact that it happens abruptly and is preceded by Jeanette's feelings of contentedness and acceptance. ...